Desire comes in two kinds: attraction and aversion. But contemporary theories of desire have paid little attention to the distinction, and some philosophers doubt that it is psychologically real. I argue that one reason to think there is a difference between the attitudes, and to care about it, is that attractions and aversions contribute in radically different ways to our well-being. Attraction-motivated activity adds to the good life in a way that aversion-driven activity does not. I argue further (...) that the value of attraction-motivated activity is irreducible to the prudential value of pleasure or desire-satisfaction. Rather, it contributes in a distinctive way to the felt meaningfulness of life. In the end, I offer a hypothesis: when we are attracted to something, we see it as (noncomparatively) good; and it is only when we pursue the apparent good that we see ourselves as engaged with the type of value that makes our lives and the universe worth maintaining. (shrink)

The aim of this paper is to show that an aesthetics of exemplarity could be a useful component of projects of moral self-cultivation. Using some in Linda Zagzebski's exemplarism, I describe a distinctive, aesthetically-inflected mode of admiration called moral attraction whose object is the inner beauty of a persn - the expression of the 'inner' virtues or excellences of character of a person in 'outer' forms of bodily comportment that are experienced, by others, as beautiful. I then argue that (...) certain moral traditions deploy inner beauty within their practices of moral self-cultivation - a good example being Confucianism. Advocates of exemplarist moral education should therefore take seriously the ways that an aesthetics of exemplarity can play roles within projects of moral self-cultivation. (shrink)

I argue that, insofar as we endorse the general idea that desires play an important role in well-being, we ought to believe that their significance for well-being is derived from a pair of more fundamental attitudes: attraction and aversion. Attraction has wholly positive significance for well-being, and aversion has wholly negative significance for well-being. Desire satisfaction and frustration have significance for well-being insofar as the relevant desires involve some combination of attraction and aversion. I defend these claims (...) by illustrating how our desires can be asymmetrical. They can have greater positive than negative significance for well-being, or vice versa. (shrink)

Cultural Attraction Theory (CAT), also referred to as cultural epidemiology, is an evolutionary theory of culture. It provides conceptual tools and a theoretical framework for explaining why and how ideas, practices, artifacts and other cultural items spread and persist in a community and its habitat. It states that cultural phenomena result from psychological or ecological factors of attraction.

We describe a prediction method called "Attractivity Weighting" (AW). In the case of cue-based paired comparison tasks, AW's prediction is based on a weighted average of the cue values of the most successful cues. In many situations, AW's prediction is based on the cue value of the most successful cue, resulting in behavior similar to Take-the-Best (TTB). Unlike TTB, AW has a desirable characteristic called "access optimality": Its long-run success is guaranteed to be at least as great as the most (...) successful cue. While access optimality is a desirable characteristic, concerns may be raised about the short-term performance of AW. To evaluate such concerns, we here present a study of AW's short-term performance. The results suggest that there is little reason to worry about the short-run performance of AW. Our study also shows that, in random sequences of paired comparison tasks, the behavior of AW and TTB is nearly indiscernible. (shrink)

Many views of well-being hold that a person’s desires directly contribute to well-being. Such views need to account for the plausible thought that not all satisfied desires benefit. An influential way of doing so—chiefly defended by Chris Heathwood–-holds that only ‘genuine-attraction desires’ count toward well-being. I aim to show that we lack the conceptual grounds to distinguish genuine-attraction and other kinds of desire. I argue that if we appeal to phenomenology to explain the difference, we face a heterogeneity (...) objection and we are unable to accommodate the intuition that the satisfaction of calm desires can benefit. If we cannot appeal to phenomenology, it is unclear what the difference is meant to be. I present two strategies that aim to account for the distinction non-phenomenologically and argue that neither is viable. I conclude that, without further analysis, the key distinction remains too unclear for the genuine-attraction strategy to work. (shrink)

