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Shaun Gallagher - A Pattern Theory of Self
Shaun Gallagher is an American philosopher and a leading theorist on embodied and social cognition, perception, agency and the philosophy of psychopathology. He holds (since 2011) the Lillian and Morrie Moss Chair of Excellence in Philosophy at the University of Memphis and was awarded the Anneliese Maier Research Award by the Humboldt Foundation (2012-2017).
Here is a brief summary of his research from Wikipedia:
Gallagher's research covers a number of fields, including phenomenology, philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and hermeneutics, especially the topics of embodied cognition and intersubjectivity. In How the Body Shapes the Mind (2005), and more recent work, he draws from phenomenology and empirical cognitive sciences, to provide a detailed account of embodied cognition, developing distinctions between body image (medicine) and body schema, the sense of agency and sense of ownership. In this work he explores philosophical implications of embodied cognition with respect to topics such as perception, social cognition, agency, and free will. He also develops a critique of current standard theories of social cognition (including 'theory theory' and 'simulation theory') and develops an approach (termed 'interaction theory') which emphasizes embodied interaction. Interaction theory draws on developmental studies, social psychology, neuroscience and narrative theory to develop an integrated theory that recognizes the importance of bodily movements, gesture, facial expression, action, and communicative and narrative practices for understanding other persons.
In this new paper, Gallagher argues for a pattern theory of self as a way to integrate the various disciplines of mind science into a whole paradigm. According to Gallagher, "a particular theory of self may exclude some of these conditions, and a particular self may lack a particular characteristic feature as defined here and still be considered a self. Here is a tentative list. I do not claim that it is complete."
(1) Minimal embodied aspects
(2) Minimal experiential aspects
(3) Affective aspects
(4) Intersubjective aspects
(5) Psychological/cognitive aspects
(6) Narrative aspects
(7) Extended aspects
(8) Situated aspects
This model of self is as close to being truly integral (and much more empirically useful than the Wilberian AQAL theory of self) as any I have seen. As such, I think this is an important new contribution to the body of work seeking to explain our experience of a self.
A pattern theory of self
Shaun Gallagher [1,2]
1. Department of Philosophy, University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA
2. School of Humanities, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, UK
I argue for a pattern theory of self as a useful way to organize an interdisciplinary approach to discussions of what constitutes a self. According to the pattern theory, a self is constituted by a number of characteristic features or aspects that may include minimal embodied, minimal experiential, affective, intersubjective, psychological/cognitive, narrative, extended, and situated aspects. A pattern theory of self helps to clarify various interpretations of self as compatible or commensurable instead of thinking them in opposition, and it helps to show how various aspects of self may be related across certain dimensions. I also suggest that a pattern theory of self can help to adjudicate (or at least map the differences) between the idea that the self correlates to self-referential processing in the cortical midline structures of the brain and other narrower or wider conceptions of self.
Gallagher, S. (2013, Aug 1). A pattern theory of self. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7:443. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2013.00443
Introduction: Variations on the Self
From a philosophical perspective, any claim to explain something called "the self" immediately raises a host of problems. On the one hand, although many philosophers are perfectly comfortable talking about "the self," what they have to say about this concept usually turns out to be controversial. For example, that the self is socially constructed (Gergen, 2011) or a product of narrative (Schechtman, 2011), and nothing more; that the self is strictly minimal, on the order of 3 seconds in duration, and nothing more (Strawson, 1999a); that the self as such doesn't exist at all, plus a lot more about a replacement concept called a "self model" (Metzinger, 2003). Such deflationary and reductionist accounts tend to be reactions against something like a traditional Cartesian notion of the self as a substantial (soul-like) entity, and some of them can be understood as variously inspired by Humean, Buddhist, or neuroscientific perspectives.
On the other hand, and pursuing a different strategy, some philosophers prefer to avoid the phrase "the self" by pluralizing it with important modifiers between "the" and "self." Thus we find a multitude of variations, once cataloged, with references, by Strawson (1999b) as follows:
[T]he cognitive self, the conceptual self, the contextualized self, the core self, the dialogic self, the ecological self, the embodied self, the emergent self, the empirical self, the existential self, the extended self, the fictional self, the full-grown self, the interpersonal self, the material self, the narrative self, the philosophical self, the physical self, the private self, the representational self, the rock bottom essential self, the semiotic self, the social self, the transparent self, and the verbal self (cf. e.g.,James, 1890; Stern, 1985; Dennett, 1991; Gibson, 1993; Neisser, 1994;Cole, 1997; Butterworth, 1998; Gazzaniga, 1998; Legerstee, 1998;Gallagher and Marcel, 1999; Pickering, 1999; Sheets-Johnstone, 1999).
Trying to improve on this list would likely lead to nitpicking about terms, but we may want to add "the neural self," "the synaptic self" (LeDoux, 2002); or what we might call "the midline self" [in reference to self-referential processes in the cortical midline structures (CMS) (Northoff and Bermpohl, 2004)]. The list of variations is likely not complete. Someone might think that the question is: "Which is it?" – which one is the self? Or perhaps, which one is the primary meaning of self? It's not clear, however, that one has to choose just one variation. Many of these concepts of self were developed in the plural. James (1890), for example, distinguished between the physical self, the social self, and the private self. Neisser (1988) discussed five types of self-knowledge corresponding to the ecological self, the interpersonal self, the conceptual self, the extended self, and the private self. Despite the terminology suggesting a plurality of selves, however, Neisser (1991) carefully refers to them as aspects of self – e.g., the ecological aspect of self.
In this paper I propose to stay plural about the concept of self, and to follow Neisser's more careful vocabulary referencing different aspects of self. In this regard, however, I want to argue that we should not think of such aspects as aspects of "the self," as if they are simply modifying something that has its own independent existence. Rather, I propose that we think of these aspects as organized in certain patterns, and that a particular variation of such a pattern constitutes what we call a self. In the following sections I'll try to make this idea clear, and I'll try to indicate some advantages of thinking of self in this way.
In part, this approach is motivated by various issues that relate to the theory of self as involving CMS and self-referential processing, as developed by Northoff and others (Northoff and Bermpohl, 2004; Northoff et al., 2006). Some critical studies, for example, have suggested that in terms of brain processes, the self is both everywhere and nowhere in the brain (Gillihan and Farah, 2005; Vogeley and Gallagher, 2011). Others challenge the idea that the self correlates to CMS processing, and argue that such processes are not self-specific because activation in these areas also corresponds to non-self discrimination (Legrand and Ruby, 2009). Although I think some of these criticisms raise important points, I argue here that midline processes do tell us something important about the notion of self and may correlate with specific aspects that are part of the pattern that we call self.
Pattern Theories
Let me first say that in talking about pattern theories I do not mean to associate a pattern theory of self with "Pattern Theory" in mathematics (Grenanderm, 1994). This kind of mathematical formalism may or may not be a helpful tool for the analysis of the specific patterns that I will discuss. I remain neutral on that point. In any case, one can understand the notion of pattern at stake here without having to understand Pattern Theory in this sense. Furthermore, although there are numerous theories that are referred to as "pattern theories," e.g., pattern theory of pain (Goldscheider, 1894; Sinclair, 1955), dynamic pattern theory of motor control (Kelso, 1995), etc. these theories don't necessarily share the same general principles, and at the most general level the concepts of pattern represented in the different theories may be incommensurable with each other. Accordingly, since, for purposes of economy I want to avoid starting from scratch in developing a pattern theory of self, I will follow a strategy that allows me to point to an already established theory, one that can operate as a heuristic model for our purposes – i.e., one in which the concept of pattern is used in a way that is not incommensurable with what I take to be the pattern theory of self. Although we could think of psychological discussions of pattern recognition as a kindred notion, more specifically I suggest that we consider what I'll call a pattern theory of emotion to be a good model for a pattern theory of self. There are two reasons why a pattern theory of emotion may be a good model in this regard: (1) it reflects a commensurable concept of pattern (i.e., it refers to the same kind of pattern that I think is relevant to the notion of self, and (2) it may contribute directly to a pattern theory of self since, as I'll suggest, affect is one aspect that forms part of the pattern of self.
The pattern theory of emotion claims that emotions are complex patterns of bodily processes, experiences, expressions, behaviors and actions, and as such they are "individuated in patterns of characteristic features" (Izard, 1972; Izard et al., 2000; Mendoça, 2012; Newen et al., under review). On a pattern theory, "emotion" is a cluster concept that includes a sufficient number of characteristic features. Taken together, a certain pattern of characteristic features constitutes an emotion, although no individual feature by itself may be necessary to constitute an emotion. This means, as Newen et al. (under review) point out, there are borderline cases where it is not clear whether some complex cluster of aspects counts as an emotion.
Izard et al. (2000) develop this idea under the title of differential emotions theory (DET), maintaining that emotions operate as complex systems that emerge from dynamic interactions of constituent neuro-hormonal, motoric, and experiential processes (Izard, 1972). Emotion patterns draw from components that are set up as evolutionary adaptations. In the emergence of any particular emotion, however, organism-environment transactions play a role. Individual emotions may also combine or co-assemble with other emotions to form new emotion patterns that may stabilize over repeating occurrences. On this view, discrete emotions are dynamically self-organizing in that "recursive interactions among component processes generate emergent properties" (Izard et al., 2000, p. 15). Different emotions are constituted by different patterns of processes that yield behavioral performances that vary from one individual to another, and within individuals over time. Importantly, such behaviors should not be regarded simply as an expression of an emotion, but rather are part (an emerging feature) of the pattern that constitutes the emotion.
Newen et al. (under review) provide a catalog of different features that may contribute to specific patterns that constitute emotions. They include:
(1) Autonomic processes: one might think of James' (1884) claim that an emotion is the perception of bodily changes that include autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. For a pattern theory of emotion autonomic activity is only one possible constituent, and it may be perceived (experienced) or not. Not every emotion has a distinct ANS pattern, and different emotions need not have different ANS patterns (Prinz, 2004).
(2) Actions: including what Frijda calls "action tendencies," bodily changes preparatory for actions that may be experienced as urges to perform a certain kind of action (Frijda, 1986). Some emotions, e.g., happiness, may not include this component; others may be typically associated with specific actions (e.g., freezing or fleeing in fear).
(3) Overt expressions: including expressive posture and movement, facial expression, gesture, and vocal expressions (e.g., intonations, screams, laughter). Such individual expressions may themselves combine into a typical emotion-related pattern themselves.
(4) Phenomenal feeling: this conscious or experiential component is often part of an emotion, although it is not necessary for every emotional occurrence. In some rare cases typical physiological, expressive, and cognitive aspects may be present without the phenomenal aspect (e.g., in those disposed to repress fear (Sparks et al., 1999).
(5) Cognitive aspects: such as attitudes, shifts of attention, and changes to perception. Cognitive attitudes may include, for example, as Newen et al. suggest, belittling thoughts about one's rival in the case of jealousy or a judgment that one has been treated unfairly in certain cases of anger. Such attitudes may or may not be manifested in behavior or in verbal reports. Shifts of attention, may include, for example, being alerted to specific aspects of the environment in the case of fear. Affect is an essential aspect of perception (Bower and Gallagher, in press) and emotions can make us notice things we otherwise would not have noticed or can motivate us to see things a certain way.
(6) Intentional objects: that is, the perceived, remembered or imagined object the emotion is about. Newen et al. quote (Goldie, 2000, pp. 16–17). "This can be a particular thing or person (that pudding, this man), an event or an action (the earthquake, your hitting me), or a state of affairs (my being in an aeroplane)."
I would add to this list:
(7) Situational aspects: following Dewey, who, in his critique of James, points out that emotions are not reducible to a set of bodily states, but also, since the body is always coupled to an environment, always include situational aspects. The unit of analysis should always be organism-environment. Situational aspects, and the fact that emotional experiences and behaviors are always situated, are part of the pattern (Mendoça, 2012, 2013). In this regard it is not just the intentional object, but also the situation reflected in the intentional structure of the emotion, that helps to disambiguate emotional expressions. Importantly, situations are almost always social and/or cultural and such factors contribute constitutively to what an emotion is.
Such aspects are variables that can take different values and weights in the dynamic constitution of an emotion. Some values are more or less likely to occur together. In this respect we can distinguish typical patterns of aspects and values and define an emotion as involving some variation of that pattern. Newen et al. are careful to note that to say a particular feature is constitutive of an emotion does not mean that it is an essential component. On the pattern theory of emotion such features are not constitutive in the essentialist sense. One can have a token of the same type of emotion lacking a particular characteristic feature, although there may be some minimal number of characteristic features and their values that are sufficient to constitute a particular pattern that counts as that emotion.
A feature f is constitutive for a pattern X if it is part of at least one set of features which is minimally sufficient for a token to belong to a type X. "Minimally sufficient" means that these features are jointly sufficient for the episode to be of type X, but if one of them would be taken away the episode would not count as a instance of type X anymore (Newen et al., under review).
It is possible, of course, to include other aspects or characteristics in the list above. One may want to include more than just autonomic processes under a broad heading of embodied processes, for example. One may want to list certain brain patterns as part of an emotion pattern. I think, however, that the list provides sufficient detail to indicate the kind of pattern theory that we want to consider. Let me just note that one of the advantages of this theory of emotion is that it becomes very easy to say that we can perceive emotions in others. If emotions are constituted by features that may include bodily expressions, behaviors, action expressions, etc., then emotion perception can be considered a form of pattern recognition (Newen et al., under review; Gallagher and Varga, in press).
In a way similar to the construction of a pattern theory of emotion, I want to suggest that we can develop a pattern theory of self. On such a view, what we call self consists of a complex and sufficient pattern of certain contributories, none of which on their own is necessary or essential to any particular self. This is not a pattern theory of "the self." Rather, what we call "self" is a cluster concept which includes a sufficient number of characteristic features. Taken together, a certain pattern of characteristic features constitute an individual self. It seems possible that this would allow us to identify borderline cases where it is not clear whether some complex cluster of aspects would count as a self – here one might think of Dissociative Identity Disorder and the idea that there may be more than one self involved in such cases. On this view selves operate as complex systems that emerge from dynamic interactions of constituent aspects. It may also be the case that self-patterns draw from components that, like the components of emotion, are set up as evolutionary adaptations. Indeed, emotion-related aspects may contribute to the constitution of a self [1]. Different selves are constituted by different patterns, but within one individual these patterns may change over time.
One important issue concerns the level of analysis at which we put the pattern theory of self to work. There are three possible levels to think about. First, one can think of the pattern theory of self as operating like a meta-theory that defines a schema of possible theories of self, each of which would itself be a pattern theory. For example, the meta-theory can claim that elements a through g are all possible aspects that can be included in any particular pattern theory of self. Such a meta-theory would aim to provide a complete list of such elements and to map out all possible pattern theories of self. Accordingly, at this level there would be no claims made about necessary or sufficient conditions for constituting a self. Second, however, any particular theory of self can be a pattern theory, and one pattern theory can differ from another pattern theory by specifying different aspects (from among a through g) to be included as aspects of self. In this respect, one can think of a pattern theory of self as defining the self at the level of a type, and at this level the theory might specify necessary or sufficient conditions, indicating, for example, that a and b are necessary but not sufficient for selfhood. Finally, however, one can think that in any particular instance, at the level of a particular token, a pattern theory of self can apply to an individual self. A particular self may manifest or include a pattern of only aspects a through d and be considered a self even if all aspects defined by the relevant pattern theory of self are not included. The analysis in this paper remains on the meta-theoretical level unless otherwise noted.
What features can contribute to specific patterns that constitute a self? To philosophers it will come as no surprise that what gets included in this list is open to contentious debate. Keep in mind, however, that, remaining at the level of meta-theory, we are not talking about necessary conditions. A particular theory of self may exclude some of these conditions, and a particular self may lack a particular characteristic feature as defined here and still be considered a self. Here is a tentative list. I do not claim that it is complete. Under each heading I offer some un-systematic notes to indicate the scope of each aspect (or set of aspects).
(1) Minimal embodied aspects: include here core biological, ecological aspects, which allow the system to distinguish between itself and what is not itself. This is an extremely basic aspect of all kinds of animal behavior. One should also include those aspects that define the egocentric (body-centered) spatial frame of reference, which reflects a first-person perspective, and contributes to specifications of possible actions in peripersonal space.
(2) Minimal experiential aspects: to the extent that the bodily system can be conscious, it will pre-reflectively experience, from a first-person perspective, the self/non-self distinction in the various sensory-motor modalities available to it (e.g., kinesthesia, proprioception, touch, vision). Such aspects contribute to an experiential and embodied sense of ownership (the "mineness" of one's experience, as well as of one's body and movement), and a sense of agency for one's actions (Gallagher, 2000, 2012a; Rochat, 2011).
(3) Affective aspects: the fact that someone manifests a certain temperament may reflect a particular mix of affective factors that range from very basic and mostly covert or tacit bodily affects to what may be for her a typical emotional pattern or mood, For example, someone may be a typical extrovert who enthusiastically engages in outwardly directed actions.
(4) Intersubjective aspects: human and possibly some non-human animals are born with a capacity for attuning to intersubjective existence (Neisser, 1988); this may take the form of being aware that someone else is present and possibly gazing at you. Human infants attend to the gaze and the eye direction of others. There is a certain point in such situations where a more developed self-consciousness arises – a sense of self-for-others (Sartre, 1956); a self-conscious recognition of oneself as being oneself as distinct from others. This is sometimes associated with mirror self-recognition (see Gallup et al., 2011). Mead (1913) famously suggested that the self (in this developed sense) originates in such intersubjective/social interactions. Others suggest that in those systems capable of language, this intersubjective aspect is internalized and takes the form of a dialogical process which helps to constitute the self (see Hermans, 2011).
(5) Psychological/cognitive aspects: traditional theories of the self focus on these aspects, which may range from explicit self-consciousness to conceptual understanding of self as self, to personality traits of which one may not be self-conscious at all. In addition, there are strong arguments for psychological continuity and the importance of memory in the literature on personal identity (e.g., Shoemaker, 2011). Most often philosophers think of these aspects as part of a private, internal kind of existence; neuroscientists may characterize these aspects in terms of neuronal processes. One might also include representational aspects here, where this means something like one's ability to represent oneself as oneself (to oneself, but also perhaps to others).
(6) Narrative aspects: although there are many variations of this idea, the basic claim is that selves are inherently narrative entities (Schechtman, 2011), and for some theorists, narratives are constitutive for selves. Our self-interpretations have a narrative structure. On some views it is important that narratives are generated by the brain, a fact that leads some to consider narratives mostly as fictions (Gazzaniga, 1998) and selves as abstract "centers of narrative gravity" (Dennett, 1991).
(7) Extended aspects: James (1890) suggested that what we call self may include physical pieces of property, such as clothes, homes, and various things that we own. We identify ourselves with stuff we own, and perhaps with the technologies we use, the institutions we work in, or the nation states that we inhabit.
(8) Situated aspects: these are aspects that play some (major or minor) role in shaping who we are. They include the kind of family structure and environment where we grew up; cultural and normative practices that define our way of living, and so on (see Gergen, 2011).
Such aspects are variables that can take different values and weights in the dynamic constitution of a self. This pattern theory of self will not solve all philosophical problems of course. One may want to know which of these aspects are necessary or essential, and this might be specified by a particular pattern theory of self. As such theories get applied to individuals, for example, it seems possible that one may experience life in a less continuous or coherent way than others do, thereby minimizing the narrative aspect, without minimizing the sense of self or self-identity (Strawson, 2004). One may also lose a sense of agency, as in some schizophrenic symptoms, without losing a sense of ownership or other aspects that define a self (Gallagher, 2005). One might lose the ability to recall one's past life, as in some cases of amnesia and Alzheimer's disease, and may also undergo character or personality change; in such cases one's self-identity may continue to be supported by one's minimal bodily and experiential aspects, as well as by intersubjective relations and/or extended aspects in one's surroundings. This is not to say that such changes do not result in a modulation of self-experience or self-identity, but rather, since self is not reducible to any one of these aspects, it is a modulation rather than a complete loss. There may be various states of existence or pathologies associated with each of these aspects such that the aspect in question is eliminated or seriously modified.
On the one hand, we can think of a particular pattern theory of self where no one feature is constitutive in an essentialist sense. If someone lacks memory or a sense of agency, or perhaps lacks both, she continues as a self if there are a sufficient number of aspects still intact. On the other hand, we can think of a different particular pattern theory of self where certain aspects are defined as necessary. Beyond such differences, there are still a number of questions outstanding for any particular pattern theory of self. Is there some minimal number of aspects, or some specific combinations of aspects sufficient to constitute a particular pattern that counts as self? Is there a hierarchical relation among these aspects? For example, if someone lacked certain minimal experiential aspects, would their lives still reflect a narrative structure? Different answers to these questions define different variations of a pattern theory of self. It would be difficult to talk of a pattern, or a self, however, if only one aspect is claimed as necessary and sufficient for selfhood. Indeed, if that were the claim, the "aspect" would no longer be an aspect (of a self, or of a pattern); it would be the self. The pattern theory of self rules out this kind of reduction, a priori, although it does not rule out various answers to the questions mentioned above. At the level of the meta-theory one can also ask: how many different patterns are viable?
Some Benefits of a Pattern Theory of Self and Its Relevance to CMS Processes
One benefit of the pattern theory of self is that we can more clearly understand various interpretations of self as compatible or commensurable instead of thinking them in opposition. For example, different definitions of personhood can be accommodated or can be viewed as different interpretations that place different weights on some aspects rather than others. If with Locke we define person to mean "a thinking intelligent being, that has reason and reflection, and can consider itself as itself, the same thinking thing, in different times and places; which it does only by that consciousness with is inseparable from thinking, and, as it seems to me, essential to it …" (Locke, 1690/1979, 318), then we can see clearly that this notion of person focuses on psychological aspects of self and ignores other aspects. Other definitions of personhood may emphasize bodily continuity, the importance of social role or legal standing. Differences in definitions of personhood, however, do not necessarily imply differences in definition of self. We may disagree about where to lay the emphasis in defining personhood, but continue to agree that a self is composed of some pattern of aspects, some of which are relevant to the notion of personhood, and others which are not. When we focus on or emphasize a certain pattern or organization of aspects from a certain vantage point (an interpretation which may be tied to social roles, or to causal, legal or moral responsibility, to or certain cultural practices, etc.), we can easily understand self to accommodate different concepts of person, or moral agent, or experiential subject, or physical individual, or mental entity, etc. The pattern theory of self, at the meta-level, remains neutral with respect to these interpretations, and in some respects defines the field of reference or common ground on which such debates about personhood or moral agency or other interpretations of self can take place.
Another advantage is that the pattern theory helps us to see that the various aspects of self may be related in important ways. Many of the particular elements included in the various aspects are themselves complex features of existence that may not be conceptually bound to just one aspect. Thus, for example, the sense of agency in some basic way may be tied to motor control and the sensory-motor operations of the body, but it is also related to social and cultural norms and expectations (which may place limitations on agency) and to psychological/cognitive processes of deliberation and decision-making (Gallagher, 2012a). Something like the sense of agency is interwoven into several aspects of self. To the extent that something like this applies to other elements, then it will be difficult to make the case that there is one and only one aspect that defines self in all cases.
It is in this respect that the pattern theory of self may help to make sense out of some of the controversies surrounding the notion that self is related to cortical midline regions. One claim made in connection with what I'll call the midline theory of self (or for short, the midline self) is that there is a common element that unites different aspects of self, an integrative glue that holds the pattern together, and that this common element is a processing of stimuli as self-referential (Northoff et al., 2006). The notion of self-referential is then defined in terms of pre-reflective experience, which is found across a diversity of contexts, "autobiographical, social, spatial," and various others. It is also noted that in any particular case pre-reflective self-referential experience has an affective or emotional dimension. In these regards the notion of self-referential experience includes a number of aspects that can be accommodated by the pattern theory of self. One problem that arises, however, is that pre-reflective experience is extremely difficult to operationalize in experimental settings. Thus Northoff et al. (2006) in discussing experimental data shift the focus to processes that involve reflection or judgment, such as a trait adjective judgment task. For example, in a study by Kelley et al. (2002) subjects are asked to judge whether trait adjectives (e.g., "polite") more closely described "the participants themselves (self-referential), the current U.S. President (other-referential), or a given case (case-referential)" (Northoff et al., 2006, p. 441). Such experiments activate a variety of brain areas – medial cortex, ventro-, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, lateral parietal cortex, bilateral temporal poles, insula, and subcortical regions, including brain stem, colliculi, periaqueductal gray (PAG), and hypothalamus/hypophysis (Northoff et al., 2006, p. 441). Northoff argues that based on a review of recent brain-imaging studies, there are certain core areas commonly activated for self-referential behavior, the so-called CMS. The studies reviewed, however, included only those comparing self- and non-self-related tasks – that is, tasks where subjects had to discriminate between self and non-self – a point that motivated the critique by Legrand and Ruby.
Legrand and Ruby (2009) suggested that there are cognitive processes common to all of the tasks involved in the Northoff et al. review, namely a reflective process of differentiating self and non-self and often involving non-domain specific inferential processing and memory recall. This means that the activated CMS are not dedicated exclusively to self since processes related to non-self, and often to other persons are involved. Indeed, Legrand and Ruby demonstrate "that the main brain regions recruited for others' mind representation are also and precisely the main brain regions reported in self studies and that this overlap extends beyond the brain areas usually pointed out …" (p. 254). The self-referential processes at stake in these studies are not self-specific in the technical sense proposed by Legrand and Ruby as being (1) exclusively about self (and not about non-self) and (2) non-contingently (i.e., necessary for the process to be) about self. They suggest that only one thing actually meets the self-specificity requirements: the first-person perspectival nature of experience. First-person perspective is exclusively self-related (since it does not apply to the non-self) and non-contingent (since changing or losing the first-person perspective amounts to changing or losing the self–non-self distinction).
On the one hand, Legrand and Ruby want to specify one necessary condition of selfhood; on the other hand, this does not rule out that there are other relevant aspects of self that are important: "We do not claim that all there is to the self can be subsumed under a single process but propose that both basic and complex forms of self have to rely at least partly on self-specific processes …" (2009, p. 279). Whether or not first-person perspective is a necessary condition of selfhood (see, Gallagher, 2012b for a positive answer in agreement with Legrand and Ruby), the disclaimer about subsuming self under a single process is important.
The important move here is to admit that there are multiple processes that may count as self-related, even if not self-specific, and that they can be constitutive of self over and above first-person perspective. That sends us back to a pluralist approach, and it also opens up a theoretical space for the idea that processes associated with CMS, among other aspects, are relevant to what we call self. Indeed, Northoff et al. (2006) (also Northoff et al., 2011; Qin and Northoff, 2011) point to multiple processes that contribute to different aspects of self. These are processes in the verbal domain (as in trait adjective judgment tasks), spatial domain (egocentric vs. allocentric); memory domain (in relation to self-referential information); emotional domain (self-related vs. non-self-related); facial recognition domain (self vs. non-self); social domain (where, according to Northoff et al.'s simulation theory approach, understanding of others depends on self-simulations); and domains that involve agency and ownership. All of these domains have a place within the pattern theory of self. Processes that pertain to memory and face recognition are clearly part of what we referred to as psychological/cognitive aspects. Those that pertain to language (verbal domain) may also be cognitive or may include narrative aspects. Processes pertaining to the emotional domain belong to affective aspects; those that pertain to spatial domain are closely related to first-person perspective, but nicely fit with minimal embodied aspects, while those that pertain to agency and ownership are part of the minimal experiential aspects. Social domain processes are clearly part of the intersubjective aspects. More generally, given that all of these processes reflect a self/non-self matrix, they demonstrate how the minimal embodied aspect of self/non-self differentiation is interwoven into the various other aspects of self. It has also been suggested, however, that minimal experiential aspects of self, connected with basic self-awareness, are interwoven with all other aspects of self, and moreover, that this minimal self-referential awareness survives damage to critical areas in the CMS (Philippi et al., 2012).
Accordingly, the concept of a midline self points to a specific pattern that includes a significant set of interconnected aspects, but not all of the aspects identified in the previous section. The midline theory of self is one particular pattern theory of self. Whether the aspects reflected in self-referential processing in CMS constitute "the core of our self," as Northoff et al. claim, is of course open to debate. One could go more minimal and claim that the core is, as Legrand and Ruby suggest, a very minimal embodied aspect, or go wider to include aspects that may go beyond CMS related processes, such as extended and situated aspects, or very basic aspects of self-awareness that survive damage to CMS areas (Philippi et al., 2012).
That extended and situated aspects, as well as other aspects included in a pattern theory of self, may enter into a definition of self also suggests an important proviso on the type of approach taken by researchers who are looking specifically at neural processes that reflect these different self-referential behaviors. The patterns at stake in a pattern theory of self are not reducible to neuronal patterns, or patterns of brain activation. This is the case not only for extended and situated aspects, but also for aspects that relate to one's body, emotional, and intersubjective life, cognitive and narrative dimensions, and so forth. In each case more factors than just brain processes are involved. Although we can expect that brain processes will in some way reflect the way a self is constituted across these different factors, who we are, or what self is, is more than the brain. In this respect, and at the very least, the pattern theory of self helps to map out more precisely what the possibilities are for a non-reductionist, non-deflationary theory of self that is also not inflated into a traditional Cartesian theory of the self as a substantial (soul-like) entity.
The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
^In this respect we may start to think of the self as a meta-pattern of various constituent patterns or sets of patterns.
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Posted by william harryman at Sunday, August 04, 2013
Labels: brain, consciousness, embodied mind, extended mind, internal narrative, intersubjectivity, mind, neuroscience, pattern theory, Philosophy, Self, Transdisciplinary
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Best Foot Forward! Lawyers Raise Funds for the Surrey Law Centre.
Mundays LLP / 19th June, 2017
The Guildford Legal Walk, which took place over the North Downs and through Guildford, saw 11 members of the Mundays team raise over £500 for the centre, a not-for-profit, specialist legal advice agency. The Mundays team joined hundreds of fellow legal professionals from those in training to seasoned members of the judiciary all to raise funds for legal services for those people in Surrey who cannot afford to pay for them. Together we raised over £10,000!! The youngest member of the Mundays team was just 7 years old and accompanied his elder brother (9) along with their mother, Pippa Beesley, a construction lawyer at Mundays.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Archer Mark Puariea of Stillwater arrowed a big tom the first time he ever hunted turkeys, using a slate call he bought the night before.
Turkey hunters wanting to fool a big tom have a better chance if they tramp into the woods with a shotgun than with a stick and a string. The reason: Scattergun deadeyes who chamber heavy loads of chilled 4s can waylay gobblers at up to 40 yards, maybe a little farther, whereas turkey-hunting archers generally are limited to 25 paces or fewer.
The subject arises because the other day I was at a neighborhood bow shop slinging arrows down range, sometimes hitting the target. My preference is to hunt turkeys with a bow, and I was sharpening my eye in advance of doing just that in coming days.
Last year, Minnesota turkey hunters who went afield armed with bows had about a 15 percent chance of success. Those odds were about half those of hunters who toted shotguns. But 15 percent isn't bad, in my estimation, and anyway a morning passed in a pop-up blind no matter the firepower is a reward unto itself. So this year, as in past years, when turkey hunting, I'll nock an arrow and roll the dice.
Mark Puariea was at the bow shop as well, not preparing to chase turkeys, but instead basking in the glory of a hunt already concluded. Puariea lives in Stillwater, or near there, and last week on the second day of the season rose before sunrise to do something he had never done before: hunt turkeys.
Puariea is an expert archer. Yet there's a difference between being a whiz-bang bowman and an experienced turkey chaser. On their worst mornings, these birds can fool even Mensa prodigies. So novice turkey hunters armed only with bows have little chance of success.
"Did you see any turkeys?" I asked.
Those who are experienced in the ways of the wily wild turkey relish opportunities such as these to trumpet their field wisdom to lesser hunters, the braggarts' self-aggrandizement veiled only minimally as benevolence.
Did Puariea actually think, for example, he could amble into the woods with a two-bit call and a couple of broad heads, and in short order a florid gobbler, its caruncles flame red, would fan out a mere chip shot away?
Rookie mistake, I opined to myself. Afternoon hunts generally aren't productive. Better to let turkeys in the area settle down, and for the hunter to show up instead near sunset to see where the birds roost for the night. That's where the hunter wants to be the next morning, near the roost.
Last year, the Department of Natural Resources issued 49,919 spring turkey hunting permits, producing a harvest of 11,854 toms. Archers accounted for 1,665 of these unlucky fowl, an improbable figure, considering that in 1978, when wild turkey hunting was reborn in Minnesota, only 400 hunters went afield, probably all with shotguns, killing 94 gobblers.
Though not the smartest bird (the raven is) or even the second smartest (the crow), turkeys nonetheless bear keen survival instincts. Their eyesight and hearing are rarely surpassed, and they spend long days evading the razor-sharp incisors of foxes and coyotes, rendering the big birds justifiably paranoid.
Which is why I was sure Puariea's story would end as most turkey-hunting stories do: bird-free.
"But then all the sudden," he added, "two toms showed up from behind me and walked right in front of my blind, only 8 yards away! I had an arrow nocked, but when I started to draw back, the arrow fell off the string, so I had to nock it again. This made noise, and the turkeys started to move away ... fast.
Suddenly short of turkey-hunting wisdom, I turned again to send more arrows down range, sometimes hitting the target.


