Technology and religion: A metaphysical challenge

This paper describes how technology threatens conventional religions, but it also proposes that technology itself may become a religion. Although technology does not challenge religion with deliberate intent, nevertheless it is a challenge because it contains several inherent characteristics that collectively strengthen technology as a likely candidate for a religion. The importance of religion in past and present societies is discussed as well as its role in future societies. In addition to technology's inherent characteristics, technology is also aided by historical events that concern the weakening of Christianity and the Christian conception of the universe since the 16th century. This weakening or dissolution of Christianity has secularized the modern age, which conflicts with the religious premise of Western civilization. In addition to secularization, the modern age is characterized by nihilism, which has filled the void caused by this dissolution and which concerns the negation of traditional values (religious and non-religious), or at least the sublimation of higher values to lower ones. Technology has become religiously important because of the development of all these factors.     

The Melanchthon Circle's English Epicycle

Abstract. As persuasive signs of divine providence, astronomy and astrology held a special place in the natural philosophy of Philip Melanchthon. Both the highly predictable motions of celestial objects and the benefits they contributed to human life were held to demonstrate the existence of an intelligent and caring creator who was actively involved in the world. Melanchthon's influence on a small group of Lutheran astronomers has long been recognized. This article proposes the term mathematical Philippist to designate individuals outside the Lutheran confession, or of unknown religious affiliation, who adopted Melanchthon's providential view of the heavens. Two 16th‐century English mathematicians, Leonard and Thomas Digges, qualify as mathematical Philippists on the basis of their familiarity with and approval of Melanchthon, despite circumstantial evidence that at least one (Thomas) had Calvinist sympathies in other areas of his life. The identification of a Philippist strand in English mathematics illustrates the shortcomings of any attempt to assess possible interactions of science and religion strictly along confessional lines.     

羧甲基壳聚糖/壳聚糖涂膜保鲜千禧果

目的 对千禧果进行涂膜包装,从而延长其常温贮藏的货架期。方法 采用壳聚糖（Chitosan, CS）和羧甲基壳聚糖（CarboxymethylChitosan, CMCS）为基材,利用层层自组装（Layer-by-layer Self-assembly,LBL）的方法对千禧果进行涂膜保鲜包装,研究CS与CMCS之间的作用力类型,以及涂膜处理对千禧果的保鲜效果。结果 通过红外分析可知,CS与CMCS之间依靠氢键作用和静电力相互连接;通过实验确定CMCS/CS层层自组装双层涂膜对千禧果的保鲜效果相对最佳,在室温下能将千禧果的保鲜期延长至9d,贮藏9d后千禧果的质量损失率、腐烂率、硬度、可溶性固形物质量分数、维生素C含量及有机酸含量分别为3.3%、6.7%、5.3 kg/cm²、7.7%、29.3 mg/hg和0.48%。结论 CS和CMCS层层自组装多层涂膜对千禧果具有明显的保鲜效果,能有效延长其货架期。     

Religiousness, mental health, and quality of life in Brazilian dialysis patients

Patients with chronic kidney disease often use religion as a coping strategy to relieve suffering and serve as a source of strength. The aim of this study was to identify religious aspects associated with mental health and quality of life in Brazilian dialysis patients. A cross-sectional study was performed involving two dialysis centers in Brazil. Patients were selected consecutively over three typical dialysis treatment days. The questionnaire was self-administered and covered the following aspects: socio-demographic aspects, religiousness (using the Portuguese version of the Private and Social Religious Practice Scale), quality of life (World Health Organization Quality of Life brief Scale Brief Version), depression and anxiety (Beck Inventory), and pain grade. For statistical analysis, the hypothesis that different religious variables are associated (positively or negatively) with depressive/anxiety symptoms and quality of life in these patients was tested using linear regression, controlling for confounding variables. A total of 205 patients were invited to participate and 133 (64.8%) agreed to fill out the questionnaire. On the adjusted model, reading religious literature was found to be inversely associated with depressive symptoms (P < 0.001). In addition, the psychological domain of quality of life was positively associated with an increase in patient religiosity (P = 0.030) and greater religious importance for recovery from their dialysis condition (P = 0.016), whereas the environmental domain was positively associated with greater religious importance for recovery (P = 0.032). No religious aspects were associated with anxiety symptoms. Religiousness is associated with less depressive symptoms and better quality of life in Brazilian dialysis patients. Nephrologists should evaluate the patient's spirituality and religion in order to provide more integrative care.     

