The physiological blind spot corresponds to the optic disc where the retina contains no light-detecting photoreceptor cells. Our perception seemingly fills in this gap in input. Here we suggest that rather than an active process, such perceptual filling-in could instead be a consequence of the integration of visual inputs at higher stages of processing discounting the local absence of retinal input. Using functional brain imaging, we resolved the retinotopic representation of the physiological blind spot in early human visual cortex and (...) measured responses while participants perceived filling-in. Responses in early visual areas simply reflected the absence of visual input. In contrast, higher extrastriate regions responded more to stimuli in the eye containing the blind spot than the fellow eye. However, this signature was independent of filling-in. We argue that these findings agree with philosophical accounts that posit that the concept of filling-in of absent retinal input is unnecessary. (shrink)

Solipsism indicates an epistemological position that denies the existence of ‘others’ by asserting that the ‘self’ is the only thing that can be known to exist. For sophist philosophers, the belief that “we can not know anything, and even if we do so, we cannot communicate it” is central to this theory. However, until now there has been little academic scholarship that has tried to provide answers to the pressing issues raised by solipsism. In Solipsist Ontology: Physical Things and Personal (...) Perceptual Space, Ural aims to redefine solipsism by analyzing and elaborating on traditional philosophical problems, such as empiricism and rationalism, as well as discussing problems of language, communication, and meaning. Ural reveals where solipsism has been previously ignored, pseudo-problems have arisen that disguise the sources of the problems with prejudices that concern the philosophical problems in question. Notably, many current, as well as traditional problems of ontology, epistemology, and language are bound up in discourses of solipsism. Ural argues that discarding solipsism as a philosophical discourse hinders new interpretations of traditional philosophical thought. This book offers a fresh perspective to solipsism by defining it in relation to concepts such as ‘physical things,’ ‘personal perceptual space’ and ‘identity.’ Importantly, Ural proposes that an understanding of ‘identity’ is not necessary in order to redefine solipsism. By building a logical system that fashions communication and solipsism as interrelated, it is possible to reject ‘identity’ as a useless concept and thus overcome the classic solipsist dilemma of “we are not able to communicate.” This original piece of research is an important and timely contribution to the field of philosophy that will be of great interest to teachers, researchers, and students. (shrink)

The instrumentalization of news media resulting in advocacy reporting and the heavy use of commentary is a quintessential characteristic of mediascapes deeply informed by press-party parallelism, m...

The aim of this paper is to study the structure of interest groups and their role in the EEC decision making process. The paper consists of two parts ; the first deals with the historical pattern of emergence of these groups, white the second part concentrates on the their contemporary participation in the EEC decision making process.In the first part six empirical topics are developed :1. the creation of interest groups at the Community on regional level;2. the chronological study of (...) these groups and their activities ;3. their geographical distribution across the Community's member states ;4. the functional areas covered and interests represented by these groups at the EEC level ;5. the role of national interest groups and their representation in the interest groups operating at the Community level;6. the distribution of leadership posts in regional interest groups by nationality.A s for the second part, it is in turn divided into two sections. The first discusses the participation of interest groups in the EEC decision making process; whereas, the second section deals with the recent trends in the EEC decision making process. (shrink)

Displaying the stages of my expedition in logic, the purpose of this essay is to admit how I have been involved in the field of logic from time to time –and how, sometimes, I have not. Therefore, starting from my undergraduate years, I shared my first acquaintance with logic and the following processes. My interest in logic has continued after my graduation and throughout my teaching life, and has never decreased. My education in logic started at the Faculty of Languages, (...) History and Geography, and continued at the Middle East Technical University and then at the University of Pittsburgh. I have contributed to the field of logic with the courses that I instructed after finishing my PhD, and along with my studies on logic, yet my competence in this field has not always satisfied me. That is why I have always asked myself: To what degree I am a logician? This essay, which is a kind of short autobiography, also allows me to respectfully acknowledge the logicians who contributed to me. This essay, which also sheds light on the past 40 years of the logic studies in our country, demonstrates the current level of logic studies. The continuation of the studies under the umbrella of the Logic Association would provide a positive impact on the logic studies in our country. (shrink)