Scunthorpe singer and television personality Jake Quickenden has described a new community hub on the town's Westcliff estate as "a really big deal and a fantastic thing".
Jake, who won ITV's Dancing On Ice earlier this year, was the star guest as The Arc held its opening party this afternoon.
The facility, which forms part of the £9 million regeneration programme for the estate, opened its doors to the public last week, with today's party providing further celebrations.
Jake spoke to all visitors outside The Arc to officially begin the party, before taking time to pose for pictures with fans.
Jake, who has also starred on The X Factor and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, most recently appeared in Scunthorpe as part of The Dreamboys' show at The Baths Hall last month.
He told Scunthorpe Live he was delighted to be back in his home town and to be able to be a part of the community hub's opening party.
He said: "It's always great to come back to Scunny, especially when something like this is going on – trying to improve Scunny in the local community – it's a really big deal and a fantastic thing.
"Scunny is a great place, full of great people who work really hard. But there's maybe not great opportunities for the younger kids.
"To have somewhere like The Arc to come down and be productive is a really good thing and it's been a good day here."
Jake was also given a tour of the facility and was impressed with the activities that the hub had to offer.
He said: "It's nice isn't it - it's big!
"Hopefully people come down here to The Arc and use these facilities. I definitely would have loved something like this when I was younger growing up in Scunny. We had to hang around on the streets and on fields.
"So the fact that The Arc has been made available is a big thing.
"I'm just looking forward to destroying a few people at pool and table tennis now!"
Jake spent well over an hour taking selfies and speaking to fans.
Among them was Jennifer Pedge, who said: "I have got no words. He's so nice, this has made my day."
Morgan Berrick said: "I was really nervous, but he's so nice. I have butterflies."
And another fan, who had her picture with Jake, but did not wish to be named said: "Absolutely amazing, I don't really know what to say. I love Jake, he's amazing on TV and he's such a nice person."
The Arc includes a cafe, Post Office, enterprise zone, Little Owls pre-school, a training centre, youth zone and meeting rooms available for hire.
It forms part of the overall Westcliff regeneration project which also includes 41 new homes, a large One Stop convenience store, a Co-op pharmacy, Heidi's Hair and Beauty Salon and two other retail units which are yet to be confirmed.