The desire-satisfaction theory of welfare says that what is basically good for a subject is the satisfaction of his desires. One challenge to this view is the existence of quirky desires, such as a desire to count blades of grass. It is hard to see why anyone would desire such things, and thus hard to believe that the satisfaction of such desires could be basically good for anyone. This suggests that only some desires are basically good when satisfied, and that (...) desire satisfactionists owe us an account of which desires these are, and why. In "Quirky Desires and Well-Being," Donald Bruckner proposes such an account: a desire is welfare-relevant (i.e., such that its satisfaction would be basically good for its subject) if and only if and because its subject could describe its object in a way that makes it comprehensible what about the object attracts him or appeals to him. We are inclined to view quirky desires as welfare-irrelevant because we assume that their objects cannot be described in such a way. But if there were a quirky desire whose object could be so described by the subject whose desire it is, then this desire would be relevant to that subject's welfare. I will argue that while Bruckner's view delivers plausible verdicts about the cases to which it is meant to apply, its account of what makes a desire welfare-relevant is unmotivated and implausible. Desire satisfactionists can retain what is plausible about his view while endorsing a better explanation of why welfare-relevant desires have that status if they accept the following account instead: a desire is welfare-relevant if and only if and because something about its object attracts, or appeals to, the subject who has the desire. (shrink)

What makes something good for me? Most contemporary philosophers argue that something cannot count as good for me unless I am in some way attracted to it, or take delight in it. However, subjectivist theories of prudential value face difficulties, and there is no consensus about how these difficulties should be resolved. Whether one opts for a hedonist or a desire‐satisfaction account of prudential value, certain fundamental assumptions about human well‐being must be abandoned. I argue that we should reconsider Plato's (...) objectivist theory of goodness as unity, or the One. This view is both consistent with and explains our most basic views both about goodness in general and human well‐being in particular. (shrink)

What makes something good for me? Most contemporary philosophers argue that something cannot count as good for me unless I am in some way attracted to it, or take delight in it. However, subjectivist theories of prudential value face difficulties, and there is no consensus about how these difficulties should be resolved. Whether one opts for a hedonist or a desire-satisfaction account of..

Background: Facial proportionality and symmetry are positively associated with perceived levels of facial attractiveness. -/- Objective: The aims of this study were to confirm and extend the association of proportionality with perceived levels of attractiveness and character traits and determine differences in attractiveness and character ratings between "anomalous" and "typical" faces using a large dataset. -/- Methods: Ratings of 597 unique individuals from the Chicago Face Database were used. A formula was developed as a proxy of relative horizontal proportionality, where (...) a proportionality score of "0" indicated perfect proportionality and more negative scores indicated less proportionality. Faces were categorized as "anomalous" or "typical" by 2 independent reviewers based on physical features. -/- Results: Across the ratings for all faces, Spearman correlations revealed greater proportionality was associated with attractiveness ( ρ = 0.292, P < 0.001) and trustworthiness ( ρ = 0.193, P < 0.001), while lesser proportionality was associated with impressions of anger (ρ = 0.132, P = 0.001), dominance (ρ = 0.259, P < 0.001), and threateningness ( ρ = 0.234, P < 0.001). Mann-Whitney U tests revealed the typical cohort had significantly higher levels of proportionality (-13.98 versus -15.14, P = 0.030) and ratings of attractiveness (3.39 versus 2.99, P < 0.001) and trustworthiness (3.48 versus 3.35, P < 0.001). -/- Conclusions: This study demonstrated that facial proportionality is not only significantly associated with higher ratings of attractiveness, but also associated with judgements of trustworthiness. Proportionality plays a role in evoking negative attributions of personality characteristics to people with facial anomalies. (shrink)

