Craig Bourne
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199212804
- eISBN:
- 9780191707094
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199212804.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Metaphysics/Epistemology
This book concerns the nature of time. It shows how presentism, the view that only the present exists, can be defended. Part I of the book shows how presentism is the only viable alternative to the ...
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This book concerns the nature of time. It shows how presentism, the view that only the present exists, can be defended. Part I of the book shows how presentism is the only viable alternative to the tenseless theory of time. It then develops a framework for solving problems traditionally associated with the position, such as finding truthmakers for past‐tensed statements; McTaggart's argument; the need for other times other than the present time; how to give the proper semantics for future contingent statements; how to deal with transtemporal relations between the past and the present; how we can meaningfully talk about past individuals; and how accounts of causation relations can be formulated. Part I concludes with a discussion of the direction of time and causation, the decision‐theoretic problem known as ‘Newcomb's problem’, and the possibility of time travel and causal loops. Part II focuses on the problems for presentism raised by relativity theory. It begins by giving a self‐contained exposition of the concepts of special relativity and its philosophical implications. The last two chapters focus on certain cosmological models of general relativity: namely, the expanding universes, and Gödel's infamous model. The necessary physics is explained, with the aid of diagrams.Less
This book concerns the nature of time. It shows how presentism, the view that only the present exists, can be defended. Part I of the book shows how presentism is the only viable alternative to the tenseless theory of time. It then develops a framework for solving problems traditionally associated with the position, such as finding truthmakers for past‐tensed statements; McTaggart's argument; the need for other times other than the present time; how to give the proper semantics for future contingent statements; how to deal with transtemporal relations between the past and the present; how we can meaningfully talk about past individuals; and how accounts of causation relations can be formulated. Part I concludes with a discussion of the direction of time and causation, the decision‐theoretic problem known as ‘Newcomb's problem’, and the possibility of time travel and causal loops. Part II focuses on the problems for presentism raised by relativity theory. It begins by giving a self‐contained exposition of the concepts of special relativity and its philosophical implications. The last two chapters focus on certain cosmological models of general relativity: namely, the expanding universes, and Gödel's infamous model. The necessary physics is explained, with the aid of diagrams.
Charles Clarke
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- January 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780197265536
- eISBN:
- 9780191760327
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197265536.003.0016
- Subject:
- Political Science, Environmental Politics
Faced with complex and wicked problems, even well-established governments seek delay and denial when contemplating ‘Too Difficult Boxes’. Failing to grasp the nettle of change brings society nearer ...
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Faced with complex and wicked problems, even well-established governments seek delay and denial when contemplating ‘Too Difficult Boxes’. Failing to grasp the nettle of change brings society nearer to tipping points. But inaction breeds crises which create their own dysfunctional solutions. To get past the many ‘Too Difficult Boxes’, solutions have to be identified, challenges to implementation have to be understood, lobbies need to be placated, legal constraints have to be overcome, and international dimensions taken into account. Democracy needs to be nurtured. Even if unpopular, tough decisions have to be made.Less
Faced with complex and wicked problems, even well-established governments seek delay and denial when contemplating ‘Too Difficult Boxes’. Failing to grasp the nettle of change brings society nearer to tipping points. But inaction breeds crises which create their own dysfunctional solutions. To get past the many ‘Too Difficult Boxes’, solutions have to be identified, challenges to implementation have to be understood, lobbies need to be placated, legal constraints have to be overcome, and international dimensions taken into account. Democracy needs to be nurtured. Even if unpopular, tough decisions have to be made.
Sylvie Benzoni-Gavage and Denis Serre
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199211234
- eISBN:
- 9780191705700
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199211234.001.0001
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Applied Mathematics
This book presents a view of the state of the art in multi-dimensional hyperbolic partial differential equations, with a particular emphasis on problems in which modern tools of analysis have proved ...