Rızâeddîn bin Fahreddîn, 19.-20. yüzyıllarda İdil-Ural bölgesinde ceditçilik hareketi içerisinde yer almış en önemli düşünürlerdendir. Rusya müslümanlarının uyanışına katkı sunmak için birçok İslam düşünürünün biyografisini kaleme almıştır. Bunlardan birisi de İbn Arabî hakkındadır. Eserinde İbn Arabî’nin fikirlerini amelî, ilmî ve felsefî başlıkları altında inceler. Amelî görüşler başlığında içtihat, kıyas ve icmâ meseleleriyle ilgilenir. İlmî görüşler başlığı altında şumûl-i rahmet, ricâlu’l-gayb ve firavunun imanı konularını inceler. Felsefî görüşlerde ise âlem-i misâl ve vahdet-i vücûd hakkındaki tartışmaları öne çıkarır. Rızâeddîn bin Fahreddîn, (...) eserinde İbn Arabî hakkında gelişen tarihsel münakaşaları yeniden değerlendirir. Bu konuda üç tutum ve gruptan bahseder. İlk grup onu kafir, ikinci grup ise büyük bir veli olarak görür. Üçüncü grup onun büyük bir veli olduğunu kabul eder fakat eserlerinin okunmasının sakıncalı olduğunu söylerler. Rızâeddîn bin Fahreddîn bunlara ek olarak eserinde İdil-Ural müslümanları arasında da İbn Arabî etkilerinden bahseder. Eserinin sonunda İbn Arabî ile ilgili zikrettiği görüşleri değerlendirir. İbn Arabî düşüncesinin zaaf ve imkanlarına işaret eden bu değerlendirmede neo-selefî ve reformist görüşlerin etkisini izlemek mümkündür. (shrink)

In the article, international contacts of Soviet students and teachers of secondary schools at the regional level in the 1950-1970s are considered on the basis of the published literature and new archival sources. In the context of the formation of the socialist community, relations between the USSR and East Germany were regarded as exemplary. Their high importance was determined by the role of the German question in world politics. Socio-economic and cultural rapprochement between the USSR and the GDR over a (...) large period of time formed international cooperation at the local level. Particular attention in the article is paid to advantageous practices of creating special schools, and international friendship clubs in the southern Urals. It is proved that the development of educational relations was conditioned by focusing extracurricular activities of the Soviet school on international education, the availability of highly qualified, enthusiastic organizers of higher education and creative teachers of the German language, with regional connections of the Russian-German friendship. The author noted that the close friendship linking the international students of the Southern Urals and the GDR was considered in the USSR as a part of traditional ideological and moral education. Foreign correspondence and practical cooperation, such as the organization of short-term assignments and trainings for teachers, guided tours for students, joint vacations in summer camps, spiritually enriched students and motivated them to improve their own language skills. (shrink)

Introduction. The fourth industrial revolution significantly changes the structure of economic relations and transforms the importance of factors in the development of territories. The purpose of the article is to identify the most significant factors in the regional development of the Ural macro region in the context of the fourth industrial revolution and to determine the directions of impacts to ensure the competitiveness and long-term growth of territories. Methods. The methodological basis of the study is based on a set (...) of scientific approaches to economic growth, concepts of regional and institutional economics. Research methods include regional, comparative and econometric factor analysis. Scientific novelty of the study. A method for identifying the significance of factors in the development of regions is proposed and the key factors for developing the subjects of the Ural macro region in the context of the fourth industrial revolution are established. The study contributes to the scientific debate on the meaning and management of institutional development factors. Results. The author presents the results of diagnosing the regulatory environment and geographic factors of the subjects of the Ural macro region. An econometric analysis of their impact on economic development has been carried out. The statistical significance for developing the volume of mining and the quality of the legal environment in the regions has been established. Informal institutions (the authors explain the phenomenon by weak differentiation of cultural characteristics and business practices of regions due to their historical connectivity) and transport and geographical location (due to a decrease in spatial influence and an increase in the role of digital technologies in production chains in Industry 4.0). Conclusions. In the Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions, it was possible to ensure higher values of GRP per capita due to a favorable regulatory environment. In general, in the Russian regions in the second decade of the 21st century, the raw material orientation remains (among the studied objects, the economies of the Orenburg region and Udmurtia are the most extractive). To ensure the country’s long-term development, it is necessary to create a favorable business climate: improving the legal environment in the areas outlined in the study, increasing the level of trust and reducing the level of corruption. (shrink)