The fish had finally got around to spawning so I took a lad to Crowsheath to fish for Carp.
I had been baiting a few areas up with Nash Monster Squid but the wind was blowing into an area that I hadn't been introducing bait. Not to worry, now seemed as good a time as any to start.
It was into a bay with a channel through to the other side of the lake, a natural passage for the carp to travel, and it looked like there might be fish in the area. We could see areas of silt being disturbed and reeds moving as fish pushed through, a good indication of fish activity. Luke baited up his chosen spots, one by the channel by a set of reeds and one into deeper water near to where we had seen fish moving through the reeds.
A few handfuls of scopex squid and monster squid boilies were thrown in to the right areas and now it was a waiting game. Well we didn't have to wait for long as Lukes right hand rod tore off. The fish spent all of its time trying to get into the reeds along our right hand margin, so we took the net and went for a walk along the bank until right over the fishes head. With a bit of pressure Luke got its head up and I got it in the net first time. Not a big fish, but as the wind had swung around to a cold north westerly, we were more than happy.
Re baited and re cast and back to a waiting game, which lasted no more than 10 minutes! In again, same rod, another feisty carp. This time there were no dramas of it trying to get in the reeds, this one kiting off into open water.
This was going better than the weather conditions would have allowed me to hope for. Re cast and time for a cuppa. 5 minutes later and it was off, this time the rod in the deeper water off towards the island.
After this the lake seemed to switch off completely and we didn't get another twitch.
None of the fish were of any size, but considering the conditions we were pleased.
Later that evening the rain set in and soon there were warnings about local flooding. Freezing cold rain...and lots of it. Where is it all coming from!!!!!
I was back on the lake the following day with another lad. After the heavy rain of the previous night the lake had changed considerably and we spent ages trying to find fish. We eventually dropped into a spot that I thought might produce and baited some spots up, again with Monster Squid. 5 hours later we were wet and cold and fishless. Can't win them all I guess.
We have the Essex Inter Schools Angling Championships coming up soon so I took a group of lads to the venue to practise and get a feel for the lake.
Pole, waggler and method were going to be the line of attack today. Some Sticky Pellet was mixed for the method and for pole cupping, pineapple flavour had been added to the water to give the pellets a lovely aroma. Over this the lads used pineapple, tutti frutti and white chocolate squidgee boilies, maggots, corn and luncheon meat soaked in monster crab bait dip.
The lads baited up some spots and set about trying to get a few fish out. Baiting 3 lines, one against the island, one mid track and one in their margin, they worked non stop for very little reward.
It took about 2 hours before the fish moved into their swims and they started catching. It was mainly carp between half a pound and 4lb making the bulk of the catch, with a few roach and skimmers completing the catch.
Definitely not an easy day for the lads, but with a little perseverance and hard work they got a result in the end. If they work this hard in the match then they should do ok.