Does the method for Military Utility Assessment of Future Technologies provide utility?

The Military Utility Assessment of Future Technologies (MUAFT) method was developed as a cost-efficient alternative to methods such as NATO's Disruptive Technology Assessment Games, to be used as a part of the Swedish Armed Forces' long-term capability development process. The question addressed in this study is whether MUAFT can be considered to have validity in its context and thus if it has potential to be useful to other small to medium size states. The analysis was based on an operationalization of Clark's framework for science and technology intelligence analysis, combined with a military capability centric view of military utility. MUAFT reports from 2012 to 2018 were reviewed in terms of how they satisfy five key criteria. The study shows that MUAFT provides utility, if used by a suitably composed group of experts, who are aware of the method's limitations. The limitations mainly originate from a lack of explicit support for assessing the impact of forces for change, other than technological forces, on military capability development. The expert group serves as the synthesizing bridge between technology forecasts and military utility assessments. Therefore, comprehensive expertise is needed in various military technology specialisations, in the sponsor's military capabilities and in subjects necessary to master in order to assess other influential societal forces for change.     

人机交互视角下儿童智能创新学习玩具研究

目的 智能玩具在儿童的生活和学习中扮演着重要角色。探讨人机交互技术如何更好地适配儿童的学习需求,使智能玩具发挥其潜力,成为有效的学习工具。方法 通过梳理智能的儿童智能创新学习玩具的典型案例,对案例进行分析,提炼共性和特点,深入探讨智能玩具的交互技术与儿童学习目的、学习方式之间的关系。讨论在不同场景和学习目的下如何与人机交互技术相适配。结论 从学习目标、交互技术和设计理论的角度提出了儿童创新学习玩具的设计建议,为如何设计应用于儿童学习与教育领域的智能创新学习玩具提供了参考。     

The innovation incubator,university business incubator and technology transfer strategy: The case of Thailand

This study reviews the role of the innovation incubator and university business incubator (UBI) in supporting the entrepreneurial development in Thailand. The university business incubator (UBI) is defined in this paper as an incubator set up by the university to provide office space, equipment, mentoring services as well as other administrative supports to assist the formation of new ventures). In particular, the paper compares the operation of the university business incubators (UBIs) and technology incubators to understand their technology transfer strategies. The analyses, based on the Triple Helix model, also include the government policies to support innovation commercialization in Thailand. The study examines case studies of leading university business incubators (UBIs) (Mahidol University, Chulalongkorn University and King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi) and science and technology incubators of the National Science and Technology Agency (NSTDA) and the National Innovation Agency (NIA). The results have shown that the incubation program is one of the major policy mechanisms to support innovation and suggested that UBIs should act as an intermediary between the spheres of university and industry to provide interactive linkages and promote effective utilization of university research. The empirical study provides insightful implications on the move towards the entrepreneurial university and the dynamics of the Triple Helix system in stimulating innovation development and diffusion.     

The hands of God: spiritual values for coping with technology in the 21st century

Technology is not just hardware but is constituted by a social system that focuses increasingly powerful means on social goals. Such technology defines the future, and demands extraordinary steering proficiency to match the driving forces of technology itself. Three sets of steering mechanisms are examined: the invisible hand of the economic free market, public policy and its generation by democratic government, and Judeo-Christian and Islamic spiritual values that mold conduct and ignite moral vision. The argument is that major decisions about technology are made by public policy rather than the free market. But there is also a key role for religious teachings to play in technological delivery systems. The paper concludes with speculations on possible relations between religious faith and technology.     

Sustainable economic development across globe: The dynamics between technology,digital trade and economic performance

Technology makes a significant contribution to economic performance globally. Information and communication technologies and the economic growth nexus are widely debated; however, this study examined the economic performance of 93 countries categorized as developed and developing countries between 2005 and 2019. The study employs Breitung et al.'s [1] novel bias-corrected method of moments estimators for dynamic panel data models. To serve the purpose, the study utilizes the novel Bias-corrected method of moments estimators for dynamic panel data models by Breitung et al. [1]. The results were threefold: first, technology has both direct and indirect impacts on economic performance. Education plays a moderating role in further escalating economic performance through technology across the globe. Second, digital trade does contribute to economic growth as well. Third, there is a heterogeneous effect of COVID-19 on economic performance across various income groups of countries. The innovative results of the study suggest important policy recommendations.     

