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AbstractMisinformation around scientific issues is rampant on social media platforms, raising concerns among educators and science communicators. A variety of approaches have been explored to confront this growing threat to science literacy. For example, refutations have been used both proactively as warning labels and in attempts to inoculate against misconceptions, and retroactively to debunk misconceptions and rebut science denialism. Refutations have been used by policy makers and scientists when communicating with the general public, yet little is known about their effectiveness or consequences. Given the interest in refutational approaches, we conducted a comprehensive, pre-registered meta-analysis comparing the effect of refutation texts to non-refutation texts on individuals’ misconceptions about scientific information. We selected 71 articles (53 published and 18 unpublished) that described 76 studies, 111 samples, and 294 effect sizes. We also examined 26 moderators. Overall, our findings show a consistent and statistically significant advantage of refutation texts over non-refutation texts in controlled experiments confronting scientific misconceptions. We also found that moderators neither enhanced nor diminished the impact of the refutation texts. We discuss the implications of using refutations in formal and informal science learning contexts and in science communications from three theoretical perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite considerable progress made in educational neuroscience, neuromyths persist in the teaching profession, hampering translational endeavors. The initial wave of interventions designed to dispel educational neuromyths was predominantly directed at preservice teachers. More recent work in the field, reviewed here, has shifted its focus primarily to in‐service teacher professional development interventions. We discuss various interventional approaches, including refutation texts embedded into a brief training in foundational neuroscience, personalized refutation texts, insightful reflections upon science of learning key concepts (e.g., brain plasticity), and immersive experiences within research groups, highlighting their strengths and limitations. The evolving nature of scientific knowledge, the imperative to respect educators' personal and professional sensitivities, as well as challenges posed by conceptual change, are also addressed. This narrative review underscores the need to bring neuromyth investigations into the classroom environment. Misconceptions about the brain and learning, so‐called "neuromyths," are quite widespread. For example, there is a common belief that individuals are either visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learners. However, these notions do not align with the current scientific understanding of how the brain operates. Surveys revealed that teachers also embrace these erroneous beliefs. This is concerning because it might lead them to adopt ineffective teaching methods. This article reviews studies designed to debunk neuromyths among teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The doctrinal continuum between ancestral merits and rewards and punishments is well established in Second Temple Judaism and is discernible in John 8–9. Following Philo of Alexandria's questioning of these doctrinal correlates, the Johannine chapters are subjected to a theological-rhetorical analysis focused on the transitional passage (9:1–5). The passage is here seen not as an introduction to a new theme but as corollary to the preceding chapter(s), having a duo-directional significance, linking a two-part refutation of invariably related doctrines: ancestral merits and rewards and punishments. The rejection or refutation of the latter affirms the rejection or refutation of the former, and vice versa. The Johannine chapters in question have a thematic and dialectical connection; they constitute a substantial part of the broader, interrelated polemic of the Fourth Gospel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tocqueville Review -- La Revue Tocqueville is the property of University of Toronto Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The word meṇḍaka, a derivative of meṇḍa ("ram"), is generally translated as "made of the ram" or "about the ram" or "horned." However, in the Pāli Milindapañha (Questions of Milinda), the word meṇḍakapañha, literally, a question about the ram, is also rendered as a logical conclusion that refutes an imaginary dilemma. Hence, in this treatise, the word meṇḍaka is a special logical term which means an imaginary dilemma that can be logically refuted. This raises the question as to why the word meṇḍaka has come to be associated with this logical technique. To answer this question, this paper examines various aspects of the word and its possible connections to a dilemma and its refutation. The discussion ranges from the meaning of this word in a tale in the Jātaka (Birth Stories), within the contextual usage in a meṇḍaka question, to a relatively recent commentarial text (aṭṭhakathā) which gives a different perspective on the etymology of the word. The Milindapañha is explicit in defining a meṇḍaka question as knotty, hard to penetrate, and difficult to resolve, some of which an opponent puts forth to undermine certain aspects of the Buddhist system. However, the way certain meṇḍaka questions are framed, though not directly stated, seem to utilize the principles of logic in a dilemmatic form of argument. With that, a meṇḍaka question, at least in the Milindapañha, could also mean "a dilemmatic expression put forth by a challenger to undermine an opponent, but which can be logically refuted." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a refutation text on conceptual knowledge of dyslexia among pre-professional undergraduate students in communication sciences and disorders (CSD). Undergraduate students (n = 60) majoring in CSD were randomly assigned to two groups. They completed a pre-test to evaluate their conceptual knowledge of dyslexia, then read a text about dyslexia. There were two texts: a refutation text and a control text. After reading the text, students completed a post-test to evaluate their conceptual knowledge of dyslexia. Four weeks after completing the post-test, students completed a maintenance test. The refutation text facilitated greater conceptual change about dyslexia than the control text in the short term (i.e., from pre-test to post-test). For both groups, participants' conceptual knowledge of dyslexia decreased between the post-test and maintenance test. However, for both groups, conceptual knowledge of dyslexia was higher at the maintenance time point than it was at the pre-test time point. Refutation texts may be a viable option for facilitating conceptual change among pre-professional speech-language pathologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short paper states a new objection against "spectrum arguments" for nontransitive betterness. It is shown that defenders of such arguments must reject one of two very plausible principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual humans are on-screen characters that are often embedded in learning technologies to deliver educational content. Little research has investigated how virtual humans can be used to correct common misconceptions. In this study, we explored how different types of narrative structures, refutation text and expository text, influence perceptions of trust, credibility, and learning outcomes. In addition, we conducted exploratory analyses examining how different measures of trust and credibility are related to each other and how these measures may mediate learning outcomes. Results showed that the type of narrative used did not influence any measure. However, the trust and credibility measures, while related to one another, were measurably distinct. In addition, only perceptions of message trust were significantly related to learning. Perceptions of message trust did not mediate learning outcomes, but were significantly predictive of learning at nearly the same effect as prior knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been said that there is no scholarly consensus as to why Aristotle's logics of proof and refutation would have borne the title Analytics. But if we consulted Tarski's (Introduction to logic and the methodology of deductive sciences, Oxford University Press, New York, 1941) graduate-level primer, we would have the perfect title for them: Introduction to logic and to the methodology of deductive sciences. There are two strings to Aristotle's bow. The methodological string is the founding work on the epistemology of science, and the logical string sets down conditions on the proofs that bring this knowledge about. The logic of proof presents a difficulty whose solution exceeds its theoretical reach. The logic of refutation takes the problem on board, and advances a solution whose execution is framed by fallacy-avoidance at the beginning and fallacy-adoption at the end. But with a difference: the avoidance-fallacies are of Aristotle's own conception, whereas the adoption-fallacies, so judged in the modern tradition, aren't fallacies at all for Aristotle. The avoidance-fallacies are begging the question and ignoratio elenchi, and the adoption-fallacies, fallacies in name only, are the ad hominem and ad ignorantiam, an inductive turning in the first instance, and an abductive finish in the second. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the relationship between refutation texts and attention allocation by focusing on the interaction between important reader-and-text characteristics. Specifically, the authors investigated how prior knowledge and text-based interest affect attention allocation on refutation/control statements, topic, and explanatory and concluding sentences in refutation and nonrefutation texts. We employed eye tracking to monitor the reading behavior of 92 students in higher education. The results revealed that during first-pass regressive reading, nonrefutation-text readers, compared with refutation-text readers, read topic sentences longer, indicating the correct scientific information. Concluding sentences, summarizing the correct scientific information, were reread for longer by refutation-text readers. With increasing prior knowledge, refutation texts were read more slowly than nonrefutation texts during first-pass reading. A higher text-based interest increased rereading time in the refutation text and decreased rereading time in the nonrefutation text. This study advances present knowledge in the field by demonstrating that the interaction between text and reader characteristics affects attention allocation in reading and comprehension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual humans are virtual characters within multimedia learning environments designed to aid the learning process. While there is a large variety of research examining how to design the physical appearance of the character or the teaching strategies it should embody, there is comparatively little work around the design of the narrative the virtual human uses to communicate with the learner. In this study, we examine the use of four different types of text structures to structure the character's narrative in an instructional video: expository, refutation text, deep reasoning questions, and refutation text and deep reasoning questions; and their effects on learning, perceptions, attitudes, and emotions about genetically modified foods. Our results largely indicated no significant differences between the different communication strategies. We hypothesize that the length, dosage, and pacing of the intervention could explain why we did not see benefits from the different narrative structures that have been found in other contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different forms of religious understanding and different religious discourses have emerged in the history of Islamic thought. Religious discourses have sometimes become a claim to truth and salvation and have turned into a discourse that excludes other groups. Exclusive discourse not only prevents the expression and development of thought but also harms the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals. The problem of exclusion within the religion cannot be attributed to one single sect. At the same time, discourse is shaped according to context and interlocutor relations in a historical period. For this reason, the exclusionary discourse within religion should be dealt with by limiting it in terms of history and relationality. One of the main differentiations in Islamic thought has been manifested in the form of raʾy and āthār/ḥadīth traditions. Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth, who opposed raʾy in the early period, also took a stand against theoretical theology when the systematic theology began to be built. This article deals with the conceptual framework of the exclusionary discourse in the refutation/raddiyya literature written in the 3rd/9th century by Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth, which is known for its opposition to raʾy and kalām. The article aims to identify the concepts embodied in the exclusionary discourse of Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth and to clarify the place and meaning of these concepts in the discourse. Through conceptual analysis, it is aimed to reveal the nature of the boundaries drawn by Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth against its opponents. In this way, it will also be possible to obtain clues about the thought codes of Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth. The main sources of this study include the refutations of Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Bukhārī (d. 256/870), Ibn Kutayba (d. 276/889), and Abū Saʿīd ʿUthmān al-Dārimī (d. 280/894). The exclusionary concepts determined in the refutation texts are categorized under two headings as religious-sectarian level and descriptive level. The way in which each of the exclusionary concepts is associated with their addressees has been discussed in terms of the subject in which the concept is used, its grounds, and justifications. This research is expected to make a modest contribution to understanding and solving the problem of exclusion in Islamic thought. Two points should be emphasized about the method of the article. One of them is that Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth is considered as a mindset. Another is that the refutations as the main sources of this study have been handled as a part of the religious discourse of Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth. Some of the prominent mentality features of Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth include traditionalism, literalism, and dogmatism. Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth took the narrations as a basis and define the reason in religious matters as a perception tool within the limits of the narrations. It can be said that all these principles provide a basis for exclusionary discourse to a certain extent. Exclusionary concepts at the religious-sectarian level are Jaḥmiyya, Qadariyya, Muʿaṭṭila, Zanādiqa, Majūsiyya, Mulhid, and Mushabbiha. The exclusionary concepts at the qualification level are bidʿa, raʾy, qıyās, nażar, hawā, zaygh, ḍalāla, kufr, and shirk. Jaḥmiyya and Qadariyya were used because of some opinions of the names they were associated with and because they were killed by the state. Muʿaṭṭila and Mushabbiha were also used in a critical way about the Muʿtazila's understanding of divine attributes with a claim saying that they could not properly recognize the God they believed in. The names of groups such as Zanādiqa, Majūsiyya, and Melāhida, with whom Muʿtazila struggled at the theological level, were used for Muʿtazila with the purpose to identify them as a non-religious group. Raʾy, qıyās, and nażar are positioned opposite the narration by Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth and used in an exclusionary sense by being identified with hawā and zaygh. While these concepts point to methodological differences, bidʿa, ḍalāla, kufr, and shirk have been exclusionary concepts in which the claim of ḥāqīqa and hidāya has come to the fore. It can be said that by reducing the raʾy, qıyās, and nażar to hawā, Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth tried to eliminate the possibility of producing rational knowledge in religious matters. The existence of Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth as a mentality/mindset today, the fact that there is a network of relations between the phenomenon of Salafism and Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth in terms of intellectual principles, although it is not possible to talk about a common identity between them, and the existence of groups that refer to the accumulations of Aṣḥāb al-ḥadīth refers to the present aspect of the study to the extent of scientific, religious, legal, and social manifestations of exclusionary concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated the relations between gamified refutations of COVID-19 misconceptions and individuals' emotional reactions and knowledge retention within a large-scale public health education campaign. Refutations have a substantial body of evidence supporting their use to correct misconceptions, yet reduced efficacy has been observed for some topics that generate negative emotional responses. We tested whether gamification could mitigate these limits given that it capitalizes on positive affective engagement. From May to December 2020, approximately 200,000 individuals were recruited from social media in Canada to engage with a nongame interactive survey as a control or a fully gamified platform focused on correcting COVID-19 misconceptions. Gamification was associated with a greater number of happiness and anxiety responses and fewer responses