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Visa AI blocks $350 million in fraudulent transactions as cybercrime spikes in pandemic
AI-powered security measures are protecting businesses from card fraud, with data from Visa showing machine learning algorithms prevented $354 million in fraudulent transactions in the past year.
Despite a boom in online retail spending of 44% in 2020, incidents of card fraud rose just 0.6%, revealing fraud prevention measures adopted by payment platforms are working, according to Visa.
The AI used by digital payments giant Visa operates neural networks modelled on the human brain to make real-time risk assessments that determine the fraud probability of every transaction passing through its network.
Carolina Gallegos, Visa Australia head of risk, tells SmartCompany the majority of fraud detected occurs online rather than during face-to-face transactions.
"It's important that small businesses are working with providers who are sharing a level of detail with them, in terms of what was fraud, what happened, or in some cases they'll manage that on their behalf," Gallegos says.
Using data to block crime
Account testing attacks, also known as enumeration, happen when criminals use automation to test and guess payment details, such as account numbers and expiry dates at online checkouts.
According to VisaNet data, these attacks have become one of the top threats in Australia throughout the pandemic and the best way to combat them is by using AI-driven tech.
"In this scenario, the fraudsters take a BIN, which is the first six digits of a Visa card, and they try to guess the subsequent digit to get approval for a low dollar amount at an online business," Gallegos says.
Businesses affected by successful account testing attacks experience thousands of small transactions within a short-time frame that can easily pass under their radar.
To detect these attacks, Visa's security system analyses patterns in data to alert affected merchants and financial institutions before a fraudulent transaction is made.
Gallegos says the bank that issues the card will decide whether or not to approve a suspicious transaction.
"The bank will then make some additional notifications via SMS, a one-time passcode, email or even a phone call to the customer," she says.
Cybercrime thrives in the pandemic
The shift to online shopping and work from home throughout the pandemic has led to a rise in cybercrime, making fraud prevention more important for payment system providers and businesses.
The Australian Cyber Security Commission's annual report found criminal actors have exploited the pandemic environment by targeting Australians' demand for digital services.
The report found ransomware rose 15% in 2020-21 and business email compromise continues to be a threat.
The average loss of each successful incident of business email compromise was more than $50,600, up 150% compared to the previous year.
Australia's $540 million Business Growth Fund makes first investment in Hunter Valley battery maker
Hypodermic Needles Market Share Expected to Grow at CAGR of 6.70% by 2025