Vulnerable groups,virtual cities,and social isolation

The number of people suffering from perpetual loneliness continues to increase, diminishing their wellbeing. While this condition affects people's mental life, research shows that it also significantly impacts physical health. Those enduring such hardships often have superficial encounters, but they lack meaningful social engagement with others. Addressing this problem requires highly specialized and interdisciplinary mitigatory efforts. The increasing economic feasibility of virtual reality equipment can help remedy some of these situations, especially when users can connect in supportive digital environs, “virtual cities.” In turn, this exploratory paper examines how creating specific kinds of virtual cities could facilitate meaningful social engagements, which can improve numerous people's living conditions. The author fleshes out this view, showing that these technologies' progressive nature can be shaped to secure the needed measures to improve the quality of some people's lives..     

Technology and gender: A case study on “iron girls” in China (1950s–1970s)

“Iron girls” is a unique phrase which has become widely popularized from the 1950s through the 1970s in China. It was a metaphor, applied especially to represent a group of women who were often tall, sturdy and able to do heavy physical work at the site of farmland, factories or engineering projects, and were recognized as the typical outstanding women at the time. By combining the relevant news reports of the period and articles of reminiscences of iron girls themselves, we examined the iron girls' typical occupations and their changes over time, and analyzed the complex relationship between technology and gender behind this phenomenon. It concludes that iron girls were brought into the whole narrative system of China's modernization construction, and their personal liberation was obscured under a powerful metaphor of the mechanization; Technology was involved in the shaping of the new gender stereotypes, but the emergence and popularity of iron girls during this time had no substantial impacts on the development of technology and did not alter the gender stratification in the fields of technology; iron girls got important status at the price of the physical and mental damage; they actually serviced as a tool in the publicity of a kind of ideology of gender equality that attributes to embody the state's will-power in nature.     

Office of Technology Assessment: History,implementation, and participatory critique

The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), which was created by the Technology Assignment Act of 1972, was—and still remains even after its abolishment in 1995—a unique congressional agency. OTA provided members of Congress with their own means of understanding and evaluating complex science and technology matters—of which there are no shortages. It spurred an entire literature of academic research both about OTA and the idea of technology assessment more generally. Understanding the legislative history and implementation of the Technology Assessment Act is crucial not just for scholarship, though. OTA was a blueprint for institutionalizing politically accountable technology assessment. Even as technologies advance at rapid rates, OTA still offers valuable lessons that scholars and policy-makers alike ought to glean. This paper places OTA in a contemporary context of (institutionalized) technology assessment. It contributes to a better understanding of OTA's origins by tracing its lineage to a set of federal reports beginning in 1929. It then analyzes OTA's response to pragmatic implementation questions of how to strike a balance between speed, depth, scope, and temporal focus. Lastly, it uses a public values framework to critique OTA's failure to adequately incorporate participatory elements into its processes.     

Technology management,networking positions and work/life boundaries among working adult students

In this digitalised world, crossing boundaries between life domains is becoming increasingly easy. We are constantly faced with the need to define whether we are online or offline, and technology management is now an integral part of daily life. Technology management, which is affected by the individual's networking position, has different components: connectivity management, online self-presentation and privacy management. The objective of this study is to explore technology management strategies among working adult students. The study identifies three networking positions: socio-affective enthusiasts, context-contingent pragmatists and pragmatic avoiders. These three groups have specific approaches to technology management.     

Space technology moves textiles‘smart’

The European Space Agency's Technology Transfer Network which met with 72 representatives of 53 European and Canadian textile companies in Lille, France had as focus a workshop brainstorming how technology developed for space could improve textiles, fibre products, clothes and textile manufacturing equipment. Lille is situated in one of Europe's centres of textile production. More than 1100 French textile industries are based in the area and a similar sized market lies just across the border in Belgium. The workshop was organised by ESA's Technology Transfer and Promotion office (TTP) together with its network of technology brokers represented by MST Aerospace, D'Appolonia, JRA and Nodal and Lille's Chamber of Commerce.     