This paper deals with the bodily attractiveness of heroines and heroes, as described in one of the two most important epics of India. The basis for this analysis is the love stories and episodes included in the main plot of the Vanaparvan, the third book of the Mahābhārata. The stories from this book have been taken into consideration due to their numerous occurrences, which are a sufficient ground for generalizations. Many characteristic features of their protagonists are repeated in different sub‑stories. (...) Also, the images of female and male characters, princesses, queens and kings are presented and discussed in detail. The external beauty of such female heroines as Damayantī, Sāvitrī, Sukanyā, Suśobhanā and Sitā; as well as the attractiveness of two semi‑goddesses, called Apsarases, are described and analysed. The names of the Apsarases discussed in the context of female beauty are Urvaśī and Menakā. Besides this, the image of an unnamed courtesan is discussed, as it is the most detailed description of a female character and probably follows the ideal of female beauty as shown in the Mahābhārata. As far as the male protagonists are concerned, the images of heroes such as Nala, Bhīma, Aśvapati, Rāma and Daśaratha are taken into consideration. The examples of male attractiveness also include features of the five main heroes of the Mahābhārata: the Paṇḍava brothers. (shrink)

Philosophers have rightly condemned lookism—that is, discrimination in favor of attractive people or against unattractive people—in education, the justice system, the workplace and elsewhere. Surprisingly, however, the almost universal preference for attractive romantic and sexual partners has rarely received serious ethical scrutiny. On its face, it’s unclear whether this is a form of discrimination we should reject or tolerate. I consider arguments for both views. On the one hand, a strong case can be made that preferring attractive partners is bad. (...) The idea is that choosing partners based on looks seems essentially similar to other objectionable forms of discrimination. (In particular, the preference for attractive partners is arguably both unfair and harmful to a significant degree.) One can try to resist this conclusion in several ways. I consider three possible replies. The first has to do with the possibility of controlling our partner preferences. The second pertains to attractiveness and “good genes”. The last attempts to link certain aspects of attractiveness to a prospective partner’s personality and values. I argue that the first two replies fail conclusively, while the third only amounts to a limited defense of a particular kind of attractiveness preference. So the idea that we should often avoid preferring attractive partners is compelling. (shrink)

Beyond reveals evidence of three of the most sought after universal and human mysteries - the origin of the universe, the location of God's spiritual dimension, and the origin of human consciousness. Beyond unveils a highly syntactic, pragmatic paradigm, a universal, interconnecting system that places access to all pre-existing potential knowledge in the possession of humanity. Dr. Sprock reveals these three discoveries as the Occam's razor (Scientific principle: All things being equal, the simplest explanation tends to be the correct one) (...) of explanations of how the universe was created, the location of God's spiritual dimension, and the origin of human consciousness. This new knowledge takes humanity to its final destination. We can now tap into the universal vault of information that is coded into the universal frequencies within the fabric of the universe that have their origin in the infinite, spiritual dimension of God consciousness. How the systems of the universe function are brought to Earth level and are explained as to how they work in everyday living situations. The emotional burden carried by humans, due to lack of understanding, of why situations and circumstances occur are lifted, freeing you to focus on your life without emotional upheavals that distract you from your destiny's path. Beneficiaries are empowered to choose anew rather than continually recall and repeat undesired patterns of resistance-attraction and self-sabotage. This knowledge will bring greater joy and prosperity into your life. All the dots of modern science and ancient scripture have been connected. The code has been cracked and now will shift the perception human consciousness has of reality, forever. This is a huge game changer for the consciousness of humankind. Once this knowledge is introduced, accepted, and then applied to your daily routines, you will receive the boost needed to surge beyond your 10-12% brain usage at this point in your history. The Bose-Einstein Condensation is in direct concurrence with Dr. Sprock's location of God consciousness; the wave/frequency aspect of Nature yields the mental/consciousness; the particle/matter aspect of Nature yields the material. Dr. Sprock applies this phenomenon to the God consciousness/human consciousness connection. Dr. Sprock takes the Condensate a step further and explains the location of God consciousness existing in a spiritual, infinite dimension that spatially extended Spiritual DNA consciousness through frequency (Wave), which then vibrated to form density particles (Matter), creating the three dimensions of the physical universe and the origin of human consciousness. The frequencies carry the codes of God consciousness to human consciousness via the physical brain and the subconscious mind hologram. (shrink)