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This book presents a view of the state of the art in multi-dimensional hyperbolic partial differential equations, with a particular emphasis on problems in which modern tools of analysis have proved useful. Ordered in sections of gradually increasing degrees of difficulty, the text first covers linear Cauchy problems and linear initial boundary value problems, before moving on to nonlinear problems, including shock waves. The book finishes with a discussion of the application of hyperbolic PDEs to gas dynamics, culminating with the shock wave analysis for real fluids.Less
This book presents a view of the state of the art in multi-dimensional hyperbolic partial differential equations, with a particular emphasis on problems in which modern tools of analysis have proved useful. Ordered in sections of gradually increasing degrees of difficulty, the text first covers linear Cauchy problems and linear initial boundary value problems, before moving on to nonlinear problems, including shock waves. The book finishes with a discussion of the application of hyperbolic PDEs to gas dynamics, culminating with the shock wave analysis for real fluids.
Jorge L. Ramírez Alfonsín
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198568209
- eISBN:
- 9780191718229
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198568209.001.0001
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Algebra, Combinatorics / Graph Theory / Discrete Mathematics
During the early part of the last century, F. G. Frobenius raised, in his lectures, the following problem (called the Diophantine Frobenius Problem FP): given relatively prime positive integers a1, . ...
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During the early part of the last century, F. G. Frobenius raised, in his lectures, the following problem (called the Diophantine Frobenius Problem FP): given relatively prime positive integers a1, . . . , an, find the largest natural number (called the Frobenius number and denoted by g(a1, . . . , an)) that is not representable as a nonnegative integer combination of a1, . . . , an. It turned out that the knowledge of g(a1, . . . , an) has been extremely useful to investigate many different problems. A number of methods, from several areas of mathematics, have been used in the hope of finding a formula giving the Frobenius number and algorithms to calculate it. The main intention of this book is to highlight such ‘methods, ideas, viewpoints, and applications’ for as wide an audience as possible. This book aims to provide a comprehensive exposition of what is known today on FP.Less
During the early part of the last century, F. G. Frobenius raised, in his lectures, the following problem (called the Diophantine Frobenius Problem FP): given relatively prime positive integers a1, . . . , an, find the largest natural number (called the Frobenius number and denoted by g(a1, . . . , an)) that is not representable as a nonnegative integer combination of a1, . . . , an. It turned out that the knowledge of g(a1, . . . , an) has been extremely useful to investigate many different problems. A number of methods, from several areas of mathematics, have been used in the hope of finding a formula giving the Frobenius number and algorithms to calculate it. The main intention of this book is to highlight such ‘methods, ideas, viewpoints, and applications’ for as wide an audience as possible. This book aims to provide a comprehensive exposition of what is known today on FP.
Charles Boyer and Krzysztof Galicki
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780198564959
- eISBN:
- 9780191713712
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198564959.001.0001
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Geometry / Topology
Sasakian manifolds were first introduced in 1962. This book's main focus is on the intricate relationship between Sasakian and Kähler geometries, especially when the Kähler structure is that of an ...
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Sasakian manifolds were first introduced in 1962. This book's main focus is on the intricate relationship between Sasakian and Kähler geometries, especially when the Kähler structure is that of an algebraic variety. The book is divided into three parts. The first five chapters carefully prepare the stage for the proper introduction of the subject. After a brief discussion of G-structures, the reader is introduced to the theory of Riemannian foliations. A concise review of complex and Kähler geometry precedes a fairly detailed treatment of compact complex Kähler orbifolds. A discussion of the existence and obstruction theory of Kähler-Einstein metrics (Monge-Ampère problem) on complex compact orbifolds follows. The second part gives a careful discussion of contact structures in the Riemannian setting. Compact quasi-regular Sasakian manifolds emerge here as algebraic objects: they are orbifold circle bundles over compact projective algebraic orbifolds. After a discussion of symmetries of Sasakian manifolds in Chapter 8, the book looks at Sasakian structures on links of isolated hypersurface singularities in Chapter 9. What follows is a study of compact Sasakian manifolds in dimensions three and five focusing on the important notion of positivity. The latter is crucial in understanding the existence of Sasaki-Einstein and 3-Sasakian metrics, which are studied in Chapters 11 and 13. Chapter 12 gives a fairly brief description of quaternionic geometry which is a prerequisite for Chapter 13. The study of Sasaki-Einstein geometry was the original motivation for the book. The final chapter on Killing spinors discusses the properties of Sasaki-Einstein manifolds, which allow them to play an important role as certain models in the supersymmetric field theories of theoretical physics.Less
