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Pope Leo XIII's publication of Aeterni Patris (1879) was a major factor in the great revival of Thomistic thought in the late 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries. Among the authors that took up the challenge implicit in the Pope's document of bringing Aquinas and his thought into the intellectual debates of the times we find two interesting proposals. The first is that of Juan González Arintero, a Spanish Dominican, and the second one is that of Josef Donat, a Jesuit born and raised in the Austrian Empire. Arintero is mostly known in Catholic circles for his influential works on mysticism, but in fact he devoted much of his early work to the subject of evolution, and how it could interact with the Catholic faith in general, and with Thomism in particular. Donat is the author of a Summa Philosophiae Christianae, a collection that was widely read in Catholic seminaries well into the 20th century. In this paper we will focus on the differing ways in which these authors tackled the problems and questions presented by Darwinian evolutionism to the post-Aeterni Patris Thomism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the domain of legal analysis and its methodologies, emphasising the significance of generalisation in legal systems. It discusses the process of generalisation in relation to legal concepts and the development of ideal concepts that form the foundation of law. The article examines the role of logical induction and its similarities with semantic generalisation, highlighting their importance in legal decision-making. It also critiques the formal-deductive approach in legal practice and advocates for more adaptable models, incorporating fuzzy logic, non-monotonic defeasible reasoning, and artificial intelligence. The potential application of neural networks, specifically deep learning algorithms, in legal theory is also discussed. The article discusses how neural networks encode legal knowledge in their synaptic connections, while the syllogistic model condenses legal information into axioms. The article also highlights how neural networks assimilate novel experiences and exhibit evolutionary progression, unlike the deductive model of law. Additionally, the article examines the historical and theoretical foundations of jurisprudence that align with the basic principles of neural networks. It delves into the statistical analysis of legal phenomena and theories that view legal development as an evolutionary process. The article then explores Friedrich Hayek's theory of law as an autonomous self-organising system and its compatibility with neural network models. It concludes by discussing the implications of Hayek's theory on the role of a lawyer and the precision of neural networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why and how we age are 2 intertwined questions that have fascinated scientists for many decades. However, attempts to answer these questions remain compartmentalized, preventing a comprehensive understanding of the aging process. We argue that the current lack of knowledge about the evolution of aging mechanisms is due to a lack of clarity regarding evolutionary theories of aging that explicitly involve physiological processes: the disposable soma theory (DST) and the developmental theory of aging (DTA). In this Essay, we propose a new hierarchical model linking genes to vital rates, enabling us to critically reevaluate the DST and DTA in terms of their relationship to evolutionary genetic theories of aging (mutation accumulation (MA) and antagonistic pleiotropy (AP)). We also demonstrate how these 2 theories can be incorporated in a unified hierarchical framework. The new framework will help to generate testable hypotheses of how the hallmarks of aging are shaped by natural selection. Why and how we age are two intertwined questions that have fascinated scientists for many decades. This Essay proposes a new hierarchical model that links genes to vital rates, enabling a critical re-evaluation of the disposable soma theory and the developmental theory of aging in terms of their relationship to evolutionary genetic theories of aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolutionary history of the cephalopod order Vampyromorpha with its only recent representative, Vampyroteuthis infernalis, the deep-sea vampire squid, is still obscure and a new specimen from the Early Jurassic of Luxembourg, provides new information on the vampyromorph morphology at this period. The new taxon Simoniteuthis michaelyi. gen. n. sp., which is based on a nearly complete gladius with associated head–arm complex, is morphologically intermediate between the families Loligosepiidae and Geopeltidae. Interestingly, the arm crown displays only four arm pairs, although an arm configuration consisting of five arm pairs should be expected in vampyromorph stem lineage representatives. This observation encouraged us to critically review the presumed homology of the filaments of Vampyroteuthis and the lost arm pair in cirrate and incirrate octopods. Moreover, two bony fishes in the mouth region implicated that Simoniteuthis michaelyi n. gen. n. sp. preyed upon them in hostile water depths, a taphonomic phenomenon called distraction sinking. By contrast to modern Vampyroteuthis infernalis, Simoniteuthis michaelyi n. gen. n. sp. roamed and hunted in shallower waters as typical for Mesozoic stem lineage vampyromorphs. According to the current fossil record, a vertical migration into deeper waters (probably associated with a shift in feeding behaviour) occurred at least since the Oligocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Livestream content has been gaining popularity in recent years. Although it has been known that livestream viewing can mitigate the adverse effects of loneliness on individuals' well-being, the specific cognitive-affective processes involved are