Developing and Assessing Students' Entrepreneurial Skills and Mind‐Set*

A primary goal of The Pennsylvania State University's new Engineering Entrepreneurship (E‐SHIP) Minor is to build students' life skills so they can succeed within innovative, product‐focused, cross‐disciplinary teams. The E‐SHIP Minor is designed for undergraduate students majoring in engineering, business, or IST (Information Sciences and Technology) who aspire to be innovation leaders for new technology‐based products and companies. This paper outlines five E‐SHIP program components to meet this mission: the core courses for the minor, E‐SHIP competitions in which students exhibit their products and ideas, the E‐SHIP Event Series, student organizations to support out‐of‐classroom entrepreneurial interest, and team projects for local industry and Penn State researchers. Penn State's engineering entrepreneurship program is reviewed, summarizing both quantitative and qualitative assessment data to date, previewing future assessment plans, and providing a summary of lessons learned during the development and implementation of this program.     

“元宇宙”背景下数字虚拟角色的发展趋势研究

元宇宙正在向人们袭来,未来将给人们生活带来了全方位的影响。数字虚拟角色则是构成元宇宙世界中的关键元素之一,因此剖析数字虚拟角色成为研究元宇宙世界的重要途径。对数字虚拟角色进行究根溯源,明确虚拟角色发展的原因是数字生产力的爆发、文化的迁移和参与者身份的认同。从而进一步得出数字虚拟角色特征表现在群体差异、扩张可塑、身体延展、去中心化、个体多元发展等5个方面。“元宇宙”背景下数字虚拟角色将会朝向更为智能化,更沉浸感、低门槛的趋势发展。     

The Heroic Engineer

This paper is about the adjustment between real life and the growing knowledge of life. Real life refers here to the life of the good person and good citizen of a free society. The growing knowledge of life refers mainly to formal engineering education, but also to such informal mentoring as may be witnessed in engineering practice. What character traits in engineers compel them to care about others and enable them to live principled lives? How can engineering faculty help engineering students develop these traits? Our response to the first question relies on the scholarly viewpoint that immaturity in adults is a national problem for U.S. Americans. Our response to the second question relies on Joseph Campbell's antidote for immaturity in adults—the mythic hero's journey. Cases are studied wherein engineering teachers help engineering students achieve heroism: inwardly, by telling them stories of heroism in the practice of engineering; outwardly, by conditioning their learning experiences for heroism.     

The role of online social networks for divorced Saudi women in the face of social,psychological, economic,and legal challenges

This research examines the supporting role social networks provide to divorced Saudi women in the face of social, economic, psychological, and legal challenges. An online survey with open and closed ended questions was created to address the following research question: What support do online social networks provide to divorced Saudi women in contemporary Saudi Arabian society in the face of social, economic, psychological, and legal challenges?” The survey was completed online by 248 divorced Saudi women. Quantitative analysis of closed-ended survey responses was applied to the dataset followed by a qualitative thematic analysis of respondents' responses to open-ended questions. Survey findings identified the following areas of medium to high social network support experienced by divorced Saudi women: social outcast avoidance, relationship management with former husband, income assistance, emotional support, confidence building, and depression management. Findings also revealed areas where social networks provided only low levels of support with respect to social, economic, psychological, and legal challenges. The research contributes new insights into the supporting role of social networks for divorced Saudi women and their potential to leverage personal life and identity development in the face of social stigmatization and societal marginalization. This work advances research relevant to media studies, woman's studies, and cultural studies.     

Individuals' perceptions of technology and its relationship with ambition,unemployment, loneliness and insomnia in the Gulf

The aim of this study is multi-faceted: (i) to explore individuals' perspectives of the use of technology and its impacts, (ii) to identify the extent of children's use of technology, (iii) to examine the correlation between technology and ambition, unemployment, loneliness and insomnia. The data were collected from 256 participants in the Arab Gulf states using an online survey. The study found that participants have positive perceptions of technology and its benefits with highlighting some of its negative impacts, and that children use technology and electronic devices excessively, which affects them negatively. The results also showed that there was significant correlation between using technology and individuals' ambition, unemployment, loneliness and insomnia.