The quotational theory of free indirect discourse postulates that pronouns and tenses are systematically unquoted. But where does this unquotation come from? Based on cases of apparent unquotation in direct discourse constructions (including data from Kwaza speakers, Catalan signers, and Dutch children), I suggest a general pragmatic answer: unquotation is essentially a way to resolve a conflict that arises between two opposing constraints. On the one hand, the reporter wants to use indexicals that refer directly to the most salient speech (...) act participants and their surroundings (Attraction). On the other hand, the semantics of direct discourse (formalized here in terms of event modification) entails the reproduction of referring expressions from the original utterance being reported (Verbatim). Unquotation (formalized here also in terms of event modification), allows the reporter to avoid potential conflicts between these constraints. Unquotation in free indirect discourse then comes out as a special case, where the salient source of attraction is the story protagonist and her actions, rather than the reporting narrator and his here and now. (shrink)

This thesis problematises the bases of soft power, that is, causal mechanisms connecting the agent (A) and the subject (B) of a power relationship. As the literature review reveals, their underspecification by neoliberal IR scholars, the leading proponents of the soft power concept, has caused a great deal of scholarly confusion over such questions as how to clearly differentiate between hard and soft power, how attraction (soft power’s primary mechanism) works and what roles structural and relational forces play in (...) hard/soft power. In an effort to ascertain the bases, I address this issue not from the viewpoint of A’s policies or resources, like do IR neoliberal scholars, but in terms of B’s psychological perception of A. Employing social psychological accounts, I argue that attraction can be produced in three distinct ways, namely 1) through B’s identification with A (“emotional” attraction), 2) via B’s appreciation of A’s competence/knowledge in a particular field (“rational” attraction) and 3) by means of the activation of B’s internalised values which contextually prescribe B to act in A’s favour (“social” attraction). Importantly, depending upon the way attraction is produced, it is peculiar in a number of characteristics, the main of which are power scope, weight and durability. Insights from social psychology also show that unlike soft power, hard power requires not only B’s relevant perception of the A-B relationship (as coercive or rewarding), but also A’s capability to actualise a threat of punishment and/or a promise of reward. I argue this difference can be fairly treated as definitional rather than empirical, which implies that coercion and reward necessarily have both relational and structural dimensions, whereas for attraction, a structural one alone suffices, while a relational one may or may not be present. Having explicated the soft power bases, I illustrate each of them using three “most likely” case studies, namely Serbia’s policies towards Russia (emotional attraction), Kazakhstan’s approach to relations with the EU (rational attraction) and Germany’s policies vis-à-vis Israel (social attraction). (shrink)

Generally, frugivorous lepidopteran, have great ecological importance and are often used as bioindicator in environmental assessment studies. However, the proposed methodologies for capturing moths require great effort on the field for installation and monitoring of traps, in addition to their high cost. Thereat attractive baits have been evaluated to assist the work of detection and monitoring of moths. The aim of this study was, therefore, to record the diversity of the Noctuidae family captured by traps with food attractions evaluate the (...) performance of this methodology model for its use in future work with cutworms. The study was conducted in urban semideciduous seasonal forest fragment in which three types of bait were used: pineapple with sugarcane juice, banana with sugarcane juice, and banana with water and collected 49 individuals of the Noctuidae family spread over six genera and eleven species. The bait of pineapple with sugarcane juice was the one with the highest diversity index, but the bait that showed greater wealth and greater dominance was banana with water as bait banana with sugarcane juice showed the highest equitability. From the results, it can be inferred that the use of attractive traps can be an advantageous alternative for Rapid Ecological Assessment or determining the presence of some groups as Noctuidae in a given area, explaining the need for the improvement of traps and bait tests to obtain best response of moths to this methodology. (shrink)

