Towards a Hierarchical Definition of Life,the Organism,and Death

Despite hundreds of definitions, no consensus exists on a definition of life or on the closely related and problematic definitions of the organism and death. These problems retard practical and theoretical development in, for example, exobiology, artificial life, biology and evolution. This paper suggests improving this situation by basing definitions on a theory of a generalized particle hierarchy. This theory uses the common denominator of the “operator” for a unified ranking of both particles and organisms, from elementary particles to animals with brains. Accordingly, this ranking is called “the operator hierarchy”. This hierarchy allows life to be defined as: matter with the configuration of an operator, and that possesses a complexity equal to, or even higher than the cellular operator. Living is then synonymous with the dynamics of such operators and the word organism refers to a select group of operators that fit the definition of life. The minimum condition defining an organism is its existence as an operator, construction thus being more essential than metabolism, growth or reproduction. In the operator hierarchy, every organism is associated with a specific closure, for example, the nucleus in eukaryotes. This allows death to be defined as: the state in which an organism has lost its closure following irreversible deterioration of its organization. The generality of the operator hierarchy also offers a context to discuss “life as we do not know it”. The paper ends with testing the definition’s practical value with a range of examples.     

人和自然关系的历史审视

本文从哲学的角度,探讨了人和自然关系历史演进,提出可持续发展是解决人和自然冲突的必然选择.     

基因技术与生死观的重新审视

基因技术的发展使人自认可以作为重塑自然的设计是来继续生合未来发展的创造性进程，人这生死过程越来越不成其为自然的过程，而成为人为之事。传统生死观“惜生防死”的伦理规范在基因技术寻求个体不朽的过程中体现到极致，但个体过长的寿命不仅违反自然法则，而且对整个社会而言是一种退化。辩证的生命观总是和它的作为种子存在于生命中的死亡联系起来考虑的，我们应把握生命的质，而不是计算生命的量。     

自然分类、物理学的近似度和迪昂论题——物理学认识论方法的限度

迪昂论题和迪昂的自然分类目的观经常被人们引申出对立的观点。在物理学认识论方法的限度的语境中,这些对立和相关的问题可以得到一定程度的解决。自然分类、物理学的近似度和迪昂论题是迪昂在他的著作中给人们表述的物理学认识论方法的限度,在这些限度之下,作为知识的物理学理论是为了拯救现象而设计和发展的。     

A Spontaneous Physics Philosophy on the Concept of Ether Throughout the History of Science: Birth, Death and Revival

In the course of the history of science, some concepts have forged theoretical foundations, constituting paradigms that hold sway for substantial periods of time. Research on the history of explanations of the action of one body on another is a testament to the periodic revival of one theory in particular, namely, the theory of ether. Even after the foundation of modern Physics, the notion of ether has directly and indirectly withstood the test of time. Through a spontaneous physics philosophical analysis, this article will explore how certain aspects of the concept of ether have appeared in different branches of the history of science.     

"热寂说"疑案新论

一百多年来，“热寂说”曾引起广泛而持久的争论，甚至许多人误以为它早已有了结论。但无从科学上看还是从哲学上看，以往的批判讨论均未能切中要害，缺乏说服力。大爆炸宇宙模型“炸开”了这一疑难，对它的讨论有了一个根本性的转向。本文通过对“热寂说”产生的历史过程进行考察，阐述了“热寂说”提出后在科学上和哲学上所引发的主要争论及其意义，并指出，大爆炸宇宙论虽然宣告了经典热力学、热寂说”的终结，但并不能避免宇宙未来在另一种意义上的“热寂”。“热寂”危机仍然存在，“热寂说”并未来真正终结。     

和算极数术与中算极值概念萌芽

本文介绍了和算求多项式函数极大极小值方法，分析了和算极值方法的数理基础与立术原理，认为建部贤私（1664-1739）求多项式函数极值的费尔马方法源于《授时历》求太阳、月亮中心差问题，他通过观察与归纳，获得这类极值问题的一般性解法，其中求多项式函数稳定点方法与关孝和方程论的“适尽诸级法”一致，只不过是形式上的偶合。在上述分析的基础上，进一步探讨了东方传统数学中的变量数学萌芽及其未能继续发展的原因。     

论生命哲学视域中的死亡观教育及其现实意义

在以科学技术为主导和以物质享受为轴心的现代社会里,人的生命正陷入重重误区,遭遇新的异化。高校必须以唤醒人的生命意识,启迪人的精神世界,建构人的生活方式,实现人的生命价值为宗旨,发挥其社会理想的制定者和实践者的社会责任,对大学生进行积极的死亡观教育,引领学生包括全体社会成员对当前过度的消费主义和工具理性主义进行理性的思考,厘清在社会生产的目的、科技社会中人的主体性等问题上的混乱,引导他们对生命和死亡进行理性思考,认识生命、理解生命、欣赏生命、尊重生命、珍惜生命,克服物质主义、功利主义对人性的羁绊,努力提升自由人生精神境界。     

The Death and the Resurrection of (Psy)critique: The Case of Neuroeducation

A rapidly emerging hegemonic neuro-culture and a booming neural subjectivity signal the entry point for an inquiry into the status of the signifier neuro as a universal passe-partout. The wager of this paper is that the various (mis)appropriations of the neurosciences in the media and in academia itself point to something essential, if not structural, in connection with both the discipline of the neurosciences and the current socio-cultural and ideological climate. Starting from the case of neuroeducation (the application of neuroscience within education), the genealogy of the neurological turn is linked to the history of psychology and its inextricable bond with processes of psychologisation. If the neurological turn risks not merely neglecting the dimension of critique, but also obviating its possibility, then revivifying a psy-critique (understanding the academified modern subject as grounded in the scientific point of view from nowhere) might be necessary in order to understand today’s neural subjectivity and its place within current biopolitics.     