not given due attention. Situated in the Evolutionary Theory of Loneliness, the current study draws upon a national survey data (n = 911) to demonstrate that one's hypervigilance and their negative emotional state serially mediate the relationship between their feelings of loneliness and their perceived well-being. The frequency of livestream views was also found to be moderating the serial mediation paths and the direct effect between feelings of loneliness on perceived well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 57-year-old female cadaver donated for research contained an accidental bilateral presence of the psoas minor (PMn) muscle. Bilateral PMn is a rare finding but it may be associated with other anatomical variations or abnormalities in the abdomen or pelvis. In some cases, the muscle may be involved in the development of certain medical conditions or may compress nearby structures, leading to symptoms such as pain or discomfort. Overall, bilateral PMn is a relatively uncommon anatomical variation that may be of interest to anatomists or medical professionals. A thorough understanding of this muscle is essential, particularly when making a clinical diagnosis and carrying out procedures in the iliac area. In this case report, we tried to discuss the clinical, embryological, and evolutionary significance of PMn muscle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the compatibility between theistic evolution and Thomistic metaphysics. It critiques the idea proposed by Mariusz Tabaczek, arguing that it is not possible to reconcile the philosophical views of St. Thomas Aquinas with the concept of biological macroevolution. The article explores points of incompatibility presented by Tabaczek and questions whether they are essential to Aquinas's doctrine. It also discusses the problem of the emergence of new species through evolution and evaluates whether Tabaczek's solution provides an explanation for this issue. The author concludes that theistic evolution is not only in conflict with Thomistic metaphysics but also with the Christian faith as interpreted by the Church. [Extracted from the article]

The divine command theory holds that morality finds its origin in God or that God is somehow closely connected to morality. Many people across the world hold a related, though different belief that Religious belief is required for proper moral behavior. In this paper, I look at a number of evolutionary and cognitive explanations (supernatural punishment theory, big gods theory, moral dyad, and costly signaling) that purport to explain why people hold beliefs concerning a close connection between God and morality. I assess whether any of these theories provide a reason for epistemic concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The panda's thumb argument, championed by the late Stephen Jay Gould, stands as one of the most famous polemics for common ancestry. In this essay, I analyze Gould's argument in several steps. First, I attempt to reconstruct the argument in both deductive and likelihood formulations. I contend that both versions of the argument rest on a theological claim—namely, that God would not (likely) create or allow a suboptimal panda's thumb. I then argue that a wide range of people are not rationally obligated to accept this theological claim. Next, I give special attention to the likelihood formulation's emphasis on a contrastive argument for evolution over special creation. I contend that a great number of people are not rationally obligated to accept this formulation either. I next consider and reply to an objection that Gould never intended the panda argument as an apologetic for evolution (and an attack on special creation) but rather as a critique of adaptationism. Finally, I argue that the panda argument conflicts with Gould's broader views about the human mind and the relationship between theology and science. I also note along the way that the shortcomings of the panda argument apply to a number of other arguments for evolutionary theory. To be sure, I do not criticize evolution itself or the comprehensive grounds for it. Instead, my primary aims are to analyze the panda argument and suggest that caution is in order about similar arguments as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to present, discuss and assess the linguistic ideas of Alonso de Ulloa, an important figure in the cultural scene in Venice in the mid-16th century since he collaborated with different printers editing, compiling, or translating Spanish works. For this, three texts that Ulloa published with an explicitly didactic purpose as an appendix to the literary works that he published for the printer Giolito will be studied. The first text consists of some pronunciation rules for Spanish words, and the others are two concise Spanish-Italian dictionaries or glossaries that explicitly or implicitly include linguistic information. It will be seen that Ulloa often confirms or clarifies the knowledge we have about the evolutionary stage of the language of the time or the etymology of some word; other times, he provides relevant data and occasionally exposes theories based on prejudices or false convictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new evolutionary-based approach called a Subtraction-Average-Based Optimizer (SABO) for solving optimization problems. The fundamental inspiration of the proposed SABO is to use the subtraction average of searcher agents to update the position of population members in the search space. The different steps of the SABO's implementation are described and then mathematically modeled for optimization tasks. The performance of the proposed SABO approach is tested for the optimization of fifty-two standard benchmark functions, consisting of unimodal, high-dimensional multimodal, and fixed-dimensional multimodal types, and the CEC 2017 test suite. The optimization results show that the proposed