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Review: Speck SwitchWay for iPhone 3G
Leather iPod and iPhone cases fall into three major categories these days: "play-through" designs that let you see the device's screen, "flip-style" designs that inconveniently cover the screen and controls with a flap that needs to be opened every time you want to use them, and "sleeves," which are little more than gloves that require you to slide the entire device in and out to use it. Today, we're briefly reviewing 17 new cases for the iPod nano 4G, iPod classic, iPod touch 2G, and iPhone 3G from eight different companies. Two are different versions of Speck's SwitchWay for iPhone 3G ($35), and a third, reviewed separately, is a play-through case called TechStyle Classic for iPod classic ($30).
SwitchWay is actually one of the weirdest iPhone 3G cases we've yet seen. Mostly made from black leather, but also featuring black canvas portions, contrast-stitched with yellow thread, it appears to have been designed for people who can't make up their minds as to how to mount and remove their iPhone 3Gs from their belts. To that end, the case actually has two different, non-removable belt clips, one on each large side of the body, and two separate opening mechanisms. You can mount the case vertically or horizontally and remove the iPhone 3G from it in either direction.
Speck has also switched something else in SwitchWay. We noted in our First Look that the case uses magnets—supposedly an iPhone 3G no-no—to keep its twin lids shut. Soon after the First Look was published, Speck contacted us to say that we had actually been sent a pre-production version, despite our policy of reviewing only final production units, and that the true production SwitchWay would use Velcro instead of magnets. We received the second version, and yeah, there's Velcro inside. From the outside, it looks exactly the same; the only difference is that the Velcro one takes a little more effort to open, and doesn't have the risk of interfering with your iPhone 3G's functionality.
We're not going to claim to really like either version of the SwitchWay case. Unlike Speck's ArmorSkins, PixelSkins, and See-Thru cases, its substantially leather and fabric cases have been really confusingly over-thought ever since it stopped making shoe-inspired designs—only its Fitted Cases, smart hybrids of fabric and plastic, have really done it for us visually and functionally. But if you're looking for a flip-top holster, and for whatever reason have a problem making up your mind as to how you want to mount and remove your iPhone 3G, SwitchWay is definitely different.
Company: Speck Products
Website: http://www.speckproducts.com/
Model: SwitchWay
Compatible: iPhone 3G
iLounge > Reviews > Review: Speck SwitchWay for iPhone 3G