Sasakian manifolds were first introduced in 1962. This book's main focus is on the intricate relationship between Sasakian and Kähler geometries, especially when the Kähler structure is that of an algebraic variety. The book is divided into three parts. The first five chapters carefully prepare the stage for the proper introduction of the subject. After a brief discussion of G-structures, the reader is introduced to the theory of Riemannian foliations. A concise review of complex and Kähler geometry precedes a fairly detailed treatment of compact complex Kähler orbifolds. A discussion of the existence and obstruction theory of Kähler-Einstein metrics (Monge-Ampère problem) on complex compact orbifolds follows. The second part gives a careful discussion of contact structures in the Riemannian setting. Compact quasi-regular Sasakian manifolds emerge here as algebraic objects: they are orbifold circle bundles over compact projective algebraic orbifolds. After a discussion of symmetries of Sasakian manifolds in Chapter 8, the book looks at Sasakian structures on links of isolated hypersurface singularities in Chapter 9. What follows is a study of compact Sasakian manifolds in dimensions three and five focusing on the important notion of positivity. The latter is crucial in understanding the existence of Sasaki-Einstein and 3-Sasakian metrics, which are studied in Chapters 11 and 13. Chapter 12 gives a fairly brief description of quaternionic geometry which is a prerequisite for Chapter 13. The study of Sasaki-Einstein geometry was the original motivation for the book. The final chapter on Killing spinors discusses the properties of Sasaki-Einstein manifolds, which allow them to play an important role as certain models in the supersymmetric field theories of theoretical physics.
Andreas Kirsch and Natalia Grinberg
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199213535
- eISBN:
- 9780191707629
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199213535.001.0001
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Applied Mathematics
This book is devoted to problems of shape identification in the context of (inverse) scattering problems and problems of impedance tomography. In contrast to traditional methods which are based on ...
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This book is devoted to problems of shape identification in the context of (inverse) scattering problems and problems of impedance tomography. In contrast to traditional methods which are based on iterative schemes of solving sequences of corresponding direct problems, this book presents a completely different method. The Factorization Method avoids the need to solve the (time consuming) direct problems. Furthermore, no a-priori information about the type of scatterer (penetrable or impenetrable), type of boundary condition, or number of components is needed. The Factorization Method can be considered as an example of a Sampling Method. The book aims to construct a binary criterium on the known data to decide whether or not a given point z is inside or outside the unknown domain D. By choosing a grid of sampling points z in a region known to contain D, the characteristic function of D can be computed (in the case of finite data only approximately). The book also introduces some alternative Sampling Methods.Less
This book is devoted to problems of shape identification in the context of (inverse) scattering problems and problems of impedance tomography. In contrast to traditional methods which are based on iterative schemes of solving sequences of corresponding direct problems, this book presents a completely different method. The Factorization Method avoids the need to solve the (time consuming) direct problems. Furthermore, no a-priori information about the type of scatterer (penetrable or impenetrable), type of boundary condition, or number of components is needed. The Factorization Method can be considered as an example of a Sampling Method. The book aims to construct a binary criterium on the known data to decide whether or not a given point z is inside or outside the unknown domain D. By choosing a grid of sampling points z in a region known to contain D, the characteristic function of D can be computed (in the case of finite data only approximately). The book also introduces some alternative Sampling Methods.
Rolf Niedermeier
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198566076
- eISBN:
- 9780191713910
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198566076.001.0001
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Combinatorics / Graph Theory / Discrete Mathematics
This book provides an introduction to the concept of fixed-parameter tractability. The corresponding design and analysis of efficient fixed-parameter algorithms for optimally solving combinatorially ...