SABO approach effectively solves the optimization problems by balancing the exploration and exploitation in the search process of the problem-solving space. The results of the SABO are compared with the performance of twelve well-known metaheuristic algorithms. The analysis of the simulation results shows that the proposed SABO approach provides superior results for most of the benchmark functions. Furthermore, it provides a much more competitive and outstanding performance than its competitor algorithms. Additionally, the proposed approach is implemented for four engineering design problems to evaluate the SABO in handling optimization tasks for real-world applications. The optimization results show that the proposed SABO approach can solve for real-world applications and provides more optimal designs than its competitor algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the XIX century, different sciences were structured or consolidated in their modern form. Until then, biology, earth sciences, social sciences, and even physics, chemistry, and mathematics did not exist as autonomous disciplines as we know them today. In that century, the notion of "science" was utterly separated from natural philosophy, theology, and other forms of traditional knowledge. The consolidation of scientific disciplines was characterized by deep debates on the possibilities and methods of knowing the natural and human worlds. In their process of consolidation, all life sciences faced a dichotomy related to the best way to approach their object of study: should they follow the model of physics --considered the scientific model par excellence-- or not take that model into account? This dichotomy provoked intense debates in all disciplines. The way this debate was resolved had lasting consequences in the subsequent development and the epistemological scope of the new sciences in consolidation. Comparing how this debate took place in biology and psychology is relevant to understanding the disciplinary trajectory followed by each science and the possibilities of integration in each field of knowledge. There is a generalized assumption in the history of psychology that the experimental paradigm adopted extensively in psychology at the end of the XIX century would have placed the discipline under the scientific status of natural sciences. However, in biology and psychology, there was a tension between a physiological-experimental paradigm and a historical-evolutionary paradigm. Understanding those debates within biology, and the comprehension of how biology achieved its disciplinary integration, shows why the experimental connection of psychology with physiology did not mean an explicit connection with the whole of the natural sciences. Disciplinary integration in biology was possible because of adopting the evolutionary principle under a historic paradigm instead of a physical-chemical one. That is why the experimental connection of psychology with physiology eventually became an obstacle for psychology in adopting the unifying principle of biology, the Theory of Evolution, as their basis for disciplinary integration. The first part of this article describes how two branches emerged in the process of consolidation of biology: physiological-experimental and historical-evolutionary. Each one had a different approach to its object of study, but both were necessary to form what is now modern biology. The second part focuses on unifying biology as a field of scientific knowledge, bringing the two branches of this science together under the evolutionary paradigm. The third part outlines the central debates in the consolidation of psychology as a scientific discipline at the end of the XIX century and the beginning of the 20th century. It introduces implications of how these debates on knowledge in psychology developed, as opposed to how it happened in biology. Finally, the difficulties of psychology connecting with the theory of evolution are addressed, as are the impossibility of integrating the different branches of the discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contributed to a project about Nature and Theology (Prof. Dr. J. Buitendag). The text questioned why our modern concept of nature must be reformulated in a contemporary concept of nature as the anthropocentrism of the modern concept of nature is criticised by a growing knowledge about the cohesion of many phenomena in the evolution of life on planet Earth. This criticism confronts theologians with fundamental deficiencies in their ongoing anthropological approach of life, especially human life. The article looked for a reinterpretation of mystical texts of Gregory of Nyssa in order to question whether this offers a new framework of a theological approach of a contemporary concept of nature. Contribution: Within the project about Nature and Theology new questions arise as the concept of Nature has to be reformulated based on new insights in the evolution of life. Within the debates about the Anthropocene, the planet Earth is approached as being a living reality in one way or another. So theologians have to look for new theological approaches as well. This article suggested that concepts of Gregory of Nyssa contribute in this respect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parton distribution functions (PDFs) inscribe details about the hadronic substructure in terms of partons, quarks and gluons collectively, which are the fundamental degrees of freedom of Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), the theory of strong interactions. Study of PDFs has led to a better comprehension of the partonic structure of hadrons and the proton structure function in deep inelastic scattering. Understanding parton densities within the hadrons is vital to estimate the hard-scattering process results. Owing to theoretical and experimental limitations, PDFs cannot be computed from the first principles. The global analysis of parton distribution functions, therefore, requires an unrelenting endeavour. The aim of the present work is to have a comparative study of the PDFs from the plots obtained using APFEL, which is a PDFs evolution library. We discuss the graphical analyses as well as comparisons of the three global PDFs sets, viz. CT10, MSTW2008 and NNPDF30, in a wide range of momentum fraction x and energy scale Q. A comparative analysis of gluons extracted from these global fits has also been done. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay attempts to combine some recent theoretical results in (bio)semiotics on arbitrariness, semiotic fitting, umwelt, choice, and extended theory of evolution into a more coherent whole. The proposed model describes a living being through its subjectivity and the ability to create meaning, which are often overlooked in models based on replicability. The concept of the umwelt is divided into two - the synchronic umwelt and the distributed or diachronic umwelt. For the latter, a new term 'umweb' is introduced. A mechanism of evolution is described in which arbitrary relating followed by semiotic fitting is somewhat analogous to the neo-Darwinian mechanism of random mutations followed by natural selection. The paper proceeds to discuss the alternativity and coexistence of these two radically different ways of evolution and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on allegory of the worm of silk, which Teresa de Jesús uses in her writings, the process of development of her own identity as a woman transformed in Christ. It mentions evolution in self-knowledge and acceptance and transformation of the subject and the commitment with historical reality as a result of that experience. It also mentions losses made him anxious, in a deep dialectical struggle that was not always resolved with forward growth decisions.

The article presents the discussion on opponents of structuralism. Topics include presenting to the authors implementing statistical and structural methodologies in humanistic sciences undergoing a significant evolution; and relationship of structuralism with the above mentioned disciplines determining the relationship with the previous scientific tradition.

People age at different rates and the available evidence suggests that the rate of aging is partly inherited from previous generations. This heterogeneity in aging is evident already in midlife, but to what extent aging is associated with the timing of events earlier in life is not fully known. Here we aim to shed light on this topic by investigating the trade-off between reproduction and aging postulated by evolutionary theories of aging. Drawing on the inheritance of aging we use parental age at death as a proxy for aging-rates in the offspring, and study how age at first birth depends on this variable. We use data from an almost complete Swedish birth cohort comprising 92,359 individuals. Accelerated failure time models are used to estimate the association between parental age at death and age at first birth while adjusting for parental occupational class, educational attainment, and income. Longer parental lifespans were consistently associated with older age at first births, both in men and women. Our findings suggest that aging-related processes may be interrelated with the processes underlying the timing of reproduction and are in general agreement with evolutionary theories of aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a school scientific model designed to serve as an instrument for teaching the theory of evolution in primary education. The model was developed from a selection of evolutionary core ideas and biological levels of scale later organised into a heptagon. This format could allow to gradually increase its complexity in later stages. To check its utility, this model has been employed to create and analyse an initial assessment on evolution aimed to a class-group of fish graders (10-11 years old). Findings show students at this age have numerous and diverse preconceptions related to evolutionary core ideas. However, very few of those preconceptions could be considered an obstacle to their learning; just the opposite to what usually happens in secondary school. Such an outcome reinforces the convenience of introducing this content from early stages and in a progressive way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economics is a policy discipline that deals with the problems of social organization and the general good. It co-evolves with circumstances, and it is historically contingent. The world to which economic policies are ultimately addressed is a complex system. Yet economists seeking to develop appropriate policies are necessarily guided by simplifications and heuristics. The question before the discipline is to decide what sort of simplification is best suited to the task. In the spirit of modern science, this paper argues that appropriate generalizations, simplifications, heuristics, and principles are to be derived from a study of the actual world. While these may deploy mathematical tools and draw on insights from the behavior of mathematical systems, the latter by themselves are inadequate, especially where they start from the dead dogmas of the neoclassical mainstream: ex nihilo nihil fit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay intends to bring a memorialistic journey and the evolutions that the folkmarketing theory has gone through during its 24 (twenty-four) years of existence. Based on a bibliographic review, we seek to understand how the theory construction process took place and the studies on its applicability in public and private organizations. We also postulate, briefly build the bibliometry of the theory and its genealogy. The present essay seeks, at the end of this journey, to open new possibilities and instigate studies on the current applicability of the theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arguably most crucial issue in science-religion interaction in the Muslim context is the relation of Islam and the Neo-Darwinian theory of evolution. Muslim scholars are divided into two main camps. On the one hand, Muslim scholars with more traditional inclinations think that Islam conflicts with evolution. On the other camp, we have more scientifically oriented Muslim thinkers who think that theory of evolution is fully compatible with Islam. These thinkers, primarily practicing scientists, usually either offer a metaphorical reading of some of the Qur'anic verses or reinterpret them. In this paper, I will take a middle ground and try to evaluate the compatibility of the traditional reading of Qur'an with the Neo-Darwinian theory of evolution without invoking metaphorical reading or reinterpretation. We will also accept the standard scientific narrative without any distortion. First, I will defend the claim that the scriptural creation narrative is incompatible with the theory of evolution is analogous to the problem of evil, i.e., the claim that evil is incompatible with the God of classical Theism. Using this analogy, I will argue that rather than trying to find a complete and plausible account of how the Qur'anic narrative and the theory of evolution can both be true, we should search for more modest approaches which just aim to show that two accounts are compatible--similar to defenses in the context of the problem of evil. After sketching both the scientific as well as the scriptural accounts, and after arguing that the only potential conflict lies in the common ancestry thesis, I will present two such defenses which aim to show the compatibility of the Qur'anic narrative with the theory of evolution. First, the "double creation defense" involves scenarios at which Adam is created twice, once in Paradise, which is described by scripture, and the other one on Earth described by evolutionary science. As such, both accounts can be true at the same time and therefore are compatible. Second, "the multiple ancestors defense" argues that God might have created Adam out of clay directly, with his descendants reproducing with evolved homo sapiens. As such, both creation narratives coexist without inconsistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, Iqbal's unique interpretation of the modern theory of evolution, the effects of this theory on his system of thought, how belief and moral values are tried to be reconciled with this theory, and whether Iqbal can provide consistency among all these will be discussed. Iqbal's theory of creative evolution is critically examined. The extent to which Iqbal was influenced by the Muslim thinkers of the past and the Western thinkers of the modern period is discussed comparatively, again based on her works. Attention is drawn to Iqbal's choices and the synthesist thought he tried to make on the theory of evolution, in which the crisis of religion-science is clearly seen, new interpretations of Iqbal's belief in the context of this theory are emphasized, and how Iqbal's moral philosophy was shaped in the context of this theory is being displayed. The effects of Iqbal's unique interpretation of the modern theory of evolution with a metaphysical content permeated all her thoughts. The philosopher is criticized for these thoughts stemming from the theory of evolution. His views are influenced by the scientific and philosophical developments of his time, as well as the situation in the Muslim geography. He sees practical benefits in adapting the theory of creative evolution to life and believes that this theory has a stimulating effect on Muslim societies. The theory of evolution in question must have caught Iqbal's attention with its strong emphasis on power and a combative philosophy of life. Since life is seen as a struggle for Iqbal, the success and happiness of man is also tied to his hardness in this struggle for life, and this emphasis is constantly repeated on different occasions and in different contexts. According to his point of view, life is fight and those who are successful in this fight for life are those who follow these rules. He thinks in accordance with the theory of evolution, distinguishes between right and wrong considering power and sees power and rightness as equal. Considering the evolutionary process as a law that is also valid for eternal life, a metaphysical meaning is attributed to this theory and scientific debates are not got to the point. The theory of evolution forms the scientific and philosophical basis of Iqbal's ego philosophy and his view of God-realm-human. Many theological issues such as life in the hereafter, prophecy, freedom of will are tried to be interpreted in the context of this theory. In order to reconcile the theory of evolution with religion, Iqbal sometimes interprets religious texts and sometimes reinterprets the theory of evolution by giving it a metaphysical meaning. One of the most important reasons for the inconsistency of the philosopher, who put the theory of evolution as a scientific basis for his thoughts, is this synthesist effort he attempted to create. Iqbal He was influenced by former Muslim scholars Ibn Maskeveyh and Mevlana on the theory of evolution as well as modern Western scholars, especially Bergson and Nietzsche. His basic objection to the modern theory of evolution is that the provision of this theory is limited to life and does not reflect on after death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gravitational coupling between protoplanetary discs and planets embedded in them leads to the emergence of spiral density waves, which evolve into shocks as they propagate through the disc. We explore the performance of a semi-analytical framework for describing the non-linear evolution of the global planet-driven density waves, focusing on the low planet mass regime (below the so-called thermal