Kant and Newton on the a priori necessity of geometry

In the Transcendental Aesthetic, Kant explicitly rejects Newton’s absolutist position that space is an actually existing thing; however, Kant also concedes that the absolutist successfully preserves the a priori necessity that characterizes our geometrical knowledge of space. My goal in this paper is to explore why the absolutist can explain the a priori necessity of geometry by turning to Newton’s De Gravitatione, an unpublished text in which Newton addresses the essential features associated with our representation of space and the relationship between our geometrical investigation of space and our knowledge of the form of space that is a part of the natural order. Attention to Newton’s account of space in De Gravitatione offers insight into the sense in which absolutist space is a priori and reveals why, in the Aesthetic, Kant could concede a priori geometrical knowledge to his absolutist opponent. What I highlight in particular is that, by Kant’s standards, Newton employs the very constructive method of mathematics that secures the a priori necessity of geometry, even though, as an absolutist, and as emphasized in the arguments of the Aesthetic, Newton fails to provide a metaphysics of space that explains the success of his mathematical method.     

Realism,functions, and the a priori: Ernst Cassirer's philosophy of science

This paper presents the main ideas of Cassirer's general philosophy of science, focusing on the two aspects of his thought that—in addition to being the most central ideas in his philosophy of science—have received the most attention from contemporary philosophers of science: his theory of the a priori aspects of physical theory, and his relation to scientific realism.     

Signs, toy models, and the a priori: from Helmholtz to Wittgenstein

The Marburg neo-Kantians argue that Hermann von Helmholtz’s empiricist account of the a priori does not account for certain knowledge, since it is based on a psychological phenomenon, trust in the regularities of nature. They argue that Helmholtz’s account raises the ‘problem of validity’ (Gültigkeitsproblem): how to establish a warranted claim that observed regularities are based on actual relations. I reconstruct Heinrich Hertz’s and Ludwig Wittgenstein’s Bild theoretic answer to the problem of validity: that scientists and philosophers can depict the necessary a priori constraints on states of affairs in a given system, and can establish whether these relations are actual relations in nature. The analysis of necessity within a system is a lasting contribution of the Bild theory. However, Hertz and Wittgenstein argue that the logical and mathematical sentences of a Bild are rules, tools for constructing relations, and the rules themselves are meaningless outside the theory. Carnap revises the argument for validity by attempting to give semantic rules for translation between frameworks. Russell and Quine object that pragmatics better accounts for the role of a priori reasoning in translating between frameworks. The conclusion of the tale, then, is a partial vindication of Helmholtz’s original account.     

Forecasting relative quality

This paper develops a model to forecast the likely quality rating of new automobiles. A scheme is devised and implemented for 1982 whereby the probability that a specific model will have one of five quality ratings is computed. The quality ratings are based on the trouble index computed by Consumer Reports based on a survey of its subscribers. A multinomial logit specification is used whereby the relative probability that a given level of quality is realized is a function of previous quality ratings, the location of the manufacturer of the automobile, the size of the automobile and the list price (or port-of-entry prices, in the case of imports). The forecast results when compared in a qualitative way to actual 1982 quality ratings prove to be acceptable.     

The relative stabilities ofCis andTrans isomers

Zusammenfassung Eine Neufassung der von-Auwerschen Regel ist vorgeschlagen worden. Die neue Regel ist aufcis- undtrans-Isomeren gewöhnlicher zyklischer Systeme sowie auch auf mehrfach substituierte zyklische Verbindungen, polyzyklische Verbindungen und Olefine anwendbar Das Bestehen einer solchen Regel ist begründet, und ihre Begrenzungen und praktischen Auswertungen sind unter Betracht gezogen worden.     

On the relative position of the centromere of chromosome 3 inDrosophila melanogaster

Zusammenfassung HomozygoteDrosophila-melanogaster-Weibchen, genetisch markiert mit scarlet (st), Kinked (Ki) und pink peach (P^p) wurden bestrahlt, um Compound-3-Chromosomen herzustellen. Es wurden ausschliesslich st/st- und P^p Ki/Ki(?) P^p-Compoundchromosomen gefunden. Dies zeigt, dass das Zentromer links der Markierung Kinked liegt.

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This work was supported by Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung.     

Some generalizations relative to lithium aluminum hydride reactions

Zusammenfassung Unter den gewöhnlichen Reaktionsbedingungen bleiben-O-{ie356-1}-O- und -S-{ie356-2}-O-Gruppen durch LiAlH₄ unverändert, während -{ie356-3}-{ie356-4}-O- und möglicherweise auch-{ie356-5}-{ie356-6}-S-Gruppen an der C-O- bzw. C-S-Bindung gespalten werden. Diese Verallgemeinerungen, die sich auf aliphatische und aromatische Verbindungen, Zucker und Steroide, anwenden lassen, werden zur Bestätigung kürzlich aufgestellter Steroid- und Alkaloidformeln herangezogen. Es wird ein Reaktionsmechanismus vorgeschlagen.

