Search Results (605)

The Bardo Thodol (bar do thos grol), commonly known in the West as The Tibetan Book of the Dead, has traditionally served as a spiritual manual guiding consciousness through the postmortem bardo (bar do) states toward liberation or rebirth. While prior interpretations have framed the text in ritualistic, psychological, or mystical terms, this essay proposes an original and interdisciplinary expansion: that the bardo model can serve as a framework for understanding digital identity dissolution and transformation. Drawing from Tibetan Buddhist thought, extended mind theory, digital anthropology, and cognitive science, this study reinterprets the bardo states as phenomenological thresholds that manifest not only in physical death but also in virtual liminality—moments of radical ego disintegration, avatar deconstruction, and reidentification in digital and augmented environments. By mapping the six bardos onto digital experiences, this paper presents a unique synthesis of esoteric Tibetan metaphysics and contemporary posthuman theory, offering new insights into consciousness, ethical selfhood, and the future of identity. Full article

Artificial intelligence tools are quickly being applied in many areas of science, including learning sciences. Learning requires various types of thinking, sustained by distinct sets of neural networks in the brain. Labelling these systems gives us tools to manage them. This paper presents a pilot application of Large Language Models (LLMs) to physics textbook analysis, grounded in a well-developed neural network theory known as the Five Pillars of the Mind. The domain-specific networks, innate sense, and the five pillars provide a framework with which to examine how physics is learnt. For example, one can identify which pillars are active when discussing a physics concept. Identifying which pillars belong to which physics concept may be significantly influenced by the bias of the author and could be too time-consuming for longer, more complex texts involving physics concepts. Therefore, using LLMs to identify pillars could enhance the application of this framework to physics education. This article presents a case study in which we used selected Large Language Models to identify pillars within eight pages of learning material concerning forces aimed at 12- to 14-year-old pupils. We used GPT-4o and o4-mini, as well as MAXQDA AI Assist. Results from these models were compared with the authors’ manual analysis. Precision, recall, and F1-Score were used to evaluate the results quantitatively. MAXQDA AI Assist obtained the best results with 1.00 precision, 0.67 recall, and an F1-Score of 0.80. Both products by OpenAI hallucinated and falsely identified several concepts, resulting in low precision and, consequently, low F1-Score. As predicted, ChatGPT o4-mini scored twice as high as ChatGPT 4o. The method proved to be promising, and its future development has the potential to provide research teams with analysis not only of written learning material, but also of pupils’ written work and their video-recorded activities. Full article

In Cameroon’s service industry, where sustainability is increasingly crucial, this study examines how workplace incivility and organizational support influence employees’ pro-environmental work behavior, applying the Conservation of Resources and Self-Determination Theories. A moderated mediation model was tested, with emotional exhaustion and mindfulness as mediators and psychological capital as a moderator. Data from 280 service industry employees were analyzed using SPSS 24 and SmartPLS 4. Workplace incivility reduces pro-environmental behavior through emotional exhaustion, but shows no significant link with mindfulness. Organizational support enhances pro-environmental behavior and reduces exhaustion, though it does not influence mindfulness. Psychological capital does not mitigate the negative impact of incivility on pro-environmental behavior and its positive impact on exhaustion. These results highlight the critical role of supportive workplaces in fostering sustainable behaviors and the buffering role of psychological capital. This study advances the theoretical understanding of employee behavior in service settings and offers practical insights for managers in banking and insurance to promote sustainability by reducing workplace incivility and enhancing support systems, particularly in emerging markets. Full article

The first-order false belief (FB) test is frequently employed to assess theory of mind (ToM); however, it faces substantial criticism regarding its inadequacies. Critics argue that the responses remain binary and are influenced by the presence and location of the object. This study aims to address these criticisms by manipulating an object’s location through three alternative FB tasks, thereby enhancing the understanding of children’s reasoning strategies (reality, belief, or perceptual access reasoning) and offering a language skill-independent measure of ToM. This study involved 150 children aged 3–6 years who were administered standard and three alternative FB tasks along with a receptive vocabulary acquisition test. The findings revealed that children predominantly utilized reality reasoning, identifying the object’s location as the correct response. However, in a condition where the object was physically removed, the percentage of correct responses increased significantly, and the use of belief reasoning increased. While age and language skills were found to be directly correlated with FB performance, the object’s interference with belief reasoning in younger children was reduced. In light of these findings, the three alternative tasks are posited to offer a promising, more accurate measure of FB understanding, independent of the object’s presence and language skill. Full article