mass). We show that this framework accurately captures the (quasi-)self-similar evolution of the wave properties expressed in terms of properly rescaled variables, provided that certain theoretical inputs are calibrated using numerical simulations (an approximate, first principles calculation of the wave evolution based on the inviscid Burgers equation is in qualitative agreement with simulations but overpredicts wave damping at the quantitative level). We provide fitting formulae for such inputs, in particular, the strength and global shape of the planet-driven shock accounting for non-linear effects. We use this non-linear framework to theoretically compute vortensity production in the disc by the global spiral shock and numerically verify the accuracy of this calculation. Our results can be used for interpreting observations of spiral features in discs, kinematic signatures of embedded planets in CO line emission ('kinks'), and for understanding the emergence of planet-driven vortices in protoplanetary discs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An external technology scouting is a commonly used open search method used by the firms to facilitate innovation. Drawing on a knowledge-based perspective and evolutionary theory on open innovation, this article proposes that the firms generate more innovations and capture better external technology if they possess well-developed absorptive capacity, that provides access to the innovative developments in an uncertain technological environment. We introduce our external technology scouting model of innovation outputs to explain how technology scouting and absorptive capacity predict firms’ inbound open innovation generation in a turbulent environment. Using a sample of 236 high-technology firms, we examine main, two-way, and three-way interaction effects for measures of inbound open innovation generation. The results indicate both main and moderating effects for both measures of performance, which are critical for innovation generations. A significant three-way interaction shows the joint effect of the technology turbulence, absorptive capacity, and external technology scouting on inbound open innovation generation. Our findings have notable managerial and research implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Face swiping is the action of registering facial recognition data with a biometric authentication application. Face swiping‐based medical services (FSMSs) is an emerging measurement technology underpinning modern intelligent medical services in China. In view of convenience in the delivery of medical services and the potential to reduce medical costs, FSMSs have become an important part of China's medical reform. However, modelling its eventual uses has not been fully explored in theory and practice, and this is hindering the take up of FSMSs in China. In this paper, we build an evolutionary game model to explore three stakeholders—policy makers, hospitals, and patients—and their dynamic interdependence of their decision‐making when adopting FSMS. Based on our game theoretic analysis, we develop a novel model to track the behaviour of these three stakeholders and analyse the corresponding payoff matrix to establish the replication dynamic equation (RDE) for the game. Further, we then use RDE to calculate the different stability points of players and determine the game's stable strategy. Finally, we validate the proposed model with a detailed simulation. Our observations may benefit not only FSMS participants but also several other forms of medical services and industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extensive philosophical discussions and analyses in recent decades of function-talk in biology have done much to clarify what biologists mean when they ascribe functions to traits, but the basic metaphysical question—is there genuine teleology and design in the natural world, or only the appearance of this?—has persisted, as recent work both defending, and attacking, teleology from a Darwinian perspective, attest. I argue that in the context of standard contemporary evolutionary theory, this is for the most part a verbal, rather than a substantive dispute: the disputants are talking past one another. To justify this claim I develop a general framework within which reductionist views, such as the standard 'etiological' account of biofunctions, occupy an intermediate position between what I call full-blooded realism and full-blooded anti-realism, and suggest that whether such views count as 'realist' views has no objective, theory-neutral answer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indirect reciprocity (IR) is a key mechanism to understand cooperation among unrelated individuals. It involves reputations and complex information processing, arising from social interactions. By helping someone, individuals may improve their reputation, which may be shared in a population and change the predisposition of others to reciprocate in the future. The reputation of individuals depends, in turn, on social norms that define a good or bad action, offering a computational and mathematical appealing way of studying the evolution of moral systems. Over the years, theoretical and empirical research has unveiled many features of cooperation under IR, exploring norms with varying degrees of complexity and information requirements. Recent results suggest that costly reputation spread, interaction observability and empathy are determinants of cooperation under IR. Importantly, such characteristics probably impact the level of complexity and information requirements for IR to sustain cooperation. In this review, we present and discuss those recent results. We provide a synthesis of theoretical models and discuss previous conclusions through the lens of evolutionary game theory and cognitive complexity. We highlight open questions and suggest future research in this domain. This article