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This book provides an introduction to the concept of fixed-parameter tractability. The corresponding design and analysis of efficient fixed-parameter algorithms for optimally solving combinatorially explosive (NP-hard) discrete problems is a vividly developing field, with a growing list of applications in various contexts such as network analysis or bioinformatics. The book emphasizes algorithmic techniques over computational complexity theory. It is divided into three parts: a broad introduction that provides the general philosophy and motivation; followed by coverage of algorithmic methods developed over the years in fixed-parameter algorithmics forming the core of the book; and a discussion of the essentials of parameterized hardness theory with a focus on W[1]-hardness which parallels NP-hardness, then stating some relations to polynomial-time approximation algorithms, and finishing up with a list of selected case studies to show the wide range of applicability of the presented methodology.Less
This book provides an introduction to the concept of fixed-parameter tractability. The corresponding design and analysis of efficient fixed-parameter algorithms for optimally solving combinatorially explosive (NP-hard) discrete problems is a vividly developing field, with a growing list of applications in various contexts such as network analysis or bioinformatics. The book emphasizes algorithmic techniques over computational complexity theory. It is divided into three parts: a broad introduction that provides the general philosophy and motivation; followed by coverage of algorithmic methods developed over the years in fixed-parameter algorithmics forming the core of the book; and a discussion of the essentials of parameterized hardness theory with a focus on W[1]-hardness which parallels NP-hardness, then stating some relations to polynomial-time approximation algorithms, and finishing up with a list of selected case studies to show the wide range of applicability of the presented methodology.
Jan Modersitzki
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198528418
- eISBN:
- 9780191713583
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198528418.001.0001
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Applied Mathematics
This text provides an introduction to the theoretical, practical, and numerical aspects of image registration, with special emphasis on medical imaging. Given a so-called reference and template ...
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This text provides an introduction to the theoretical, practical, and numerical aspects of image registration, with special emphasis on medical imaging. Given a so-called reference and template image, the goal of image registration is to find a reasonable transformation such that the transformed template is similar to the reference image. Image registration is utilized whenever information obtained from different viewpoints times and sensors needs to be combined or compared, and unwanted distortion needs to be eliminated. The book provides a systematic introduction to image registration and discusses the basic mathematical principles, including aspects from approximations theory, image processing, numerics, optimization, partial differential equations, and statistics, with a strong focus on numerical methods. A unified variational approach is introduced and enables a separation into data-related issues like image feature or image intensity-based similarity measures, and problem inherent regularization like elastic or diffusion registration. This general framework is further used for the explanation and classification of established methods as well as the design of new schemes and building blocks including landmark-, thin-plate-spline, mutual information, elastic, fluid, demon, diffusion, and curvature registration.Less
This text provides an introduction to the theoretical, practical, and numerical aspects of image registration, with special emphasis on medical imaging. Given a so-called reference and template image, the goal of image registration is to find a reasonable transformation such that the transformed template is similar to the reference image. Image registration is utilized whenever information obtained from different viewpoints times and sensors needs to be combined or compared, and unwanted distortion needs to be eliminated. The book provides a systematic introduction to image registration and discusses the basic mathematical principles, including aspects from approximations theory, image processing, numerics, optimization, partial differential equations, and statistics, with a strong focus on numerical methods. A unified variational approach is introduced and enables a separation into data-related issues like image feature or image intensity-based similarity measures, and problem inherent regularization like elastic or diffusion registration. This general framework is further used for the explanation and classification of established methods as well as the design of new schemes and building blocks including landmark-, thin-plate-spline, mutual information, elastic, fluid, demon, diffusion, and curvature registration.
Rolf Niedermeier
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198566076
- eISBN:
- 9780191713910
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198566076.003.0006
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Combinatorics / Graph Theory / Discrete Mathematics
This chapter ends the first, introductory part of the book by recalling some of the central observations so far.
This chapter ends the first, introductory part of the book by recalling some of the central observations so far.
Andrea Braides
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198507840
- eISBN:
- 9780191709890
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198507840.001.0001
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Applied Mathematics
This book introduces the main concepts of the theory of De Giorgi's Gamma-convergence and gives a description of its main applications to the study of asymptotic variational problems. The content is ...