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Vermont Single Payer and Medicare: The Facts
CLICK to hear EAI's Radio Spot "Taking Over Medicare"
Conflicting statements by politicians and bureaucrats has led to some confusion surrounding language in Act 48 that requires the state government to seek waivers from the federal government that would allow Green Mountain Care (single payer) to control the dollars and administer the benefits for Medicare recipients. What exactly is the intent of the the law and legislators who passed the law.
Act 48 says as passed in 2011:
(6) The director, in collaboration with the agency of human services, shall obtain waivers, exemptions, agreements, legislation, or a combination thereof to ensure that, to the extent possible under federal law, all federal payments provided within the state for health services are paid directly to Green Mountain Care. Green Mountain Care shall assume responsibility for the benefits and services previously paid for by the federal programs, including Medicaid, Medicare, and, after implementation, the Vermont health benefit exchange. In obtaining the waivers, exemptions, agreements, legislation, or combination thereof, the secretary shall negotiate with the federal government a federal contribution for health care services in Vermont that reflects medical inflation, the state gross domestic product, the size and age of the population, the number of residents living below the poverty level, the number of Medicare-eligible individuals, and other factors that may be advantageous to Vermont and that do not decrease in relation to the federal contribution to other states as a result of the waivers, exemptions, agreements, or savings from implementation of Green Mountain Care. (Act 48, Page 12)
(e) The agency shall seek permission from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to be the administrator for the Medicare program in Vermont. If the agency is unsuccessful in obtaining such permission, Green Mountain Care shall be the secondary payer with respect to any health service that may be covered in whole or in part by Title XVIII of the Social Security Act (Medicare). (Act 48, page 85)
Who Voted For This Language?
Click HERE to see the final House roll call vote for H.202 (Act 48), passed 94-49, May 5, 2011.
Click HERE to see the final Senate roll call vote for H.202 (Act 48), passed 21-9, May 3, 2011
The Act 48 language in statute was amended in 2014 via Act 144, deleting section (e) and adding:
(f) Green Mountain Care shall be the payer of last resort with respect to any health service that may be covered in whole or in part by any other health benefit plan, including Medicare, private health insurance, retiree health benefits, or federal health benefit plans offered by the military, or to federal employees.
(As of this writing (10/26/14) the online statue has not been updated to reflect this, leading to a great deal of confusion.)
The Shumlin Administration and legislators who voted for Act 48 are now claiming that these changes absolve them from any original desire to "take over" Medicare.
However, Act 144 also states:
(b) The Green Mountain Care Board may take such steps as are necessary to include all payers in the global hospital budget pilot projects, including negotiating with the federal Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation to involve Medicare and Medicaid.
Although this language is certainly less onerous, it is more of a recognition that demanding the whole cake will not fly, so it's better to politely ask for just one slice… to start.
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Pushkar is a holy city, is a small town of Ajmer at Rajasthan, located about 10 kilometers away from the north-west side of Ajmer. It is one of the most popular tourist places in Rajasthan which draws a major attraction of tourists for its Pushkar Fair along with this the city is also a pilgrimage site that makes the city a visitor's choice. The city is bejeweled with the most ancient Brahma Temple which is the only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma all over the country. As per the Hindu mythology, Lord Brahma is said to be the creator of this universe. Pushkar Lake is another attraction of tourists which contains 52 ghats that are meant for taking a religious bath in the holy water. You can also discover the holy city in your Rajasthan tour and along with this enjoy a stay at Tents in Pushkar which makes you experience the magnetic charm of the city.
Pushkar is widely famous for its annual Pushkar Fair which is meant for a trading of livestock such as cattle, horse, and camels. The fair is generally held during the month of Kartik Purnima as per the Hindu Calender (which normally strikes in the month of October or November) and end up on the day of Kartik Purnima. Other than Pushkar Fair, the bustling markets of Pushkar is a treasure trove for travelers where one can easily get the best artifacts of Rajasthan.
Pushkar Lake & Pushkar Ghat – The Lake is the topmost attraction of Pushkar which seems to be an ideal one for performing rituals, prayers, and other spiritual activity. It contains 52 ghats and these ghats are believed to be a religious site for pilgrims who visit the lake for taking a dip in its holy water. These rituals and religious happenings in the city draws a major attention of tourists as they have a keen interest in knowing about the culture of India.
Brahma Temple – The only temple of Lord Brahma in the country is in Pushkar which is located near the Pushkar lake.
Savitri Temple – The beautiful Savitri Temple is the temple of the wife and daughter of Lord Brahma, is dedicated to Saraswati or Sarasvati is located on the hilltop of Pushkar.
Shiva Temple – Located about 8 kilometers away from the southwest direction of Pushkar is a collection of Shiva Temples near Ajaypal.
The best time to explore Pushkar- The best time to explore Pushkar is during winters between the months of October to March when the afternoons become pleasant with a slight pinch in the air, and the cold nights.
Since Pushkar is a major tourist attraction, the city beholds some of the Best places to Stay in Pushkar which is good for every budget. Starting from resorts in Pushkar to the tented accommodation in Pushkar, there are endless options to choose for accommodation purpose. So you can easily book your Pushkar stay to experience the mesmerizing beauty along with enjoying the various activities of Resorts in Pushkar.
So, you can easily follow this travel guide without any hesitation and plan your tour to Pushkar.