is part of the theme issue 'The language of cooperation: reputation and honest signalling'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Division of labor occurs when cooperating individuals specialize to perform different tasks. In bacteria and other microorganisms, some species divide labor by random specialization, where an individual's role is determined by random fluctuations in biochemical reactions within the cell. Other species divide labor by coordinating across individuals to determine which cells will perform which task, using mechanisms such as between‐cell signaling. However, previous theory, examining the evolution of mechanisms to divide labor between reproductives and sterile helpers, has only considered clonal populations, where there is no potential for conflict between individuals. We used a mixture of analytical and simulation models to examine nonclonal populations and found that: (a) intermediate levels of coordination can be favored, between the extreme of no coordination (random) and full coordination; (b) as relatedness decreases, coordinated division of labor is less likely to be favored. Our results can help explain why coordinated division of labor is relatively rare in bacteria, where groups may frequently be nonclonal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the Federal Reserve is at a critical juncture in its evolution. Unlike any prior period in U.S. history, the Fed now faces increasing demands to expand its policy objectives to tackle a wide range of social and political problems--including climate change, inequality, and foreign and small business aid. This Article develops a framework for recognizing and identifying the problems with "central bank activism." It refers to central bank activism as situations in which immediate public policy problems push the Fed to aggrandize its power beyond the text and purpose of its legal mandates, which Congress has established. To illustrate, this Article provides in-depth exploration of both contemporary and historic episodes of central bank activism, thus clarifying the indicia of central bank activism and drawing out the lessons that past episodes should teach us going forward. This Article urges that, while activism may be expedient in the near term, there are long-term social costs. Activism undermines the legitimacy of central bank authority, erodes central bank political independence, and ultimately renders a weaker central bank. In the end, this Article issues an urgent call to resist the allure of activism. And it places front and center the need for vibrant public discourse on the role of a central bank in American political and economic life today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cecal appendix had been considered as a useless vestige since Darwin's work, but recent research questioned this idea demonstrating that the cecal appendix appeared among the mammals at least 80 million years ago and has made multiple and independent appearances without any obvious correlation with diet, social life, ecology, or size of the cecum. However, functions and probable selective advantage conferred by this anatomical structure still remain enigmatic. We found, through analyses of data on 258 mammalian species, that cecal appendix presence is correlated with increased maximal observed longevity. This is the first demonstration of a correlation between cecal appendix presence and life history. Interestingly, the classical evolutionary theory of aging that predicts an increased longevity when the extrinsic mortality is reduced has been questioned several times, but recent comparative studies asserted its validity in the taxa, which experience age‐dependent and density‐dependent mortality, as in mammals. Thus, the cecal appendix may contribute to the increase in longevity through a reduction of extrinsic mortality. A lower risk of fatal infectious diarrhea is one of the most plausible hypotheses that could explain it. However, several hypotheses coexist about the possible functions of the cecal appendix, and our results provide new insights about this much‐disputed question. In addition, we show that the cecal appendix arose at least 16 times and was lost only once during the evolutionary history of the considered mammals, an asymmetry that supports the existence of a positive selective of this structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal effects are ubiquitous. Yet, the pathways through which maternal effects occur in wild mammals remain largely unknown. We hypothesise that maternal immune transfer is a key mechanism by which mothers can affect their offspring fitness, and that individual variation in maternally derived antibodies mainly depends on a mother's characteristics and the environmental conditions she experiences. To test this, we assayed six colostrum‐derived antibodies in the plasma of 1447 neonates in a wild red deer population. Neonatal antibody levels were mainly affected by maternal genes, environmental variation and costs of prior reproductive investment. We found consistent heterogeneity in maternal performance across traits, with mothers producing the heaviest calves also having calves with more antibodies. Unexpectedly, antibody levels were not associated with calf survival. We provide a unique example of how evolutionary theory on maternal effects can be used to gain insight into the causes of maternal effects in wild populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the relationship between divine action and evolution by natural selection is key in the dialogue between science and theology. Topics include considered that the question is whether the modern synthesis of evolution, which proposes an evolutionary process, random, without intentionality or the need for external entities, is compatible with the belief of theistic religions regarding the intentional action of God to create and maintain the universe.

