scholarly journals The Random Design Argument

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 23-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelius Hunter

The "random design argument" is a popular but questionable mode of justification that can be found in the scientific literature. The first part of this argument is that, if God had designed X, the features of X would approximate randomness. The second part of this argument is that a random design can therefore be used as a null hypothesis against which any non-design theory can be weighed. The first part of the argument is problematic because it incorporates theology into the practice of science. The second part of the argument is problematic because the null hypothesis is supposed to be the logical complement of the hypothesis. Despite its logical failings, the random design argument has a long history of use for justifying various scientific hypotheses. This paper documents several areas where the random design argument has been used (both currently and historically) as well as details the logical problems with the argument.

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamidun Bunawan ◽  
Noriha Mat Amin ◽  
Siti Noraini Bunawan ◽  
Syarul Nataqain Baharum ◽  
Normah Mohd Noor

Ficus deltoideaJack (Moraceae) has had a long history of use in traditional medicine among the Malays to alleviate and heal ailments such as sores, wounds, and rheumatism and as an after-birth tonic and an antidiabetic drug. Modern pharmacological studies demonstrated that this plant has a wide variety of beneficial attributes for human health. Despite its importance, a review of this species has not been published in the scientific literature to date. Here, we review and summarize the historic and current literature concerning the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological effects, and toxicity of this wonder plant. This summary could be beneficial for future research aiming to exploit the therapeutic potential of this useful, medicinal species.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence B. Leonard

Purpose The current “specific language impairment” and “developmental language disorder” discussion might lead to important changes in how we refer to children with language disorders of unknown origin. The field has seen other changes in terminology. This article reviews many of these changes. Method A literature review of previous clinical labels was conducted, and possible reasons for the changes in labels were identified. Results References to children with significant yet unexplained deficits in language ability have been part of the scientific literature since, at least, the early 1800s. Terms have changed from those with a neurological emphasis to those that do not imply a cause for the language disorder. Diagnostic criteria have become more explicit but have become, at certain points, too narrow to represent the wider range of children with language disorders of unknown origin. Conclusions The field was not well served by the many changes in terminology that have transpired in the past. A new label at this point must be accompanied by strong efforts to recruit its adoption by clinical speech-language pathologists and the general public.


Author(s):  
S. V. Ushakov

Hundreds of scientific works are devoted to the study of the Tauric Chersonesus, but the problem of chronology and periodization of its ancient history is not sufficiently developed in historiography. Analysis of scientific literature and a number of sources concerning this subject allows to define the chronological framework and to reveal 10 stages of the history of ancient Chersonesos (as a preliminary definition). The early stage, the Foundation and formation of the Polis, is defined from the middle/last third of the VI century (or the first half of the V century BC) to the end of the V century BC. The end of the late-Antique − early-Byzantine (transitional) time in Chersonesos can be attributed to the second half of the VI – first third of the VII centuries ad).


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1711
Author(s):  
Heba A. Gad ◽  
Autumn Roberts ◽  
Samirah H. Hamzi ◽  
Haidy A. Gad ◽  
Ilham Touiss ◽  
...  

Jojoba is a widely used medicinal plant that is cultivated worldwide. Its seeds and oil have a long history of use in folklore to treat various ailments, such as skin and scalp disorders, superficial wounds, sore throat, obesity, and cancer; for improvement of liver functions, enhancement of immunity, and promotion of hair growth. Extensive studies on Jojoba oil showed a wide range of pharmacological applications, including antioxidant, anti-acne and antipsoriasis, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antipyretic, analgesic, antimicrobial, and anti-hyperglycemia activities. In addition, Jojoba oil is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, especially in cosmetics for topical, transdermal, and parenteral preparations. Jojoba oil also holds value in the industry as an anti-rodent, insecticides, lubricant, surfactant, and a source for the production of bioenergy. Jojoba oil is considered among the top-ranked oils due to its wax, which constitutes about 98% (mainly wax esters, few free fatty acids, alcohols, and hydrocarbons). In addition, sterols and vitamins with few triglyceride esters, flavonoids, phenolic and cyanogenic compounds are also present. The present review represents an updated literature survey about the chemical composition of jojoba oil, its physical properties, pharmacological activities, pharmaceutical and industrial applications, and toxicity.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (12) ◽  
pp. 3712
Author(s):  
Ryan D. Rattray ◽  
Ben-Erik Van Wyk

The Lamiaceae is undoubtedly an important plant family, having a rich history of use that spans the globe with many species being used in folk medicine and modern industries alike. Their ability to produce aromatic volatile oils has made them valuable sources of materials in the cosmetic, culinary, and pharmaceutical industries. A thorough account of the taxonomic diversity, chemistry and ethnobotany is lacking for southern African Lamiaceae, which feature some of the region’s most notable medicinal and edible plant species. We provide a comprehensive insight into the Lamiaceae flora of southern Africa, comprising 297 species in 42 genera, 105 of which are endemic to the subcontinent. We further explore the medicinal and traditional uses, where all genera with documented uses are covered for the region. A broad review of the chemistry of southern African Lamiaceae is presented, noting that only 101 species (34%) have been investigated chemically (either their volatile oils or phytochemical characterization of secondary metabolites), thus presenting many and varied opportunities for further studies. The main aim of our study was therefore to present an up-to-date account of the botany, chemistry and traditional uses of the family in southern Africa, and to identify obvious knowledge gaps.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 175
Author(s):  
David M. Stevens ◽  
Rachael M. Crist ◽  
Stephan T. Stern