自然之死与人类世界观的转型

自然之死必将导致人类之死，而引发自然之死——生态危机的根源在于近代人类中心主义的广泛传播，人类中心主义得以立足的价值根基是主体性原则统治下的主客二分的世界观，要避免因自然之死导致人类提前死亡的悲剧发生，就必须在人类世界观上实现根本性转变，而海德格尔、莫尔特曼对现代文化的深层信念所做的批判性反思．为人类实现这一转变提供了一个前进道路上的路标。     

脑死亡标准辨析——基于个人同一性理论的考察

流行的死亡标准是全脑死亡标准和脑干死亡标准。然而随着脑科学的发展,全脑死亡标准和脑干死亡标准已不足以说明死亡的含义。通过分析流行的死亡标准可以看到,无论在理论还是实践上,全脑死亡标准和脑干死亡标准都面临着根本的困难。基于个人同一性的理论视角,脑半球死亡与新皮层死亡是可以得到合理哲学辩护的死亡标准。     

他山之石，可以攻玉——格里尼奥夫《术语学》介评

对格里尼奥夫及其著作《术语学》的内容做一简要介绍，指出其特点，即前沿性、理论性与实践性的统一、体系性，并提出《术语学》译本带来的几点启示。     

祖冲之的天文历法工作——纪念祖冲之逝世1500年

祖冲之的大明历是中国古代最具创新内容的历法之一 ,岁差的引入、闰周的革新、回归年长度的新测以及冬至时刻测量法的确立 ,是其最重要的贡献。祖冲之注重实测、勤于思考、善于汲取前人成果、勇于同守旧思想进行斗争的事实 ,确然载于史籍 ,这些正是他多所创新、成绩卓著的重要原因。本文即述此因与果 ,以作为对一代科学伟人祖冲之的纪念。     

休闲、信仰与对生命意义的追寻

休闲不是简单的放松、娱乐、玩.通过对历史上休闲与宗教之关系的梳理及对休闲之深层意义的探讨能够看到,在更本质的意义上休闲是我们形成自己信仰的一个基础,从而跟人类最高层次的精神生活有着密切的联系.在休闲中建立信仰要求我们对自己的欲望有一定的节制,但这跟休闲理论中经常强调的自由要素并不相悖,甚至可以说是相辅相成的.     

社会需求、技术缺失与机器的诞生

在肯定前人关于技术发展根奉动力是“需求”的观点基础上,提出了技术改进和技术发明的一般性机制——“技术缺失”的显现和对这种显现的领会,并结合原始手工工具和机器的发明历史予以论证。机器的诞生是资本主义生产需求引发的,没有这种社会需求便不会有“机器缺失”的显现,也就没有弥补“缺失”的发明活动。机器技术的每一步进展,都是从手工工具使用时的局限中发现了改进的方向,前一阶段的技术缺失是后采改进和发明的向导;前一阶段的功能结构,在后一阶段都有一定的保留。现代技术尽管异常复杂,它的发明仍然是以另一个层次的“技术缺失”为基本条件的。     

Gould, Hull, and the Individuation of Scientific Theories

When is conceptual change so significant that we should talk about a new theory, not a new version of the same theory? We address this problem here, starting from Gould’s discussion of the individuation of the Darwinian theory. He locates his position between two extremes: ‘minimalist’—a theory should be individuated merely by its insertion in a historical lineage—and ‘maximalist’—exhaustive lists of necessary and sufficient conditions are required for individuation. He imputes the minimalist position to Hull and attempts a reductio: this position leads us to give the same ‘name’ to contradictory theories. Gould’s ‘structuralist’ position requires both ‘conceptual continuity’ and descent for individuation. Hull’s attempt to assimilate into his general selectionist framework Kuhn’s notion of ‘exemplar’ and the ‘semantic’ view of the structure of scientific theories can be used to counter Gould’s reductio, and also to integrate structuralist and population thinking about conceptual change.     

全球化,科学词汇和生物学的未来

1 Biology for the 21st Century In a recent article in the New York Times (3/23/05), reporting on yet another upset to received views of the ways in which cells make use of their DNA, a prominent geneticist is quoted as remarking, "biologists have gotten used to the unexpected." Indeed, they have, as indeed, they have had to. Over the last few years, our understanding of molecular and developmental genetics has mutated dramatically in response to ever more complex analyses of ever more abundant and more complex data.     

科学规范的内涵、类别、功能、结构和形式

提出科学规范论的十大问题。阐述科学规范的内涵、功能与类别;阐述科学规范系统的逻辑结 构与科学规范的存在和表达形式。     

"生物积累"等三个术语概念的探讨

对辞书术语的定义格式作了查证,并通过与教材中的术语定义的对比,探讨两种定义格式的特点。根据参与术语翻译和标准评审的点滴积累与正反体验,将翻译定名中的常见问题尝试概括为十种。每种问题都举出实例,从逻辑、语法与格式三方面加以分析。文中举例虽取自信息技术和对定义的翻译,但所概括的定义的特点和常见问题适用于科学技术其他学科,适用于自行撰写定义。