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This book introduces the main concepts of the theory of De Giorgi's Gamma-convergence and gives a description of its main applications to the study of asymptotic variational problems. The content is based on results obtained during thirty years of research. The book is divided into sixteen short chapters, an Introduction, and an Appendix. After explaining how a notion of variational convergence arises naturally from the study of the asymptotic behaviour of variational problems, the Introduction presents a number of examples that show how diversified the applications of this notion may be. The first chapter covers the abstract theory of Gamma-convergence, including its links with lower semicontinuity and relaxation, and the fundamental results on the convergence of minimum problems. The following ten chapters are all set in a one-dimensional framework to illustrate the main issues of convergence without the burden of high-dimensional technicalities. These include variational problems in Sobolev spaces, in particular homogenization theory, limits of discrete systems, segmentation and phase-transition problems, free-discontinuity problems and their approximation, etc. Chapters 12-15 are devoted to problems in a higher-dimensional setting, showing how some one-dimensional reasoning may be extended, if properly formulated, to a more general setting, and how some concepts already introduced can be integrated with vectorial issues. The final chapter introduces the more general and abstract localization methods of Gamma-convergence. All chapters are complemented by a guide to the literature, and a short description of extensions and developments.Less
This book introduces the main concepts of the theory of De Giorgi's Gamma-convergence and gives a description of its main applications to the study of asymptotic variational problems. The content is based on results obtained during thirty years of research. The book is divided into sixteen short chapters, an Introduction, and an Appendix. After explaining how a notion of variational convergence arises naturally from the study of the asymptotic behaviour of variational problems, the Introduction presents a number of examples that show how diversified the applications of this notion may be. The first chapter covers the abstract theory of Gamma-convergence, including its links with lower semicontinuity and relaxation, and the fundamental results on the convergence of minimum problems. The following ten chapters are all set in a one-dimensional framework to illustrate the main issues of convergence without the burden of high-dimensional technicalities. These include variational problems in Sobolev spaces, in particular homogenization theory, limits of discrete systems, segmentation and phase-transition problems, free-discontinuity problems and their approximation, etc. Chapters 12-15 are devoted to problems in a higher-dimensional setting, showing how some one-dimensional reasoning may be extended, if properly formulated, to a more general setting, and how some concepts already introduced can be integrated with vectorial issues. The final chapter introduces the more general and abstract localization methods of Gamma-convergence. All chapters are complemented by a guide to the literature, and a short description of extensions and developments.
Roman Kossak and James H. Schmerl
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198568278
- eISBN:
- 9780191718199
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198568278.003.0012
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Logic / Computer Science / Mathematical Philosophy
This chapter gives a list of open problems the book's authors have considered most interesting. Two of the problems (7 and 9) have already been solved by Enayat. The chapter includes a website which ...
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This chapter gives a list of open problems the book's authors have considered most interesting. Two of the problems (7 and 9) have already been solved by Enayat. The chapter includes a website which will provide updates on progress.Less
This chapter gives a list of open problems the book's authors have considered most interesting. Two of the problems (7 and 9) have already been solved by Enayat. The chapter includes a website which will provide updates on progress.
Andrea Braides
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198507840
- eISBN:
- 9780191709890
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198507840.003.0010
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Applied Mathematics
This chapter describes the interaction between homogenization and surface terms using three examples. It shows that in some regimes, there is a separation of scales, while in other regimes the two ...
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This chapter describes the interaction between homogenization and surface terms using three examples. It shows that in some regimes, there is a separation of scales, while in other regimes the two phenomena must be considered together. The first example deals with the interaction between oscillations and phase transitions in producing surface terms. The second exhibits a different scaling of the same problem giving a limit energy finite on piecewise-Sobolev functions through phase accumulation. The third example deals with the homogenization of free-discontinuity problems.Less
This chapter describes the interaction between homogenization and surface terms using three examples. It shows that in some regimes, there is a separation of scales, while in other regimes the two phenomena must be considered together. The first example deals with the interaction between oscillations and phase transitions in producing surface terms. The second exhibits a different scaling of the same problem giving a limit energy finite on piecewise-Sobolev functions through phase accumulation. The third example deals with the homogenization of free-discontinuity problems.
Debra L. Dodson
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- May 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780198296744
- eISBN:
- 9780191603709
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198296746.003.0003
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This chapter offers a heuristic model to guide the exploration of how the convergence of individual, institutional, and extra-institutional forces contribute to substantive representation of women, ...