The chloroquine family of antimalarials has a long history of use, spanning many decades. Despite this extensive clinical experience, novel applications, including use in autoimmune disorders, infectious disease, and cancer, have only recently been identified. While short term use of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine is safe at traditional therapeutic doses in patients without predisposing conditions, administration of higher doses and for longer durations are associated with toxicity, including retinotoxicity. Additional liabilities of these medications include pharmacokinetic profiles that require extended dosing to achieve therapeutic tissue concentrations. To improve chloroquine therapy, researchers have turned toward nanomedicine reformulation of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to increase exposure of target tissues relative to off-target tissues, thereby improving the therapeutic index. This review highlights these reformulation efforts to date, identifying issues in experimental designs leading to ambiguity regarding the nanoformulation improvements and lack of thorough pharmacokinetics and safety evaluation. Gaps in our current understanding of these formulations, as well as recommendations for future formulation efforts, are presented.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 1306
Author(s):  
Diane Purcell-Meyerink ◽  
Michael A. Packer ◽  
Thomas T. Wheeler ◽  
Maria Hayes

Seaweeds have a long history of use as food, as flavouring agents, and find use in traditional folk medicine. Seaweed products range from food, feed, and dietary supplements to pharmaceuticals, and from bioenergy intermediates to materials. At present, 98% of the seaweed required by the seaweed industry is provided by five genera and only ten species. The two brown kelp seaweeds Laminaria digitata, a native Irish species, and Macrocystis pyrifera, a native New Zealand species, are not included in these eleven species, although they have been used as dietary supplements and as animal and fish feed. The properties associated with the polysaccharides and proteins from these two species have resulted in increased interest in them, enabling their use as functional foods. Improvements and optimisations in aquaculture methods and bioproduct extractions are essential to realise the commercial potential of these seaweeds. Recent advances in optimising these processes are outlined in this review, as well as potential future applications of L. digitata and, to a greater extent, M. pyrifera which, to date, has been predominately only wild-harvested. These include bio-refinery processing to produce ingredients for nutricosmetics, functional foods, cosmeceuticals, and bioplastics. Areas that currently limit the commercial potential of these two species are highlighted.


1982 ◽  
Vol 47 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-164
Author(s):  
Glenn L. Falkowski ◽  
Arthur M. Guilford ◽  
Jack Sandler

Utilizing airflow therapy, Schwartz (1976) has claimed an 89% success rate with stutterers following treatment and an 83% success rate at one year follow-up. Such claims have yet to be documented in the scientific literature. The purposes of this study were: (a) to investigate the effectiveness of a modified version of airflow therapy; (b) to examine the relative importance of its two main components—passive airflow and elongation of the first vowel spoken. The speech of two adult male stutterers with a lengthy history of stuttering, was assessed with spontaneous speaking and reading tasks. Results indicated marked improvement in both subjects' speech on the reading task was maintained at follow-up 10 weeks later. For spontaneous speech, results were generally weaker and less durable. Effects of the two treatment components were cumulative and did not allow determination of any differential effectiveness between components. Implications of these findings were considered and directions for future research discussed.


Author(s):  
Roman A. Danilin

The case method is one of the methods of problem learning, which allows, based on the description of the problem, to organize the learning process in order to develop a number of universal skills and foreign language speech skills of students. The history of the case method, the typology of cases, the didactic and linguodidactic potential of the case method are described. Based on the analysis of scientific literature, we distinguish the following typological features: a) the complexity of the case; b) the purpose and objectives of the case; c) the degree of structuredness; d) the volume of the case; e) the presence of the plot; f) temporary space; g) subjectivity; h) dominant type of activity; i) subject-content area; j) the number of participants; k) language of the project. The work describes in detail the types of cases for each type. The case method has a didactic potential, allowing to develop analytical skills, critical thinking, professional creative thinking, practical skills, communication skills, social and reflexive skills. When teaching a foreign language on the basis of foreign language cases of a general cultural or professionally oriented direction, students will be able to develop productive (speaking and writing) and receptive (listening and reading) types of speech activity. A nomenclature of speech skills developed in the process of using the case method for each type of speech activity is presented.


Author(s):  
Olga G. Klimova

The study is devoted to the analysis of research texts of the historiographic development of the history of entrepreneurship in pre-revolutionary Siberia. Modern historiography has accumulated a great deal of factual material. Historians have published monographs, thematic collections, articles, abstracts, reviews, reports, bibliographic indexes, encyclopedias and reference pub-lications, the councils defend candidate and doctoral dissertations on various problems in this area. The genre variety of scientific literature about business people reflects a broad professional and public interest in trade and other business activities and contributes to the coordination of research activities. Domestic historiography of the history of merchants and entrepreneurship in Siberia is represented by a significant number of works by historians of the region. The purpose of the study is to analyze the research text as a form of organizing speech material in the scientific discourse of studying the history of entrepreneurship in Siberia in the second half of the 19th – early 20th centuries. We use the methods of historical research, based on the analysis and generalization of research by other researchers, with the application of the principle of historicism, which made it possible to apply the historical-logical, historical-systemic methods. The region-oriented approach made it possible to study more fully the features of scientific texts in the historiography of the history of entrepreneurship in Siberia. The research results are as follows: scientific historical discourse is characterized by a certain set of norms, stereotypes of thinking and behavior; scientific communication plays a significant role in the life of society; genres act as a means of organizing and formalizing interaction in the scientific community; text as a form of organizing speech material in scientific discourse is characterized by the originality and recognizability of style, compositional structure.


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