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Contribution No. 8 from the Yerkes Research Laboratory, E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., Inc., Buffalo 7, New York.     

The complete structure and relative and absolute configuration of anhydroryanodine

Zusammenfassung Für Anhydroryanodin wurde Struktur IV bewiesen.     

The relative facts interpretation and Everett's note added in proof

In the published version of Hugh Everett III's doctoral dissertation, he inserted what has become a famous footnote, the “note added in proof”. This footnote is often the strongest evidence given for any of various interpretations of Everett (the many worlds, many minds, many histories and many threads interpretations). In this paper I will propose a new interpretation of the footnote. One that is supported by evidence found in letters written to and by Everett; one that is suggested by a new interpretation of Everett, an interpretation that takes seriously the central position of relative states in Everett's pure wave mechanics: the relative facts interpretation. Of central interest in this paper is how to make sense of Everett's claim in the “note added in proof” that “all elements of a superposition (all “branches”) are “actual,” none any more “real” than the rest.”     

Some comparisons of the relative power of simple tests for structural change in regression models

The power of Chow, linear, predictive failure and cusum of squares tests to detect structural change is compared in a two-variable random walk model and a once-for-all parameter shift model. In each case the linear test has greatest power, followed by the Chow test. It is suggested that the linear test be used as the basic general test for structural change in time series data, and tests of forecasting performance be confined to the last few observations. Analysis of recursive residuals and recursive parameter estimates should be regarded as forms of exploratory data analysis and tools for understanding discrepancies with previous results rather than a basis for formal tests of structural change.     

Effect of relative humidity on the free-living stages ofStrongyloides papillosus (Rhabdiasoidea: Nematoda)

Summary The eggs and larvae are affected by the changes in the humidity level around them. The eggs do not develop below 87% relative humidity at 30 °C and 25 °C. At sub-developmental rel. hum. they remain viable for 30 h at 81%, but at 73% rel. hum. level they do not survive beyond 18 h. Survival of larvae in 100% rel. hum. is longer at 30 °C than at 25 °C and 35 °C, and also they exhibit a poor resistance to desiccation.Acknowledgment. The author is grateful to Dr. Devendra Prasad of Patna University for his supervision and constant help in the work. The assistance of State University Grants Commission through a research scholarship is gratefully acknowledged.     

Effect of relative humidity on the free-living stages of Strongyloides papillosus (Rhabdiasoidea: Nematoda)

The eggs and larvae are affected by the changes in the humidity level around them. The eggs do not develop below 87% relative humidity at 30 degrees C and 25 degrees C. At sub-developmental rel. hum. they remain viable for 30 h at 81%, but at 73% rel. hum. level they do not survive beyond 18 h. Survival of larvae in 100% rel. hum. is longer at 30 degrees C than at 25 degrees C and 35 degrees C, and also they exhibit a poor resistance to desiccation.     

Cortical steroids: Configurations at C20 relative to C17

Zusammenfassung Sieben inaktive Begleit-Corticosteroide, die vonReichstein und anderen aus der Nebennierenrinde isoliert worden sind, enthalten ein Asymmetriezentrum in C₂₀. Es sind bisher sind noch keine Schlußfolgerungen bezüglich der Konfiguration der natürlichen Substanzen in diesem Zentrum relativ zum Rest des Moleküls gezogen worden.In der vorliegenden Abhandlung wird darauf hingewiesen, daß die Konfiguration an Hand der Betrachtung des Hinderniseffekts, welcher wahrscheinlich den sterischen Lauf der Reaktionen, die zur Partialsynthese der Verbindungen dieser Gruppe angewendet werden, reguliert, mit ziemlicher Sicherheit abgeleitet werden kann. Auf diese Weise sind die Konfigurationen aller sieben natürlichen Steroide festgesetzt und mit den Bezeichnungen der vorgeschlagenen Nomenklatur für die Beschreibung der Konfiguration in C₂₀ relativ zu der in C₁₇ unter Bezugnahme auf ein zyklisches Zwischenprodukt von festgesetzter geometrischer Orientierung ausgedrückt worden.Die Konfiguration in C₂₀ einiger synthetischer 20-Oxy-Verbindungen der 17-Isoallopregnan- und 17-Iso-⁵-pregnen-Reihe sind durch Vergleich mit den entsprechenden 17-Normal-Verbindungen mit Hilfe der Methode des Molekularrotationsunterschiedes nachBarton abgeleitet worden. Im Falle zweier epimerischer 17-Isoallopregnan-3,17,20-triole sind die optischen Eigenschaften nicht entscheidend und zwei Serien von experimentellen Tatsachen scheinen sich zu widersprechen.Experimentelles Beweismaterial, das erst nach der Fertigstellung dieser Abhandlung beigebracht worden war, zeigt, daß eine der Literaturangaben unrichtig ist, wie in der «Note added to proof» erwähnt worden ist.In der Abhandlung ist eine Reihe von Vorschlägen für die Standardisierung der Nomenklatur der Steroide eingeschlossen.