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This chapter offers a heuristic model to guide the exploration of how the convergence of individual, institutional, and extra-institutional forces contribute to substantive representation of women, as well as to the probabilistic nature of the relationship between descriptive and substantive representation of women. The focus is on seven distinct yet interactive factors: the participant stream, the condition stream, the problem stream, the internal/institutional structural stream, the internal/institutional political stream, the external political stream, and the solution stream. This framework forces the discussion beyond the simple question of ‘Do women make a difference?’ to highlight strategies that can increase (or decrease) substantive representation of women regardless of women’s proportional presence.Less
This chapter offers a heuristic model to guide the exploration of how the convergence of individual, institutional, and extra-institutional forces contribute to substantive representation of women, as well as to the probabilistic nature of the relationship between descriptive and substantive representation of women. The focus is on seven distinct yet interactive factors: the participant stream, the condition stream, the problem stream, the internal/institutional structural stream, the internal/institutional political stream, the external political stream, and the solution stream. This framework forces the discussion beyond the simple question of ‘Do women make a difference?’ to highlight strategies that can increase (or decrease) substantive representation of women regardless of women’s proportional presence.
Bruce Langtry
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199238798
- eISBN:
- 9780191716485
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199238798.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, Philosophy of Religion
To create a possible world is to actualize it strongly or weakly. A world is prime if God can create it and he cannot create a world better than it. This book's conclusions include: (1) If there is ...
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To create a possible world is to actualize it strongly or weakly. A world is prime if God can create it and he cannot create a world better than it. This book's conclusions include: (1) If there is at least one prime world, then if God does create some world he will create one of them. (2) If there are no prime worlds, then it does not follow that God does not exist. Instead, what follows is that if God creates a world he will create one that is good enough, despite the fact that he could create a world which is better. (3) These conclusions do not give rise to a good objection to theism, based on the apparent fact that the actual world is improvable, and is not good enough. (4) Even if there is a best world, or several equal‐best worlds, God cannot create any of them. (5) A good partial theodicy for evil can be provided, appealing to goods bound up with human free will, moral responsibility, and the roles of individuals' own personal traits in shaping their own and other people's lives. The partial theodicy is neutral between theological compatibilism and libertarianism. (6) The problem of evil does not provide a very strong objection to the existence of God.Less
To create a possible world is to actualize it strongly or weakly. A world is prime if God can create it and he cannot create a world better than it. This book's conclusions include: (1) If there is at least one prime world, then if God does create some world he will create one of them. (2) If there are no prime worlds, then it does not follow that God does not exist. Instead, what follows is that if God creates a world he will create one that is good enough, despite the fact that he could create a world which is better. (3) These conclusions do not give rise to a good objection to theism, based on the apparent fact that the actual world is improvable, and is not good enough. (4) Even if there is a best world, or several equal‐best worlds, God cannot create any of them. (5) A good partial theodicy for evil can be provided, appealing to goods bound up with human free will, moral responsibility, and the roles of individuals' own personal traits in shaping their own and other people's lives. The partial theodicy is neutral between theological compatibilism and libertarianism. (6) The problem of evil does not provide a very strong objection to the existence of God.
Andreas Herberg‐Rothe
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- May 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199202690
- eISBN:
- 9780191707834
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199202690.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
The prologue explains the fundamental contrasts between the early and the late Clausewitz by reflecting on his analyses of war campaigns. Unfortunately, the erroneous identification of Clausewitz's ...