of anger and skepticism in reaction to having misconceptions corrected by refutations. Further, participants who engaged with gamified refutations retained correct information after a brief period. Finally, happiness and anxiety were positively associated with and anger and skepticism were negatively associated with retention of refutation information and support for related public health policies. Implications for scaling up and reinforcing the benefits of refutations for public engagement with science are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific misconceptions are ubiquitous, and in our era of near-instant information exchange, this can be problematic for both public health and the public understanding of scientific topics. Refutation text is one instructional tool for addressing misconceptions and is simple to implement at little cost. We conducted a random-effects meta-analysis to examine the effectiveness of the refutation text structure on learning. Analysis of 44 independent comparisons (n = 3,869) showed that refutation text is associated with a positive, moderate effect (g = 0.41, p <.001) compared to other learning conditions. This effect was consistent and robust across a wide variety of contexts. Our results support the implementation of refutation text to help facilitate scientific understanding in many fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/Significance. This study aims to explore the differences in the effectiveness of rumor refutation dissemination on government micro-blogs and to identify factors that may lead to such differences, so as to provide reference for the management of emergencies and to improve the effectiveness of rumor refutation. Methodology/Procedure. Using Octopus software to collect data from thirty government micro-blogs, the number of retweets, likes, and comments were used as indicators of the effectiveness of refutation dissemination and different levels of government micro-blogs were used as moderating variables to construct a regression model of the effect of content features and text features on refutation dissemination. The regression model was constructed to test the moderating effects of micro-blog content and text features on the effectiveness of micro-blog refutation. Results/Conclusions. The empirical results show that whether a micro-blog is from the region or not and whether a micro-blog has a title or not have a significant effect on the effectiveness of micro-blog refutation dissemination. Therefore, refutation strategies such as combining layers, giving equal importance to content and form, and focusing on originality can be adopted to enhance the refutation effect of government micro-blogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Text-based scaffolds shifted teacher candidates' beliefs and pedagogical knowledge of the learning styles neuromyth. • Prompting students to be open to belief change shifted beliefs and pedagogical knowledge. • Summarizing the text supported belief change in comparison to no during reading prompt. • Including refutational elements impacted beliefs only when prompting students to be open to belief change. The belief that students learn best when instruction matches students' preferred modality-specific learning style (i.e., visual, auditory, or kinesthetic) is not supported by empirical research. Yet, the learning styles neuromyth remains pervasive, including within teacher education programs. The purpose of the current study was to explore the extent to which various text-related scaffolds (i.e., purpose for reading, during reading prompts, and refutation text structure) shifted 221 undergraduate teacher candidates' beliefs and knowledge about the learning styles neuromyth from before reading to after reading, and to investigate the durability of these shifts at a delayed posttest. Across all intervention conditions, teacher candidates demonstrated beliefs change and a shift in pedagogical knowledge immediately after the intervention, with a slight overall shift back to supporting learning styles two months later. Individuals given the purpose of reading to change their beliefs had lower beliefs in learning styles at posttest and greater pedagogical knowledge at delayed posttest, especially when reading a text with more refutational elements. Summarizing during reading had a positive impact on beliefs at posttest. Contrary to previous studies, there were no main effects of refutation text, and no effect of any scaffolds on text comprehension. Findings have implications for the knowledge revision literature, including understanding nuances between teacher candidates' beliefs and pedagogical knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proving and refuting are fundamental aspects of mathematical practice that are intertwined in mathematical activity in which conjectures and proofs are often produced and improved through the back-and-forth transition between attempts to prove and disprove. One aspect underexplored in the education literature is the connection between this activity and the construction by students of knowledge, such as mathematical concepts and theorems, that is new to them. This issue is significant to seeking a better integration of mathematical practice and content, emphasised in curricula in several countries. In this paper, we address this issue by exploring how students generate mathematical knowledge through discovering and handling refutations. We first explicate a model depicting the generation of mathematical knowledge through heuristic refutation (revising conjectures/proofs through discovering and addressing counterexamples) and draw on a model representing different types of abductive reasoning. We employed both models, together with the literature on the teachers' role in orchestrating whole-class discussion, to analyse a series of classroom lessons involving secondary school students (aged 14–15 years, Grade 9). Our analysis uncovers the process by which the students discovered a counterexample