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The article deals with scenic readings in primary school. A close look at characteristics of graphic storytelling reveals that comics, graphic novels, and graphic picture books provide play values for scenic reading. From a didactic perspective, the article focuses on the opportunities and challenges of scenic readings of graphic stories that come with the shift from the spatial order of the book to a temporal sequence of staging. Through the example of the graphic stories Detektiv John Chatterton and Lehmriese lebt! the article shows how scenic readings can be arranged in primary schools. Insights into concrete classroom discussions make learning potentials for dealing with space and time in graphic stories visible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the greatest challenges in physics is to merge the established fundamental theories describing the macroscopic and microscopic world, that is General Relativity and Quantum theory, into a quantum theory of gravity. As such a theory is extremely hard to access empirically, philosophical arguments become especially relevant for the justification of such a research endeavour as well as for the assessment of its particular results. In this work I relate several modern approaches towards quantum gravity using both methods from physics and philosophy of science. Physically, I compare the theories in terms of appropriate quantities such as the effective dimension of spacetime geometry. Philosophically I explicate the structure and relations of the different theories using a logical analysis. As a result there are indications for a crystallization process of theories towards a unified theory of quantum gravity. Since unification adds a significant epistemological value for a scientific theory, this might provide non-empirical corroboration. Besides a logical analysis, further elaboration of other relevant aspects of theory evolution such as the historical or sociological dimension should strengthen this argument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers a report from a July 6-7, 2012 conference in Erfurt, Germany on the spatial theories of cultural philosopher Michel de Certeau, historical theorist Reinhart Koselleck, and religious historian Mircea Eliade. Topics of presentations given included social theories concerning the constructed nature of space, the influences of French philosopher Michel Foucault on Certeau, and Koselleck's theories on transcendental history.