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The prologue explains the fundamental contrasts between the early and the late Clausewitz by reflecting on his analyses of war campaigns. Unfortunately, the erroneous identification of Clausewitz's wondrous trinity with trinitarian war has been further strengthened by a wrong translation in the English edition of Paret and Howard. It is argued that one might win battles and campaigns against weak adversaries with concepts of Sun Tzu, Clausewitz's most important antagonist in past and present, but that it is difficult to win a war in modern times by following his principles. To the contrary, the book argues that Clausewitz is still important in the 21st century because he developed a theory, which concentrates on transforming military success in a true political settlement.Less
The prologue explains the fundamental contrasts between the early and the late Clausewitz by reflecting on his analyses of war campaigns. Unfortunately, the erroneous identification of Clausewitz's wondrous trinity with trinitarian war has been further strengthened by a wrong translation in the English edition of Paret and Howard. It is argued that one might win battles and campaigns against weak adversaries with concepts of Sun Tzu, Clausewitz's most important antagonist in past and present, but that it is difficult to win a war in modern times by following his principles. To the contrary, the book argues that Clausewitz is still important in the 21st century because he developed a theory, which concentrates on transforming military success in a true political settlement.
Mark Schroeder
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199534654
- eISBN:
- 9780191715938
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199534654.001.0001
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Language
Expressivism — the sophisticated contemporary incarnation of the noncognitivist research program of Ayer, Stevenson, and Hare — is no longer the province of metaethicists alone. Its comprehensive ...
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Expressivism — the sophisticated contemporary incarnation of the noncognitivist research program of Ayer, Stevenson, and Hare — is no longer the province of metaethicists alone. Its comprehensive view about the nature of both normative language and normative thought has also recently been applied to many topics elsewhere in philosophy. Yet the semantic commitments of expressivism are still poorly understood and have not been very far developed. Expressivists have not yet even managed to solve the ‘negation problem’ — to explain why atomic normative sentences are inconsistent with their negations. As a result, it is far from clear that expressivism even could be true. This book evaluates the semantic commitments of expressivism by showing how an expressivist semantics would work, what it can do, and what kind of assumptions would be required, in order for it to do it. Building on a highly general understanding of the basic ideas of expressivism, it argues that expressivists can solve the negation problem — but only in one kind of way. It shows how this insight paves the way for an explanatorily powerful, constructive expressivist semantics, which solves many of what have been taken to be the deepest problems for expressivism, including making unprecedented progress in attacking the well-known Frege-Geach problem for noncognitivist theories. But it also argues that any account which can attain these advantages will face further, even more formidable, obstacles. Expressivism, it is argued, is coherent and interesting, but false.Less
Expressivism — the sophisticated contemporary incarnation of the noncognitivist research program of Ayer, Stevenson, and Hare — is no longer the province of metaethicists alone. Its comprehensive view about the nature of both normative language and normative thought has also recently been applied to many topics elsewhere in philosophy. Yet the semantic commitments of expressivism are still poorly understood and have not been very far developed. Expressivists have not yet even managed to solve the ‘negation problem’ — to explain why atomic normative sentences are inconsistent with their negations. As a result, it is far from clear that expressivism even could be true. This book evaluates the semantic commitments of expressivism by showing how an expressivist semantics would work, what it can do, and what kind of assumptions would be required, in order for it to do it. Building on a highly general understanding of the basic ideas of expressivism, it argues that expressivists can solve the negation problem — but only in one kind of way. It shows how this insight paves the way for an explanatorily powerful, constructive expressivist semantics, which solves many of what have been taken to be the deepest problems for expressivism, including making unprecedented progress in attacking the well-known Frege-Geach problem for noncognitivist theories. But it also argues that any account which can attain these advantages will face further, even more formidable, obstacles. Expressivism, it is argued, is coherent and interesting, but false.
Michael Chui and Prasanna Gai
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- July 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780199267750
- eISBN:
- 9780191602504
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199267758.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Financial Economics
This book offers an analytical perspective on the policy debate on the design and reform of the international financial architecture. It stresses the role played by coordination problems in the ...
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This book offers an analytical perspective on the policy debate on the design and reform of the international financial architecture. It stresses the role played by coordination problems in the origin and management of crises by relating the insights of the new literature on global games to earlier work on currency crises, bank runs, and sovereign debt default. It draws on recent research and policy work to examine the debate on the design of sovereign bankruptcy procedures, the role of the IMF in influencing the actions of creditors and debtors, and the role of private sector involvement in the management of financial crises.Less
This book offers an analytical perspective on the policy debate on the design and reform of the international financial architecture. It stresses the role played by coordination problems in the origin and management of crises by relating the insights of the new literature on global games to earlier work on currency crises, bank runs, and sovereign debt default. It draws on recent research and policy work to examine the debate on the design of sovereign bankruptcy procedures, the role of the IMF in influencing the actions of creditors and debtors, and the role of private sector involvement in the management of financial crises.