With their traditional focus on financial compensation, tort law systems worldwide struggle with the adverse effects the claims resolution process can have on victims of personal injury. It has therefore been argued that tort law systems should be more emotionally intelligent and more mindful of the non-financial needs of victims. In this debate, the perspective of the wrongdoer has been largely neglected. Drawing from empirical research on the personal experiences of wrongdoers in the Dutch personal injury practice and building on theories of procedural and restorative justice, this contribution argues that, to optimize the societal value of tort law systems, attention should be paid to the wrongdoer’s perspective. A tort law system that lacks sufficient opportunity for wrongdoers to personally make amends is deficient both in terms of morality and justice, as it deprives both victims and wrongdoers of a chance at emotional and moral recovery from the injurious event. We therefore believe this represents a shared future for all of us: towards restorative tort law. Full article

This study explores economic and risk perceptions that spark off-shore irregular migration among West Africans through the Mediterranean Sea to countries of destination (CODs). This study is timely because deaths on the Mediterranean Sea, which are unprecedented in migration history, result in a need to create awareness and save lives. Grounded in the Theory of Reasoned Action and the Cultural Theory of Risk Perception, this study explores the economic and risk perceptions of off-shore irregular migration. This study comprised a literature review, otherwise known as a “meta study”. The study’s findings reveal that there is a nexus between a person’s attitude and behaviours in terms of human action. Human nurturing determines a person’s attitudes and behaviours. The human mind does what it wants when one is desperate for economic survival. This forces humankind to engage in dangerous activities to survive. Therefore, irregular migrants’ choice of unsafe routes through the Mediterranean Sea to CODs depends on their expected outcomes. Irregular migrants consider migration as an “insurance”, and flee from hardship towards opportunities. The perceptions that lead to this range from salary disparities to economic freedom. I argue that spiritual beliefs, peer pressure, media platforms, and personal factors influence irregular route choices. This study recommends collaboration among the ECOWAS, African nations’ governments, and the IOM to engage returning migrants to narrate their in-depth experiences about the routes’ dangers to create awareness. Returning migrants’ narratives should be disseminated in mass media and on social media platforms to target youth. This would discourage West African youth from choosing unsafe routes to CODs. Collaboration should be extended to youth training in entrepreneurship to equip youth as job creators rather than job seekers to curb unemployment, which usually sparks off-shore irregular migration. Full article

To model informatic intelligence, agency, consciousness and the like, one must address a claimed Hard Problem: that a grasp of ‘the mind’ lies wholly beyond scientific views. While this claim is suspect, persistent analogues can be identified in the literature, such as a “symbol grounding problem”, “solving intelligence”, a missing “theory of meaning”, and more. The topic of subjective phenomena thus still holds sway in many corners as being unresolved. But firm analysis of Hard Problem claims is rare; researchers instead respond intuitively, claiming that (1) it is an absurd view unworthy of study, or (2) it is an intractable issue defying study, where neither side offers much clarifying detail. In contrast, this paper firmly assesses the Hard Problem’s claim contra one scientific role: evolution by means of natural selection (EvNS). It examines the specific logic behind this claim, as seen in the literature over the years. The paper ultimately shows that the Hard Problem’s logic is deeply flawed, with the further implication that EvNS remains available for exploring consciousness. The paper also suggests that an ‘information theory’ dual-aspect approach is best suited to resolving Hard-Problem-like claims. Full article

Background/Objectives: Caring–healing modalities (CHMs), i.e., non-pharmacological, nurse-led interventions rooted in caring science, have shown promise in reducing emotional distress, while enhancing resilience. CHMs are heterogeneous, making it challenging to determine how they are formulated to build resilience, mitigate emotional distress, and explore their mechanisms of action. This scoping review mapped the literature on CHMs, including their components, targeted outcomes, and measures. Methods: This review was conceptually driven by Watson’s Theory of Human Caring, followed the JBI methodology, and reported according to the PRISMA-ScR. Experimental studies, systematic reviews, opinion pieces, and the gray literature on CHMs for emotional distress and resilience delivered to persons with cancer, written in English, were considered. No date or setting limits were applied. Eleven databases (e.g., PubMed and CINAHL Full Text), were searched. Two independent reviewers screened, selected, and extracted the data. The results were interpreted using Watson’s theory. Results: We included 16 records (2016–2025), mostly from the United States (n = 4; 25%) and China (n = 6; 37.5%). The CHMs mainly targeted persons with breast cancer. The CHMs were categorized into four groups: mindfulness-based, group-based, expressive, and educational. Common active ingredients included peer support and group discussions. Dedicated healing spaces facilitated CHMs delivery; mode of delivery and dose varied widely. Conclusions: This review provides a foundational understanding of CHMs as a caring-based, holistic approach to cancer survivorship. Findings identify CHMs’ key components, including active ingredients, mode of delivery, and dose. Future studies should ensure diversity in terms of cancer type, as most existing studies focused on breast cancer. Full article

