Theoretical construction in physics – The role of Leibniz for Weyl's ‘Philosophie der Mathematik und Naturwissenschaft’

This paper aims at closing a gap in recent Weyl research by investigating the role played by Leibniz for the development and consolidation of Weyl's notion of theoretical (symbolic) construction. For Weyl, just as for Leibniz, mathematics was not simply an accompanying tool when doing physics—for him it meant the ability to engage in well-guided speculations about a general framework of reality and experience. The paper first introduces some of the background of Weyl's notion of theoretical construction and then discusses particular Leibnizian inheritances in Weyl's ‘Philosophie der Mathematik und Naturwissenschaft’, such as the general appreciation of the principles of sufficient reason and of continuity. Afterwards the paper focuses on three themes: first, Leibniz's primary quality phenomenalism, which according to Weyl marked the decisive step in realizing that physical qualities are never apprehended directly; second, the conceptual relation between continuity and freedom; and third, Leibniz's notion of ‘expression’, which allows for a certain type of (surrogative) reasoning by structural analogy and which gave rise to Weyl's optimism regarding the scope of theoretical construction.     

三峡库区乡镇干部心理健康状况调查报告

通过问卷调查法和访谈法对三峡库区范围内5个区县30多个乡镇及街道的乡镇干部的心理健康状况进行调查分析，分析表明三峡库区乡镇干部整体心理健康状况良好，但也存在一些问题，需引起高度重视。     

On the origins and foundations of Laplacian determinism

In this paper I examine the foundations of Laplace’s famous statement of determinism in 1814, and argue that rather than derived from his mechanics, this statement is based on general philosophical principles, namely the principle of sufficient reason and the law of continuity. It is usually supposed that Laplace’s statement is based on the fact that each system in classical mechanics has an equation of motion which has a unique solution. But Laplace never proved this result, and in fact he could not have proven it, since it depends on a theorem about uniqueness of solutions to differential equations that was only developed later on. I show that the idea that is at the basis of Laplace’s determinism was in fact widespread in enlightenment France, and is ultimately based on a re-interpretation of Leibnizian metaphysics, specifically the principle of sufficient reason and the law of continuity. Since the law of continuity also lies at the basis of the application of differential calculus in physics, one can say that Laplace’s determinism and the idea that systems in physics can be described by differential equations with unique solutions have a common foundation.     

神话逻各斯--解读《德意志观念论体系的源始纲领》以及浪漫“新神话”

《德意志观念论体系的源始纲领》是德国观念论与浪漫派的开篇之作。作为一种征兆，它指向一个时代，归属于由多个作者构成的“星丛”，呈现了观念论与浪漫派之间互动涵濡的“观念单元”。德意志观念论与浪漫主义思潮初登历史堂奥，就注定要置身于神话与理性的生死纠结之中。以神话来完成逻各斯，将启蒙进行到底，便是观念论与浪漫派的志业，这份志业表述在浪漫主义“理性的神话”提案之中。而与之相联系的“感性宗教”提案，就是一个变形的灵知教义神话，一个变形的神话逻各斯。观念论与浪漫派所膜拜的“灵”同灵知主义藉以超越世界而寻求不朽神性的“灵”，存在着血脉传承的关系。所谓“人类最后的伟业丰功”，乃是“新神话”的终结，染上了浓烈的乌托邦色彩，甚至可以说是神话-逻各斯-教义三者互相涵濡彼此杂糅而成的幻象体系。     

‘On the rocks’: reproductive biology of the endemic toad Xanthophryne (Anura: Bufonidae) from the Western Ghats,India

Xanthophryne is a toad genus endemic to the northern Western Ghats of India, with two extant sister species – Xanthophryne koynayensis and Xanthophryne tigerina. Both species are local endemics and endangered. We studied reproductive biology of these toads and found that they are specialized to the lateritic rocky outcrops at mid-elevations in high rainfall areas. Xanthophryne toads have sporadic, multiple spawning bouts lasting 2–4 days during early monsoon. In this explosive breeding behaviour, we observed male toads to engage in ‘pelvic thrusts’, a unique and novel behaviour among anurans. Females oviposit in shallow pools in depressions of lateritic boulders where their tadpoles metamorphose. These ephemeral rocky pools have limited resources and they desiccate rapidly with a break in the rains. To mitigate the stochastic risk of desiccation and subsequent large-scale egg/tadpole mortality, females may disperse their reproductive investment spatially and temporally in multiple clutches, and tadpoles metamorphose rapidly. Here, we describe the amplexus, spawning and male advertisement call, and provide a comparative account of the life history traits of the two Xanthophryne species. These toads face numerous threats and are in need of urgent conservation action. These toads, seemingly well adapted to the isolated rocky outcrops, offer an excellent opportunity to understand endemism, mating systems, anuran ecology and behaviour.     

野牛的种群现状、生态习性及致危因素?

野牛(Bos gaurus)主要分布于中国、印度、孟加拉、尼泊尔、不丹、越南、老挝、柬埔寨、泰国、缅甸和马来西亚.据评估,其全球种群数量约13 000~30 000头.在我国主要分布于云南省,1996—2000年的调查显示共有约480头,种群下降趋势严重,灭绝风险较大.栖息地丧失和破碎化、盗猎和非法贸易、种群衰退和杂交污染以及疾病和传染病是其主要威胁.建议加强野牛的生态学研究,加大栖息地保护力度,打击非法贸易并加强管理和监控,促进野牛种群的恢复.     

崖柏球花和球果形态特征的补充描述

崖柏(Thuja sutchuenensis Franch.)是我国特有植物,为濒危物种,在1998年世界自然保护联盟(IUCN)濒危物种红色名录中曾被确认为野外绝灭.已有文献中缺少对崖柏雌球花形态的描述,对雄球花小孢子叶数目和形态、每小孢子叶具小孢子囊数、球果种鳞数、可育种鳞位置、种子特征的描述也不够全面.本文根据野外居群的观察和标本研究对上述形态特征进行了补充描述,同时,对不同发育阶段雄球花形态和种子败育特征进行了观察.     

从历史书写与神化叙事看历史意识发展的逻辑

历史意识是人们关于自身存在的反应,在人们表达自身存在的历史意识过程中,历史叙事与神话叙事的方式经常被混同在一起,使理性的因素与非理性的因素难分难解地溶解在历史意识的发展过程中,历史意识的发展过程因而也成为人们自我认识的批判过程,而历史性思维的应用则是这一批判性认识过程能否通达历史本身的关键。     

“情理精神”视阈下的中国文化——从中国伦理的“情”与“理”角度分析

血缘关系,是氏族组织的最大财富,是连接原始社会中人与人关系的纽带。中国文化沿袭了原始社会的氏族制,将其改造为以家庭为基本单位的情理精神宗法制,即中国文化的情理精神。中国文化用情凝合大家,再用理建构社会秩序,形成了中国特有的情理文化。