invalidating their proof and then worked via creative abduction where a certain theorem was produced to cope with the counterexample. The paper highlights the roles played by the teacher in supporting the students' work and the importance of careful task design. One implication is better insight into the form of activity in which students learn mathematical content while engaging in mathematical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research indicates that student teachers frequently have misconceptions about multimedia learning. Our experiment with N = 96 student teachers revealed that, in contrast to standard texts, refutation texts are effective to address misconceptions about multimedia learning. However, there seems to be no added benefit of making "concessions" to student teachers' prior beliefs (i.e., two-sided argumentation) in refutation texts. Moreover, refutation texts did not promote the selection of appropriate multimedia material. This study suggests that refutation texts addressing multimedia-learning misconceptions should be applied in teacher education. Yet, further support seems needed to aid the application of the corrected knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Refutation texts are designed to facilitate the revision of inaccurate knowledge; however, studies have documented backfire effects wherein respondents become less accurate when exposed to a factual correction compared to another. Here, we explored whether epistemic emotions mediated knowledge revision or backfire processes when reading experimental refutation texts that varied by supporting information. We asked 294 online readers to report their knowledge and attitudes about genetically modified foods before randomly assigning them to one of three refutation text conditions which varied in type of supporting information. We documented relatively low knowledge (19.7%) and attitude (14%) backfire across conditions and found no evidence of backfire effects among types of supporting information. All texts facilitated knowledge revision regardless of the type of supporting information but did not differentially elicit epistemic emotions. For those who revised their inaccurate knowledge, hope and surprise mediated the knowledge revision process. However, those who demonstrated a backfire effect reported significantly more anger and confusion than readers who revised their inaccurate knowledge. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is common for individuals to have misconceptions across a range of subject matters. Although interventions to correct misconceptions are largely successful, at times they may fail. The current study explores how corrections may be perceived to conflict with aspects of personal or social identity and engender experience of negative emotions and threat as potential explanations for why and how corrections fail. To test this assumption, purposeful sampling was used to recruit participants online that resided in geographic regions with reported beliefs or behaviors that were consistent with misconceptions about immigration and crime or vaccination safety. Participants reported their prior beliefs and attitudes. Depending on the topic, participants were presented with a refutation text that was designed to correct common misconceptions about vaccination or immigration and were asked to report the degree of identity conflict, emotions, and threat experienced and completed a posttest of knowledge. Results showed that participants reported a significant degree of identity conflict and threat, which together with negative emotions in turn negatively predicted learning from refutation texts. Findings demonstrate potential explanations for why and how misconception correction may fail that may be useful in the design of educational interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Larq Journal for Philosophy, Linguistics & Social Sciences is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The current study investigated whether a brief refutation text intervention could change college students' misconceptions about the malleability of their intelligence and abilities. Students from a 2‐year college and a 4‐year university in a large urban city in the Northeastern United States participated in experimental and control conditions. A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance demonstrated a significant overall model with a medium effect size (ηp2 = 0.11) for increased growth mindset and decreased fixed mindset for students in the experimental condition. A follow‐up χ2 analysis for a dichotomous variable of fixed/growth mindset demonstrated a 3% increase from pre‐ to posttest (from 229 students to 236) of students believing in growth mindset. The results demonstrate that a refutation text intervention is effective in promoting growth mindset in undergraduate college students during a brief mindset intervention. This study extends research from a European secondary school context to a US college context. Highlights: –College students can change their perception of their intelligence after engaging in a refutation text intervention.–Refutation texts are powerful intervention materials for increasing college students' growth mindset.–A refutation text intervention teaching about growth mindset has now been shown to work across cultures and developmental ages.–Brief, potent interventions using refutation texts should be considered as adaptive introductory programming for students new to college. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dignity of Sayyidah Maryam (God be pleased with her) is well established in Christianity as well as in Islam. They both have great respect for Sayyidah Maryam‟s family. The Christians consider Sayyidah Maryam (God be pleased with her) as Mother of God (i.e. Jesus – one of three) while Muslims, having different points of view, regard her as a saintly woman. In the mid-nineteenth century A.D., Mirzā Ghulām Aḥmad Qādiyānī appeared who claimed to be a subordinate prophet within Islam. It remained a main controversial point between his supporters and conventional Muslims, who believe Muḥammad (Peace be upon him) is the last Prophet and Messenger. Among his declarations, Mirzā Qādiyānī also claimed to be the Promised Messiah of the revelations, and superior to the Prophet „Īsā (Peace be upon him) in every aspect. Having attacked such exalted personalities, he denied the miraculous birth of the Prophet „Īsā (Peace be upon him) and said that Sayyidah Maryam (God be pleased with her) was a woman lacking sound character. He raised many false and blasphemous allegations regarding the dignity of Sayyidah Maryam (God be pleased with her). This concludes the refutation of his outrageous allegations about Sayyidah Maryam (God be pleased with her). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although a good rational number understanding is of crucial importance for learners' general maths achievement, many learners have misconceptions about fractions. An often described misconception is that a fraction's numerical magnitude increases when its denominator, numerator, or both increase. The present intervention study investigated how robust this misconception is, after learners have specifically been instructed on the incorrectness of their idea by means of a refutation text, as opposed to a condition where they received an expository text. Results of 76 fourth graders showed a (long-term) learning effect, but no larger learning gains in the group that received a refutation text compared to the group that received an expository text. Results further pointed to large individual differences in the learning gains. While there is a subgroup of learners that benefits from the refutation text, another subgroup was found that tend to overuse and misapply the information given in this text. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a seminal essay, Hidé Ishiguro argued that names in the Tractatus are 'like dummy names' and that a simple object is to be conceived of as 'an instantiation of an irreducible predicate'. In this paper, I argue that Ishiguro's view is incompatible with other claims made in the Tractatus and should be abandoned for this reason. To this end, I adopt a two-step strategy. First, I show that Ishiguro's view implies the adoption of an anti-haecceitistic position. Then I show that the Tractatus allows for the possibility of there being haecceitistic differences between two complete descriptions of the world. Since anti-haecceitism will be characterized as the doctrine that haecceitistic differences are meaningless, this provides a refutation of Ishiguro's view. In the final section, I make a few remarks on the relation between anti-haecceitism and the context principle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I show that Aristotle's refutation of the Eleatic argument in Physics I.8 is based on the idea that a thing at the starting point of coming to be is composite and is made up of what underlies and a privation. In doing so, I clarify how the concept of accidentality as used in his solution should be understood in relation to the composite nature of what comes to be. I also suggest an explanation of why Aristotle's discussion of the Eleatic dilemma in Physics I.8, unlike his discussion in the previous chapter, is not clear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 'Reichenbach's cubical universe and the problem of the external world', Elliott Sober attempts a refutation of solipsism à la Reichenbach. I here contrast Sober's line of argument with observations a hypothetical scientist makes on what is known as the 'Mermin contraption' and show that Sober's extension of Reichenbach's argument fails. However, there is a further line of defense against solipsism, endorsed by some interpreters of the quantum theory whose position is otherwise rather close to solipsism. As I shall argue, this line of defense remains viable, but we still fall short of a story in terms of what Reichenbach calls 'interphenomena' in the case of the Mermin contraption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccine misinformation circulated on social media has negatively impacted people's vaccine beliefs and behaviors. Communication strategies to address misinformation including fact-checking and warning labels have shown conflicting effects. This study examined how short-term exposure to vaccine misinformation impacted vaccination attitude through both cognitive and affective routes and tested whether and how two-sided refutational messages could negate the misinformation's impact. We conducted an online experiment involving a convenient sample of 609 U.S. adult participants with five message conditions: two misinformation messages (one using the conspiracy frame and one using the uncertainty frame), two corresponding two-sided refutational messages, and a control group. Results showed that both conspiracy and uncertainty framed misinformation messages decreased pro-vaccination attitude in comparison to the control. The two refutational messages increased pro-vaccination attitude in comparison to the corresponding misinformation messages. These effects were further mediated by the emotion of anger. Parental status and conspiracy beliefs did not moderate effects of the messages on vaccination attitude. Our findings indicate two-sided refutational messages can be a promising strategy to combat vaccine misinformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the Hegel, Heidegger, Derrida are three foundational figures for contemporary European philosophy, and three thinkers whose intertwined legacies continue to animate fierce philosophical debate. Topics include history provides a privileged path along which the relation between Hegel, Heidegger and Derrida can be interrogated; and a relation often seen as a linear progression of critique, refutation and transformation.