This article is a historical foray into participation of the Ural and the Chelyabinsk regions in the World Expos in the context of cross-cultural communication, in which the interaction between the exhibiting countries on the global questions of modernity takes place through the dialogue of cultures. In the broad sense, exhibition first and foremost is a significant attribute of culture and cultural life of a particular environment, and form of distribution of culture. The scientific literature features the following definition: (...) “…exhibitions are the key presentation instrument of cultural policy of the country”. The real scientific achievements are concentrated in a single space. Each exhibition promotes different cultural traditions and contributes to the enrichment of cultures. As pertains to the participation of Ural, it is too early to speak of the full-fledged participation in the dialogue of cultures at World Expos; however, the region has made decent steps towards it. There is no doubt that the World Expo is an remarkable international event. Each host country makes every effort to ensure an immense scale of the event, attract wide audience of visitors and exhibitors. Therefore, the exhibition should be viewed from the global perspective. (shrink)

Introduction. The article is devoted to identifying features of spatial placement of health clinics in megacities and assessing the degree of compliance/ deviation with standards of pedestrian accessibility. Methods. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research is scientific ideas in the field of regional economics, spatial and normative analysis. Scientific novelty of the research consists in as- sessing availability and saturation of territories by health clinics, in the context of features of their spatial placement, taking into account the estab- (...) lished regulatory requirements. Results. The place of the megacities of Ural Federal District among the megacities of Russia has been determined according to the conditions affecting availability of health clinics for the population. When carrying out a cartographic analysis of spatial placement of health clinics in Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk, district features of the cities studied were established, which made it possible to identify the existing problem areas characterized by an im- balance in the level of infrastructure facilities acces- sibility in relation to the regulatory requirements. The authors show the uneven coverage of clinic service areas, which reduces pedestrian and transport accessibility for citizens when receiving medical services. The features and differences of territorial localization of clinics in the actively built- up areas of Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk are revealed. Conclusions. The results obtained can be applied in the framework of determining priorities for implementing spatial transformations of studied territories and the authorities’ decision-making in order to increase medical services availability. (shrink)

In the article, the social structure of mountain-plant serf population of fief and seasonal plants in the Southern Urals in the first half of the 19th century is studied. It is noted that due to the kind of their activity, all mountain-plant population was in this or that way connected with plant work; according to their social structure they were peasants, bought for the plants, or were the owners’ private serfs. It is shown that because of the variety of industrial (...) work at a plant, the serfs of the plant-owners were categorized and differed according to the working conditions and possibilities of their own management. The Southern Urals is noted to have become the arena of private mining industry activity as compared to other areas of the country. The fact predetermining the social composition of factory population. The sources of formation and growth of the group of factory peasants of the Southern Urals are shown. In the article, the social structure is analyzed and social groups of factory peasants are described for three different mining areas of the region. (shrink)

The author studies with the problems of formation of the tenancy institution, the social composition and land tenure by the tenants. The obligations, share and territorial location of the peasants - tenants in the Southern Urals are analyzed. Complicated land relations between the tenants and Bashkir’s are revealed. The results of the undertakings by the government in land relations rights regulation of Bashkir’s and their tenants are analyzed. The purposes, the main content of the decrees of 1830-1850s on land arrangement (...) of the tenants are distinguished. It is emphasized that the activity of Russian authorities on land tenure had not liquidated the uncertainty of land relations between Bashkir’s and their tenants. (shrink)

The purpose of the study is to analyze the features of the placement of small and medium-sized enterprises on the example of the Ural Federal District. It is revealed that the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the Ural Federal District is uneven. The scientific novelty is to identify the key factors influencing the placement of small and medium-sized businesses. As a result, it is proved that factors such as the number of cities, population density and density (...) of railways have a positive effect on the placement of SMEs. As recommendations for the uniform placement of SMEs on the example of the Ural Federal District, the following are proposed: 1) stimulating urban development; 2) conducting demographic policy aimed at supporting population growth; 3) implementing major infrastructure projects, such as the construction of a railway track. (shrink)

The authors present the results of studying migration processes as one of the factors that determine the transformation of the regional social space. Applying migration indicators to assessing prospective spatial changes presupposes a multivariate analysis of developing complex heterogeneous systems. The version of applying problem-oriented visualization tools presented by the authors significantly expands the possibilities of such an analysis. Assessment, systematization and subsequent classification of migration characteristics are considered within the framework of a multi-stage graphical digital analysis procedure. The problems (...) of migration dynamics characterize a number of problems of the incipient deformation of social space. The main provisions and results of the study are presented as exemplified by the five largest urban areas of the Chelyabinsk region. The key contradictions generated by the processes of regional migration are presented for various urban areas of one of the leading industrial regions of the Urals. These are contradictions: dynamics of population inflow — outflow; the ratio of the balance of migration and migration flows, etc. The results of the study make it possible to proceed to more complex models of spatial reconstruction and sustainable development of territories. Considering such models lays the groundwork for passing on to a controlled transformation in the spatial development of territories and reducing the signs of social space deformation. (shrink)