This paper contributes conceptually and empirically to a more rigorous understanding of the role of intellectual capital in the sustainable development of the BRICS+ bloc. We investigate the growing command of technical competencies over social competencies across the entire knowledge process. A range of factors, including the ever-increasing tension between AI and humans, the multidimensional nature of intellectual capital, and a focus on competency-based approaches, shape the theory of a knowledge economy. This study presents a spatial modeling approach to analyze the sustainable development of economic systems, reevaluates the importance of intellectual capital in the era of Industry 4.0, introduces the concept of scientific management of intellectual capital by categorizing it into the AI, individual, and collective human mind, and enhances the methodology of managing the knowledge economy to foster intellectual capital development. The primary finding of the research is that the advancement of the knowledge economy is driving digital communication and network-based collaboration on a larger scale within the BRICS+ bloc. Policy implications are intricately linked to the necessity for the holistic development of intellectual capital, encompassing both human and artificial intelligence. This development requires enhancements in quality of life and living standards, advancements in education and healthcare, optimization of the labor market, and reinforcing its connection with the educational sector. Concurrently, it is vital to stimulate research and development (R&D), support the commercialization of high-tech innovations, and accelerate the process of robotization. These combined efforts are essential to fostering economic growth effectively. Full article

This study explores how Instagram fashion influencers build brand loyalty through customer engagement within the framework of sustainable consumption. Grounded in the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) theory, influencer marketing is conceptualized as a stimulus that activates customer engagement (organism), which in turn enhances brand loyalty (response). A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 279 Instagram users in Palestine who actively follow fashion influencers, and the model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings confirm that social media influencer marketing (SMIM) significantly improves both engagement and loyalty. Customer engagement was found to be both a partial mediator and a significant moderator, such that highly engaged consumers exhibited stronger loyalty responses—suggesting intensified value alignment and emotional resonance in sustainability contexts. This study extends the prior literature by integrating the creation–consumption–contribution (C–C–C) model into the SOR framework and conceptualizing engagement as both a psychological state and a boundary condition. It contributes to sustainable consumption research by illustrating how participatory digital behaviors can foster ethical brand relationships, particularly in emerging economies. Practically, it offers strategic guidance for fashion brands and influencers to design campaigns that promote co-creation, authenticity, and eco-conscious narratives. It also emphasizes the importance of aligning influencer values with those of sustainability-minded consumers to foster long-term loyalty. By contextualizing the findings within the Palestinian market, the study highlights how cultural factors may shape engagement and sustainability perceptions, paving the way for future cross-cultural investigations. Full article

Background/Objectives: There is increasing interest within cognitive neuro-surgery in preserving domains not traditionally assessed during awake surgery. The study aims at proposing a specific protocol to assist surgical resection in right temporal areas. Patients were not evaluated during direct cortical stimulation; instead, assessments occurred during the resection itself. The real-time neuropsychological testing (RTNT) protocol employed tasks evaluating visuospatial and social cognition, administered repeatedly throughout the resection using varied items. Methods: A consecutive series of 24 patients (median age 44) performed RTNT. The aim of RTNT is to maintain high accuracy through resection. Lesions in the right temporal cortex and the subcortical white matter beneath can cause deficits; accordingly, not all of our patients had pre-surgery performance within the normal range. In this case, the aim of RTNT is to maintain the not perfect pre-surgery level. Results: We found a statistically significant between-tasks difference in the patients’ median values (across RTNT runs), in their minimum score reached during resection, and in the delta between performance at the last vs. the first RTNT run. The tasks that varied belonged to visual–spatial attention (landmark task), face processing (recognition of famous faces), and social cognition (theory of mind). The outcome was measured by pre- vs. post-surgery neuropsychological score comparison. The number of patients scoring below the normal range did not significantly differ between post- vs. pre-intervention. Conclusions: Results demonstrated the feasibility of implementing a continuous monitoring protocol during the resection phase, and the potential of the selected tasks to assess visuospatial and social functions associated with the non-dominant (right) hemisphere. Full article