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Tag: nurses
7K Nurses Strike, Brazil Defends Democracy & The Arc of the Universe
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Home » ENTERTAINMENT » Interesting Facts » Top 10 Interesting Facts about Asia
ENTERTAINMENT | August 16, 2021
Top 10 Interesting Facts about Asia
Asia Interesting Facts
1. There is a building inspired by the Star Wars robot in Singapore.
Yes, you read that right. He is not just a nerd architect who likes to laugh. Named after his screen opponent,"Sand walker" seems to be equally ready to tremble and hunt for garbage robots on Tatooine's beach.The building opened in 2013 and is now home to the Asian office of Lucasfilm Ltd., which is "the most advanced integrated residential animation office and ILM Singapore." If you are a fan of "Star Wars", this may be another important reason for studying in Singapore-you have the opportunity to witness the powerful Sand crawler with your own eyes!
2. There are more than 1,600 temples in Kyoto, Japan Do you want to study in Japan? Make sure to visit ancient Kyoto, which has been the imperial capital of the country for over a thousand years. Kyoto hasa population of 1.5 million andlives alongside the city's many historical and heritage buildings."Historic Sites of Ancient Kyoto"is a UNESCO World Heritage site,and the Kennin Templeis generallyconsidered the oldest temple. It was built in 1202 AD. and it is the last resting place of Eisai, who is believed to have been the monk who brought Zen Buddhism to Japan.
3. Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor"For anyone who has been to a modern city, this may be an even more surprising fact!
Hong Kong, from a colonial outpost to a busy port, and eventually becoming today's global financial center, may have replaced the pleasant smell of the past with more industrial and modern urban scents… but it is still a study destination. popular with these people. He wants to study in Asia. With its unique history and culture, "Asian World Cities" ranked 5thin the world in the QS Best Student Cities Ranking 2015,the highest ranked city in Asia.
4. China produces 45 billion pairs of chopsticks every year
Well, there are many people in China, but it is still a considerable number! In addition to the country's own chopstick manufacturing industry, some Chinese restaurants now import chopsticks made by American manufacturers.These sticks typically use lighter wood that does not require bleaching. When traveling to Asia, pay attention to the label on the chopsticks.Note that tapping the chopsticks on the side of the bowl is considered impolite, and pointing the chopsticks at rest at other diners is very rude.
5. South Korea has established a separate Valentine's Day for singles
In many Western cultures, Valentine's Day (February 14)is often dominated by couples exchanging gifts. But in Korea, the celebration is slightly different. February 14 is just one of the 12″days of love"that are celebrated on the 14th of each month. In South Korea, onValentine's Day in February, women will present chocolates to men toshowtheir love.One month later, on March 14,people celebrated White Day, and traditionally men would return with another gift. Haven't received the giftyet, don't be afraid: youwillhaveone day too! April 14 is an unofficial holiday known as Black Day.It is a day when singles gather tocomplainabout a bowl of noodles with sauce. Black noodlesis the name of the day.
6. There are more than 150 volcanoes in Indonesia.
Indonesia is located on the edge of the PacificPlateandis known as the "Ring of Fire".The country currently has 127 volcanoes active and it is easy to see how it got its name! The most active volcano in Indonesia is Mount Merapi on Java Island (pictured above). It usually erupts once every two to three years, andonce every ten years or so. Itis said that a particularly large eruption in 1006 caused the entire island to be coveredby volcanic ash.
7. Japan has produced 22 Nobel Prize winners, per capita more than any other Asian country!
Long before Yugawa Hideki won the country's first Nobel Prize in 1949, Japan has enjoyed a proud reputation as a technological, cultural, and artistic power. Yukawa worked as a theoretical physicist at the Kyoto Imperial University. He won the Nobel Prize for his work on subatomic particles and won numerous awards in Japan and elsewhere, including the prestigious Lomonosov Gold Medal in 1964.
8. Southeast Asia is the hometown of the world's largest flower.
How much do you know about Asian flowers?notmuch? Well, here is one thing toremember… Rafflesia, whichgrows on the forest floor of Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, blooms huge flowers up to one meter in diameter. Their unique shape and size have earned them an iconic status, and the Raffles Flower has been adopted as the official national flower of Indonesia.However,if you do come across one inthe adventure of studying abroad,pleasedon't get too close! Rafflesia is commonly known as "corpseflower" or "smellylily"becauseof its appearance and the unpleasantsmellused to attract pollinating insects.
9….The smallest mammal in the world!
Western Thailand is home to pigkittybats, also known as bumblebee bats,and is considered by some tobe the smallest mammal in the world. These tiny bats give birth to ayoungeachyear andusually live as part of a group of about 100, usually in caves. Although in"threatened" status, the species was discovered in Myanmar in 2001, raising hopes for more colonies outside of Thailand, where the bats originated.
10. Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world
Finally, there is a list of surprising facts about Asia:Did you know that Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world after China, India and the United States?
Who are the Taliban and how will they rule Afghanistan this time?


Just Flight - Cargo Pilot - Software Informer. Cargo Pilot is an add-on for users of MS Flight Simulator FSX and FS2004.
Just Flight – Cargo Pilot 1.1 is a software simulation program add-on for users of Microsoft's Flight Simulator FSX and FS2004, enabling them to experience virtually, a Cargo Pilot's career from simple beginnings at a small airstrip right through to working in an international airport flying massive jets. The challenges of Just Flight – Cargo Pilot provide users with a structured 'career' as a Cargo Pilot that entails shipping anything from chickens in and out of Jungle environments to transporting racing cars around the world. Pilots can run their own freight companies and open bases up to increase their range of operations and buy bigger and better aircraft if they meet the challenges thrown at them successfully depending on the choices they make. At the beginning of the challenge, Pilots start with a single-engine prop aircraft flying from a small base and then progress up to multi-engine jets. The more cargo Pilots ship safely, the more money they earn. Once their airlines have grown to a certain extent, Pilots can expand. An easy to use paint tool is featured in the program enabling Pilots to create their own airline aircraft with their own paint scheme on any of the default aircraft they want. A black box feature monitors the performances of pilots and reports back to operations. Additionally, a Maintenance Module is featured so that the conditions of Pilots' aircraft are monitored including maintenance funds. Realistic weather systems, briefings, ATC help, and flight operations all provide Pilots/Gamers of Just Flight – Cargo Pilot with the information they need to meet the challenges of the program.


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Q: socket.setEncoding() is treated as unresolved by PhpStorm I'm trying to figure out why PhpStorm 11 treats setEncoding() method as unresolved. I have Node.js plugin installed and core libraries enabled. Other methods are treated as resolved. The problem just with setEncoding() one.
Here is the simplest code example:
var net = require('net');
var socket = new net.Socket();
socket.setEncoding('ascii');

I'm new to Node.js, but I'm guessing it's because setEncoding() function is somehow inherited from Readable stream interface. Please, correct me if I'm wrong.
So, the question is how to force PhpStorm to "see" that function?