Introduction. Developing human potential, improving the population’s life quality of the regions are the unconditional priorities of the regional socio-economic policy. The implementation of such priorities requires an objective assessment of the existing socio-economic situation of the Russian Federation’s constituent entities, an analysis of the conditions for regional development, a search for economic growth drivers, and the development of effective mechanisms for implementing priorities. The designated issues are in the area of scientists’ and specialists’ close attention, whose range of scientific (...) research and applied practices is constantly replenished. In this regard, the article expands the understanding of the complexity of the regions’ socio-economic and technological development, and various aspects of the processes of regional development are considered on the basis of the proposed model, the essence of which is represented by the triad “conditions-factors-results”. Within the framework of the proposed triad, «conditions» were determined by the socio-economic situation of the region, scientific, technological and digital «factors» were considered as drivers of development; and “results” were investigated through social parameters that reflect the level of human development. Taking into account the importance of achieving social results in the framework of technological development, studies aimed at studying the interdependence of the processes of technological transformation and human development seem to be very timely and relevant. Purpose. Reveal the mutual influence of the scientific and technical potential and the level of digitalization of the territory, as factors of socio-economic development, on the human potential of the region. Methods. For the study, a statistical analysis was used based on data from Rosstat, Moscow School of Management Skolkovo, RIA Rating; correlation analysis; methods of comparative analysis, rating, grouping and positioning of regions. The scientific novelty of the research consists in the developed model of regional development, the content of which is described by the triad “conditions-factorsresults”. The conditions of regional development are considered as opportunities to achieve the set goal, factors - as catalysts for technological development of territories, results - as an increase in human potential. At the same time, the model has reproductive characteristics, since it provides for direct and feedback connections, namely: the achieved «results» affect and change the «conditions» that form the updated «factors», which in turn generate new «results». The resulting cumulative effect of the technological development of the regions is converted into the strengthening and development of human potential. Results and Conclusions. The authors conducted a study on the influence of integral indicators of the socioeconomic situation of regions, the level of scientific and technical potential and digitalization on the human development index of the regions of the Ural and Siberian federal districts. The comparison of the regions was carried out both separately for each federal district and jointly for all regions of the two districts. The grouping and positioning of regions in the study of the triad «conditions-factors-results» made it possible to identify the strongest regions where a favorable socio-economic situation, high digital and scientific and technical potential contribute to the development of human potential. In contrast, less prosperous regions (from the standpoint of conditions and factors of technological development) are not capable of a technological breakthrough and are limited in their impact on human potential. The unevenness of digital development and the scientific and technical potential of the regions was established, and the leading regions and outsider regions characterized by unequal opportunities for technological development were identified. The positioning of the regions made it possible to identify groups for which measures are needed to expand opportunities for technological development. The influence of the level of digitalization and scientific and technical potential on the human development index was established, which made it possible to identify regions, one of which is advisable to be included in interregional interaction (partnerships) to enhance the use of their specific capabilities, while others - to overcome the lag in the studied areas of development. (shrink)

In search of salvation on the Stroganov estates -- Faith, family, and land after emancipation -- Youth : exemplars of rural socialism -- Elders : Christian ascetics in the Soviet countryside -- New risks and inequalities in the household sector -- Which khoziain? whose moral community? -- Society, culture, and the churching of Sepych -- Separating post-Soviet worlds? : priestly baptisms and priestless funerals.

The authors consider the philosophical and political problem of citizenship, for a number of reasons constantly relevant to the Russian culture. A peculiar methodological bias of consideration gives originality to the work: the ontology of the phenomenon of citizen and citizenship. The emphasis is made on studying the factors and mechanisms for implementing the political and private rights of a nominal citizen, which shows that the current political order in Russia is characterized by the contradiction between the formal norms of (...) externally modern political institutions and the informal practices of their functioning, the Russian Constitution does not exist in the form of existing law as a system of obligations observed by the parties, and it is reasonable to talk about the existing rental estate order and resource allocation. (shrink)