Representational Theories of Mind have long dominated Cognitive Translation Studies, typically assuming that translation involves the manipulation of internal representations (symbols) that stand in for external states of affairs. In recent years, classical representationalism has given way to more nuanced, inferential, interpretive, context-sensitive, and modern representational models, some of which align naturally with probabilistic and predictive approaches. While these frameworks remain broadly compatible with one another, radical enactivism offers a more disruptive alternative: it denies representational content altogether, viewing translation instead as an affectively grounded, context-sensitive, self-evidencing activity shaped by the translator’s embodied engagement with text, context, and sociocultural norms. From an enactivist standpoint, translation emerges not from static symbolic mappings, but from situated, embodied, and affectively modulated inference processes that dynamically negotiate meaning across languages. The paper provides a theoretical synthesis, arguing that the Free Energy Principle under Predictive Processing and Active Inference provides a suitable mathematical framework amenable to representational and enactive accounts. Full article

Background: The human visual system is capable of processing large quantities of visual objects with varying levels of abstraction. The brain also exhibits hierarchical integration and learning capabilities that combine various attributes of visual objects (e.g., color, shape, local features, and categories) into coherent representations. However, prevailing theories in visual neuroscience employ simple stimuli or natural images with uncontrolled feature correlations, which constrains the systematic investigation of multidimensional representation dynamics. Methods: In this study, we aimed to bridge this methodological gap by developing a novel large tangram paradigm in visual cognition research and proposing cognitive-associative encoding as a mathematical basis. Critical representation dimensions—including animacy, abstraction level, and local feature density—were computed across a public dataset of over 900 tangrams, enabling the construction of a hierarchical model of visual representation. Results: Neural responses to 85 representative images were recorded using Electroencephalography (n = 24), and subsequent behavioral analyses and neural decoding revealed that distinct representational dimensions are independently encoded and dynamically expressed at different stages of cognitive processing. Furthermore, representational similarity analysis and temporal generalization analysis indicated that higher-order cognitive processes, such as “change of mind,” reflect the selective activation or suppression of local feature processing. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that tangram stimuli, structured through cognitive-associative encoding, provide a generalizable computational framework for investigating the dynamic stages of human visual object cognition. Full article

This article examines William James’s philosophy of science through his pragmatic response to epistemic fallibilism, emphasizing how actionability rather than evidential certainty underwrites both scientific and religious practices. While James explicitly drew comparisons between science and Abrahamic scriptures, my account highlights resonances with non-Western traditions, particularly Indigenous American and Asian epistemologies, also situating some of James’s philosophical motivations within his biography. James may have indirectly absorbed Asian religious and philosophical teachings from American Transcendentalists who engaged with them, and he may have encountered Amerindian perspectives through the cultural milieu of the United States or during his Amazonian expedition. In either case, threads within these global Indigenous traditions align with the weight that James’s work gives to contextual, agent-relative forms of knowing that are inseparable from action. I conclude by discussing how James’s ideas support an account of animism that integrates Amerindian thought with the extended mind thesis. I also detail how his pluralistic account of experience and reality creates conceptual space for the co-existence of science and spirituality, ironically by undermining the assumption that the two operate according to radically distinct epistemologies. Throughout the article, I connect James’s thought to more recent debates in religion and metaphysics. Full article

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence has fundamentally transformed how knowledge is created, disseminated, and applied in problem-solving, presenting new challenges for educational models. This study introduces Intelligent Problem-Solving Learning (IPSL)—a capability-based instructional design framework aimed at cultivating learners’ adaptability, creativity, and meta-learning in AI-enhanced environments. Grounded in connectivism, extended mind theory, and the concept of augmented intelligence, IPSL places human–AI collaboration at the core of instructional design. Using a design and development research (DDR) methodology, the study constructs a conceptual model comprising three main categories and eight subcategories, supported by eighteen instructional design principles. The model’s clarity, theoretical coherence, and educational relevance were validated through two rounds of expert review using the Content Validity Index (CVI) and Inter-Rater Agreement (IRA). IPSL emphasizes differentiated task roles—those exclusive to humans, suitable for human–AI collaboration, or fully delegable to AI—alongside meta-learning strategies that empower learners to navigate complex and unpredictable problems. This framework offers both theoretical and practical guidance for building future-oriented education systems, positioning AI as a learning partner while upholding essential human qualities such as ethical judgment, creativity, and agency. It equips educators with actionable principles to harmonize technological integration with human-centered learning in an age of rapid transformation. Full article