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


A velvet body oil that leaves the skin satiny soft and delicately fragranced with the fresh and sensual notes of COCO MADEMOISELLE. Its airy dry oil texture wraps the body in a silky veil. Its bottle adopts the modern and practical design of a spray.
COCO MADEMOISELLE draws its inspiration from the fascinating personality of Gabrielle Chanel. The fragrance is the olfactory reflection of an independent thinker who breaks free from rules to create her own. The portrait of a woman ready to daringly write her own destiny.
A velvet body oil with the fresh and modern notes of the COCO MADEMOISELLE fragrance, featuring the vibrant notes of Orange, the transparency of Rose and the elegance of Patchouli.


Carbon monoxide gas leaks, electrical fires, flooded basements, and frozen pipes are all possibilities in a Logan residence. Not even the most diligent homeowner can watch their home 24/7, which is why we hire a professional in-house monitoring team to do the job. We provide around-the-clock monitoring and industry-leading response times to ensure that you have the help you need when you need it.
Logan, Iowa, is known for its cold winter temperatures, and there's nothing worse on a frigid night to discover that you've locked yourself out of your house. With the possibility of temperatures as low as -29 degrees, finding yourself in a lockout situation creates frustration, panic, and inconvenience as you wait for a locksmith to arrive. With Vivint Smart Home, you'll never be locked out in the cold again. We offer a line of smart locks that can be controlled through the Vivint Smart Home Cloud platform, meaning that you can lock and unlock your doors from Vivint Smart Home mobile on your smartphone device.Don't have a smartphone or tablet with you? No problem; the built-in keypad enables you to put in a code, eliminating the need for carrying a physical key. What intelligence features (not just programmability features) can make a difference in your home?
Thanks to our commitment to convenience and affordability, it's easier than ever to upgrade your home to a smart home. We provide a free one-on-one consultation so that you get the smart home of your dreams, customizing your system to fit the needs of your household. Vivint Smart Home Pros will perform a free full-service, professional installation for Logan homeowners (regularly $199), so you can enjoy the safety and security of this remarkable smart home system immediately. Give us a call today and see just how much more convenient, safer, cheaper, and more relaxed your life can be.


After a long career at a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) hatchery, brooder bass are being retired into Texas lakes.
Largemouth bass are believed to live up to 20 years, so the fish have several years to enjoy retirement and perhaps make more little bass in Lake Moss. Since the fish were all pure Florida largemouth bass, the stocking will improve the genetics of the fish in the lake, which are already good—the lake record largemouth weighed 13.25 pounds. Lake Moss was last stocked with Florida largemouth bass in 1982.
Lake Moss is an 1,140-acre impoundment on North and South Fish Creeks in Cooke County north of Gainesville. The City of Gainesville maintains two boat ramps on the lake and charges $35 for an annual boat permit. For more information on the lake, contact the city of Gainesville at (940) 668-4500.
The fishing in Lake Moss is managed by biologists from TPWD's District 2A Inland Fisheries office located near Pottsboro. Lakes managed out of this office include Texoma, Bridgeport, Lavon, Nocona and Ray Roberts as well several smaller reservoirs.
These trophy sized fish are still able to breed and spawn in Lake Moss. Although retired, but they are still likely to produce offspring, which will ultimately improve fishing in the lake.


The other day while on our way home from preschool, my little thinker boy asked me a few questions. He wanted to know if he is always growing. I said he was growing every day into a big boy. He then asked if babies grow fast. I said that yes indeed, babies grow very quickly. He wanted to know if he grew fast as a baby. I said oh yes, very fast indeed...too fast! He then wanted to know why Emma wasn't growing into a big girl. I should have seen it coming, but I didn't. All I could say was that sometimes people's bodies don't grow the way they are supposed to. He was fine with that.
This morning he told me that if he ever sees the "wishing star" he will wish for one of his toys to come alive. He said he would choose Buzz Lightyear, so he could be his brother. That way he would always have someone to play with. I reminded him that he has lots of friends. He said it wasn't the same, they aren't here all the time! He said, "I really want a brother." Wish I could help ya, buddy, but it's not looking good. There's a girl in this belly of mine. I bet she'll be more than willing to play ball and other boy stuff with you, though.
I know I said I would post some pictures of Carleigh singing, but I haven't found the energy or the cord to my camera, so hopefully in the next day or two you'll see some pics of my little singing sweetie.
It is amazing how a child's mind thinks! Sometimes it seems like they never use their brains and then they come up with something like that!
Our 5 year old is always saying similiar things about our son, Gavin. He can't grasp why babies younger than Gavin can crawl and walk, when his brother can't do any of that and he's older than these other babies. He always says, "I can't wait until Gavin can do....." I hate that I have to tell him that Gavin may never do any of those things! It breaks my heart!
Your family is precious! God Bless You!
Have you read the benefit updates?


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Generalizability in health economic evaluation studies: a review and case studies.
To examine and further develop the methods used to evaluate and increase the generalizability of economic evaluation studies.
Electronic databases.
Review methods
We searched for methodological studies related to the economic evaluation of health care. This included electronic searches of various databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, and EconLit, and manual searches of key journals. The case studies of an analytical decision model involved highlighting specific features of previously published economic studies related to generalizability and variability related to location. The case study which included the secondary analysis of the cost-effectiveness analysis was based on the secondary analysis of three economic evaluation studies using data from randomized trials.
Frequently listed factors, such as the generation of fluctuations in economic evaluation results between conditions, are the price associated with the asset. In studies based on the analysis of disease data, regression analysis is supported as a way of looking at changes in economic outcomes at all locations. These methods have shown that some of the uses and results change locally. Recent studies have also found, in cost testing, to use a test of heterogeneity similar to that used in medical examinations and trials. The analytical analysis of decision-making has been a key method to generate value propositions from experimental contexts and without judgments. Many models focus on changes in test prices, but obviously, the effective component may also need to be adapted between conditions. There have been weaknesses in some aspects of the complaint and useful case studies. These can prevent decision-makers from articulating the importance of studies and their defined conditions. The curriculum demonstrated the usefulness of multimodal MLM. When analytics are available by location (for example, central or local), MLM can support accurate estimates of uncertainty and cost results, as well as ways to determine profitable performance. A review of the economic studies included in the decision-making process showed that few studies were clear about their decision-makers / authority. Studies and research strive to ensure that your investments pay more for capabilities than for performance. Careful detection is a key way to deal with uncertainty in the form, although few studies have clearly analyzed the differences between conditions. Experimental studies have shown how to work with costs. In particular, on the practical side, the model highlights the division of the program that describes the situation, as well as the planned analysis of the effects related to the treatment, where the latter is expected to change in all areas.
A series of facts and documents are presented that can be expected to produce changes in health care performance throughout the region. Numerous studies have shown differences in volume and cost of use between conditions, but few studies have looked at changes in results. In a cost-effective work study, some studies provide ample evidence for decision makers to demonstrate the need or refine study results in context. Few studies have used mathematical methods to determine differences in results between conditions. In economics-based case studies, many studies have reported making decisions / rights or providing comprehensive information that can be applied. There is great potential to ensure that cost inclusion is necessary for a controlled capacity rather than a therapeutic approach. Methods for examining general differences and variations in economic analysis have been discussed in the literature related to research and the research process. The regression model can provide a system for organizing a variety of disease statistics and data. In particular, MLM has the ability to support cost estimates, which reflect changes in costs and results between conditions and also ensure that the consistency of cost estimates is between the areas to be reviewed immediately. Decision-making models will continue to play an important role in changing the outcome of a profitable study between situations. Recommendations for a more detailed analysis include: developing an evidence system that reflects the variability of the data between locations and allows for greater flexibility in this process; analysis of alternatives to illustrate variations in the analysis of useful data, including a wide range of data; characteristics of many appropriate covariates related to location (eg, hospital) and type of multiple levels; and further evaluation of the performance of economic systems (as an optional model) for cost-effectiveness analysis in conjunction with research data sets and to increase the collection of randomized trials.
Tags: economic evaluation
Data science as a service drives innovation in life sciences
The Hospital of the Future Virtual Briefing, September [September 8, 2022]