Understanding the dynamics of cooperative behavior of individuals in complex societies represents a fundamental research question which puzzles scientists working in heterogeneous fields. Many studies have been developed using the unitary agent assumption, which embeds the idea that when making decisions, individuals share the same socio-cultural parameters. In this paper, we propose the ECHO-EGN model, based on Evolutionary Game Theory, which relaxes this strong assumption by considering the heterogeneity of three fundamental socio-cultural aspects ruling the behavior of groups of people: the propensity to be more cooperative with members of the same group (Endogamic cooperation), the propensity to cooperate with the public domain (Civicness) and the propensity to prefer connections with members of the same group (Homophily). The ECHO-EGN model is shown to have high performance in describing real world behavior of interacting individuals living in complex environments. Extensive numerical experiments allowing the comparison of real data and model simulations confirmed that the introduction of the above mechanisms enhances the realism in the modelling of cooperation dynamics. Additionally, theoretical findings allow us to conclude that endogamic cooperation may limit significantly the emergence of cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant galaxy mergers throughout cosmic time play a fundamental role in theories of galaxy evolution. The widespread usage of human classifiers to visually assess whether galaxies are in merging systems remains a fundamental component of many morphology studies. Studies that employ human classifiers usually construct a control sample, and rely on the assumption that the bias introduced by using humans will be evenly applied to all samples. In this work, we test this assumption and develop methods to correct for it. Using the standard binomial statistical methods employed in many morphology studies, we find that the merger fraction, error, and the significance of the difference between two samples are dependent on the intrinsic merger fraction of any given sample. We propose a method of quantifying merger biases of individual human classifiers and incorporate these biases into a full probabilistic model to determine the merger fraction and the probability of an individual galaxy being in a merger. Using 14 simulated human responses and accuracies, we are able to correctly label a galaxy as merger or isolated to within 1% of the truth. Using 14 real human responses on a set of realistic mock galaxy simulation snapshots our model is able to recover the pre-coalesced merger fraction to within 10%. Our method can not only increase the accuracy of studies probing the merger state of galaxies at cosmic noon, but also can be used to construct more accurate training sets in machine-learning studies that use human classified data sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time, we present the simultaneous detection and characterization of three distinct phases at >105 K in z = 0 absorption using deep Chandra observations toward Mrk 421. The extraordinarily high signal-to-noise ratio (≥60) of the spectra has allowed us to detect a hot phase of the Milky Way circumgalactic medium (CGM) at 107 K coexisting with a warm-hot phase at 1.5 ± 0.1 × 106 K and a warm phase at 3.0 ± 0.4 × 105 K. The warm-hot phase is at the virial temperature of the Galaxy, and the warm phase may have cooled from the warm-hot phase, but the supervirial hot phase remains a mystery. We find that [C/O] in the warm and warm-hot phases, [Mg/O] in the warm-hot phase, and [Ne/O] in the hot phase are supersolar, and the hot and the warm-hot phases are α-enhanced. Nonthermal line broadening is evident in the warm-hot and the hot phases, and it dominates the total line broadening. Our results indicate that the >105 K CGM is a complex ecosystem. It provides insights on the thermal and chemical history of the Milky Way CGM and theories of galaxy evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a general barrier theory as an evolutionary framework for understanding coevolutionary effects of conflicts of interest in natural and human systems. It is generalized from the barrier theory of cancer, which describes how cancer develops through the evasion of mechanisms, that block unregulated cellular reproduction and survival. Barriers are naturally evolved or artificially implemented mechanisms for blocking exploitation; restraints are mechanisms that impede but do not block exploitation. When conflicts of interest arise, selection will favor exploiters that are capable of overcoming barriers and restraints. When barriers are in place, they halt, at least temporarily, coevolutionary arms races (the Red Queen can stop running). Barriers occur in a broad spectrum of interactions characterized by conflicts of interest: barriers to cellular survival (apoptosis) and reproduction (cell cycle arrest) may block a virus from replicating its genome through reproduction of its host cell. Vaccines may completely protect against targeted pathogens. A plant may escape herbivory by evolving defensive chemicals that block herbivory. Obligate mutualisms may evolve when barriers to horizontal transmission favor symbionts that increasingly lose mechanisms that contribute to horizontal transmission. Here, we show how the barrier theory applies across a spectrum of natural and social systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]