Pertti Ahonen
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199259892
- eISBN:
- 9780191717451
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199259892.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
This book connects two central problems encountered by the Federal Republic of Germany prior to reunification in 1990, both of them rooted in the Second World War. Domestically, the country had to ...
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This book connects two central problems encountered by the Federal Republic of Germany prior to reunification in 1990, both of them rooted in the Second World War. Domestically, the country had to integrate eight million expellees forced out of their homes in Central and Eastern Europe as a result of the lost war. Externally, it had to reestablish relations with Eastern Europe, despite the burdens of the Nazi past, the expulsions, and the ongoing East–West struggle during the Cold War. This book shows how the long-term consequences of the expellee problem significantly hindered West German efforts to develop normal ties with the East European states. In particular, it emphasizes a point largely overlooked in the existing literature: the way in which the political integration of the expellees into the Federal Republic had unanticipated negative consequences for the country's Ostpolitik.Less
This book connects two central problems encountered by the Federal Republic of Germany prior to reunification in 1990, both of them rooted in the Second World War. Domestically, the country had to integrate eight million expellees forced out of their homes in Central and Eastern Europe as a result of the lost war. Externally, it had to reestablish relations with Eastern Europe, despite the burdens of the Nazi past, the expulsions, and the ongoing East–West struggle during the Cold War. This book shows how the long-term consequences of the expellee problem significantly hindered West German efforts to develop normal ties with the East European states. In particular, it emphasizes a point largely overlooked in the existing literature: the way in which the political integration of the expellees into the Federal Republic had unanticipated negative consequences for the country's Ostpolitik.
Yung Chul Park
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199276776
- eISBN:
- 9780191603051
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199276773.003.0004
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, South and East Asia
East Asian countries were showing many structural strains and rigidities prior to the crisis, partly due to cosmetic reform efforts. Four critical failures are identified: benign neglect of the ...
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East Asian countries were showing many structural strains and rigidities prior to the crisis, partly due to cosmetic reform efforts. Four critical failures are identified: benign neglect of the conflicts between government mechanism and the democratic polity and market liberalization, the inability to restructure the financial system, the closed and non-transparent corporate sector, and focus on an export-led development strategy.Less
East Asian countries were showing many structural strains and rigidities prior to the crisis, partly due to cosmetic reform efforts. Four critical failures are identified: benign neglect of the conflicts between government mechanism and the democratic polity and market liberalization, the inability to restructure the financial system, the closed and non-transparent corporate sector, and focus on an export-led development strategy.
C. B. Martin
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199234103
- eISBN:
- 9780191715570
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199234103.003.0012
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind
This chapter begins with a discussion of the private world problem, and argues that with or without sensations, the spectre of the ‘private world’ arises equally, so sensations are not the problem if ...
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This chapter begins with a discussion of the private world problem, and argues that with or without sensations, the spectre of the ‘private world’ arises equally, so sensations are not the problem if there is a ‘private world problem’. It is also argued that the role of knowledge of behaviour (or what a sensation is ‘apt to cause’) and/or physical circumstances (or that by which the sensation is ‘apt to be caused’) needs better understanding. The rejection of analogical ways of thinking about the experiences of others and the complementary fixation on public, observable, shared behaviour and circumstances leads — when carried to its fair conclusion — to a second joke, which is explained in the chapter.Less
This chapter begins with a discussion of the private world problem, and argues that with or without sensations, the spectre of the ‘private world’ arises equally, so sensations are not the problem if there is a ‘private world problem’. It is also argued that the role of knowledge of behaviour (or what a sensation is ‘apt to cause’) and/or physical circumstances (or that by which the sensation is ‘apt to be caused’) needs better understanding. The rejection of analogical ways of thinking about the experiences of others and the complementary fixation on public, observable, shared behaviour and circumstances leads — when carried to its fair conclusion — to a second joke, which is explained in the chapter.