In light of recent developments in argumentation theory, we begin by considering the account that Aristotle gives of what he calls sophistical refutations (elenchoi sophistikoi) and of the usefulness of being able to recognise various species of them. His diagnosis of one of his examples of the grouping that he labels epomenon is then compared with a very recent account of the matter, which, like Aristotle, calls on us to attribute a mistake or confusion to anyone who uses this kind of argument. From examination of three other examples that Aristotle himself supplies of epomenon, it appears that there are cases of inferences of this kind that we need not, and perhaps cannot, avoid making. The suggestion is made that this is because the whole family of what Peirce calls abductions have important characteristics in common with epomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this note, we report on an implementation of discovery-oriented problems in courses on Real Analysis and Differential Equations. We explain a type of task design that gives students the opportunity to conjecture, refute and prove. What is new is that the complexity in our problems is limited and thus the tasks can also be used in homework assignments. In addition to several concrete examples, we also discuss feedback and assessment outcomes of our students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The elenchus (gr. ἔλεγχος, literally “argument of disproof”, “refutation”, “cross-examining”) is the core of the Socratic method represented by Plato in his early dialogues. This enquiring technique, employed by Socrates to question his interlocutors about the nature or definition of ethical concepts, is the object of a never-ending scholarly debate, concerning especially its primary purpose: is it a positive method, leading to knowledge, or is it rather a negative method, aiming exclusively at refuting the interlocutor’s belief? This paper, through the analysis of some key passages in Plato’s early dialogues, focuses on the structural features of the elenchus in order to understand how the elenctic refutation is developed, why Socrates chooses a dialectical method often ending in aporia, and whether the Socratic method can be considered, not merely an instrument aiming at the recognition of one’s ignorance, but primarily a positive search for knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I elaborate on the cognitive pragmatic approaches of commitment attribution. I argue that non-propositional meanings (Sperber and Wilson 2015) play a role in the reconstruction of arguments (see Oswald 2016) and I underline that this constitutes a further argument in favor of a cognitive approach to the study of commitment attribution. I focus on an authentic example of a straw man fallacy consisting in (a) an implicit misattribution of commitments to the speaker with the form "Excuse me for having done p" and (b) a refutation of the attributed position by means of non-propositional effects (in this case, the refutation is implicitly conveyed through an ironical utterance). I conclude that non-propositional effects can serve as a criterion to distinguish a mere false attribution of commitments from a full-fledged straw man fallacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A literary criticism of the book “Muqaddima” by Ibn Khaldun is presented. Topics include study of numerous refutation of astrology arguments in his book which reflect his multileveled reasoning capability; other national theologians and religious leaders views against astrology; and Ibn Khaldūn’s consideration for the connection of history with astrology.

Vasubandhu's Twenty Stanzas (Viṃśikā) is among the most influential anti-Realist philosophical treatises in the history of Indian Buddhism. In particular, his refutation of the theories about the accumulation of atoms (paramāṇu) in stanza 12 if often regarded as compelling or even conclusive. But if this is the case, then the transition from stanza 12 to 13 would seem very odd, because in stanza 13 Vasubandhu bothers himself with yet another version of atomic accumulation. In this paper, I give an interpretation of stanzas 12–13 by drawing clues from the Abhidharmakośabhāṣya and Dharmapāla's Dasheng guangbailun shilun (Taishō 1571). I argue that Vasubandhu's refutation in stanza 12 is valid only if we assume that the only possible way atoms can accumulate is by means of physical contacts with neighboring atoms. Conversely, if the opponents do not accept this assumption, then Vasubandhu's refutation would miss its target. Given that stanza 13 cites the theory of the Kāśmīravaibhāṣikas and seeks to refute it, we must interpret that the Kāśmīravaibhāṣikas hold that atoms can form an accumulation in which atoms do not come into physical contact with each other, because this would be the only way to deal with the challenge previously posed in stanza 12. Dharmapāla provides more details about this theory and seeks to refute it again. Assuming the same Vasubandhu to be the author of Abhidharmakośabhāṣya, in which the author deals with the same issue, we must judge that Vasubandhu himself is quite aware of the limitations of his refutation in stanza 12, and this explains why he feels the need to devote stanza 13 to further refuting the theory of the Kāśmīravaibhāṣikas. However, I also argue that Vasubandhu's refutation of this theory fails. If my argument holds, then we must conclude that the refutation of the accumulation of atoms in the Twenty Stanzas may not be successful. This explains, at least in part, why Dignāga feels the need to find new arguments in his Ālambanaparīkṣā. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across two experiments, this study examines the relative effectiveness of refutational messages employing different rhetorical modes in mitigating the reputational damage from an activist's accusation of which validity can be contentious. Experiment 1 reveals that an appeal to logic generates more positive evaluations than an appeal to indignation in the message evaluations of transparency and reliability. Experiment 2 shows that an appeal to logic yields more positive attitude, higher perceptions of credibility and trust in the organization than an appeal to indignation when crisis involvement is high. The results of this study support the theoretical proposition of a dual‐process model of persuasion—individuals' processing of crisis discourse is greatly affected by their level of involvement with the crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The articles Maximality and Refutability Skura [(2004). Maximality and refutability. Notre Dame Journal of Formal Logic, 45, 65–72] and Three-valued Maximal Paraconsistent Logics Skura and Tuziak [(2005). Three-valued maximal paraconsistent logics. In Logika (Vol. 23). Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego] introduced a simple method of proving maximality (in the two distinguished senses) of a given paraconsistent matrix. This method stemmed from the so-called refutation calculus, where the focus in on rejecting rather than accepting formulas. The article A Generalisation of a Refutation-related Method in Paraconsistent Logics Trybus [(2018). A generalisation of a refutation-related method in paraconsistent logics. Logic and Logical Philosophy, 27(2). doi:] was a first step towards generalising the method. In it, a number of 3-valued paraconsistent matrices were shown maximal. In this article we extend these results to cover a number of n-valued (n>2) paraconsistent matrices using the same method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If consumers accept rumours without verifying them, considerable damage to individuals or organisations could result. By applying the appraisal theory of emotions, this article provides a framework for clarifying rumour communications by people who identify strongly or weakly with an organisation that is the object of a rumour. Study 1 reveals that when people identify strongly with the rumour object and hear an important rumour, they spread positive information more readily than negative information. They are also more likely to transmit information of high (vs. low) importance when the rumour is positive. Conversely, weak identifiers are equally likely to spread positive and negative information, regardless of importance. Study 2 incorporates a heuristic‐systematic model and demonstrates that strong identifiers process refutations systematically when those refutations refer to a positive, less important rumour. Conversely, they process refutation information heuristically if they confront positive, important rumours or if they receive a refutation of a negative rumour. Identification with the rumour object affects its spread, but rumour objects can develop refutation strategies to halt the spread of negative rumours or encourage the spread of positive rumours about the organisation. Rumour refutation efforts cannot be generalised but instead should be targeted according to consumers' strong or weak identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Task design is increasingly recognised as crucial for enhancing student learning of mathematics. Even so, and despite the significance of mathematical activity related to proofs and counterexamples in school mathematics, the task design principles underpinning students' success in proof-related activity remains under-explored in mathematics education research. What is more, although the affordances of using dynamic geometry environments (DGEs) have been established in the literature, task design in DGEs remains somewhat under-studied. In this paper, we address both these issues by theoretically developing, and empirically testing, task design principles for supporting students' heuristic refutation (revising conjectures/proofs through addressing counterexamples) in DGEs. We use the existing literature to elaborate three design principles: using tasks whose conditions are purposefully implicit, providing tools that enhance the production of counterexamples, and increasing students' recognition of contradictions. To test these principles empirically, we analyse two sets of task-based interviews, one with a triad of secondary school students and the other with a pair of undergraduates, where tasks designed according to the principles were implemented. Our analysis shows that using the tasks enabled the students to engage successfully in heuristic refutation. The matter of examining mathematical definitions when handling counterexamples emerged as an issue for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, anthropic reasoning has been used to justify a number of controversial skeptical hypotheses (both scientific and philosophical). In this paper, we consider two prominent examples, viz. Bostrom's 'Simulation Argument' and the problem of 'Boltzmann Brains' in big bang cosmology. We argue that these cases call into question the assumption, central to Bayesian confirmation theory, that the relation of evidential confirmation is universally symmetric. We go on to argue that the fact that these arguments appear to contradict this fundamental assumption should not be taken as an immediate refutation, but should rather be seen as indicative of the peculiar role that the relevant hypotheses play in their respective epistemic frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents the dualist perception of the 'I' of the woman phenomenologist, Hedwig Conrad-Martius (1880-1966) as a radical attempt to respond critically to Husserl's turn towards transcendentalism. Conrad-Martius's peculiar view of the I (ichhaftes Sein) appears as a remarkable refutation of one of the widespread criticisms of the phenomenological realism contemporary with Edmund Husserl regarding the lack of discussion of the issue of the ego or the I. My main argument is that the dualism not only signifies the structure of the I inHCM's philosophy but also provides the essential framework for its phenomenological deciphering, in which it transpires as a genuine philosophical problem that as such is unresolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]