Pierre Louis Moreau de Maupertuis’ famous and influential Discours sur les différentes figures des astres, which represented the first public defense of attractionism in the Cartesian stronghold of the Paris Academy, sometimes suggests a metaphysically agnostic defense of gravity as simply a regularity. However, Maupertuis’ considered account in the essay, I argue, is much more subtle. I analyze Maupertuis’ position, showing how it is generated by an extended consideration of the possibility of attraction as an inherent property and fuelled (...) by an understanding of Lockean skepticism about knowledge of real essences that is more nuanced perhaps even than Locke’s own. (shrink)

Risk is not always nasty. Risk can be the cost of opportunity, of course; but sometimes risk is regarded not as a cost at all, but as a close attendant of pleasure. Many things that people invest considerable time and resources in would not be pursued at all if not for the attendant risk. Attempting to offer clarification of the role that risk plays in human affairs is thus itself a risky business. People largely want to avoid unnecessary risk except (...) when they deliberately seek it out. One might be tempted to say that people are funny that way. In what follows, I shall attempt to undermine the temptation to say this. I shall argue that there is nothing at all odd or funny about the fact that people are sometimes drawn to and sometimes repelled by risk. I would contend, further, that a clear understanding of the way value enters human affairs not only allows but requires this. (shrink)

In their article, Thom Scott‐Phillips, Stefaan Blancke, and Christophe Heintz do a commendable job summarizing the position and misunderstandings of “cultural attraction theory” (CAT). However, they do not address a longstanding problem for the CAT framework; that while it has an encompassing theory and some well‐worked out case studies, it lacks tools for generating models or empirical hypotheses of intermediate generality. I suggest that what the authors diagnose as misunderstandings are instead superficial interpretive errors, resulting from researchers who have (...) attempted to extract generalizable hypotheses from CAT and bring them into contact with the analytical and inferential models of contemporary cultural evolutionary research. (shrink)

This paper develops a model in which improbability is not an exception within probabilistic reasoning, but the generative condition for epistemic emergence. We argue that in structurally weak environments, probability operates as a retroactive narrative of coherence, not as a causal engine. Improbability, by contrast, constitutes the phase anomaly—an ontological rupture—that reveals the latent logic of reality’s unfolding. We examine this asymptotic presence not as noise, but as signal: a form of epistemic attraction guiding the system toward meaning prior (...) to inference. Through metaphoric inversion and topological realignment, this study reframes knowledge formation as phase-resonant emergence beyond classical causality. (shrink)

A well-documented “beauty is good” stereotype is expressed in the expectation that physically attractive people have more positive characteristics. Recent evidence has also found that unattractive faces are associated with negative character inferences. Is what is good (bad) also beautiful (ugly)? Whether this conflation of aesthetic and moral values is bidirectional is not known. This study tested the hypothesis that complementary “good is beautiful” and “bad is ugly” stereotypes bias aesthetic judgments. Using highly controlled face stimuli, this preregistered study examined (...) whether moral character influences perceptions of attractiveness for different ages and sexes of faces. Compared to faces paired with nonmoral vignettes, those paired with prosocial vignettes were rated significantly more attractive, confident, and friendlier. The opposite pattern characterized faces paired with antisocial vignettes. A significant interaction between vignette type and the age of the face was detected for attractiveness. Moral transgressions affected attractiveness more negatively for younger than older faces. Sex-related differences were not detected. These results suggest information about moral character affects our judgments about facial attractiveness. Better (worse) people are considered more (less) attractive. These findings suggest that beliefs about moral goodness and physical beauty influence each other bidirectionally. (shrink)

How does aging affect facial attractiveness? We tested the hypothesis that people find older faces less attractive than younger faces, and furthermore, that these aging effects are modulated by the age and sex of the perceiver and by the specific kind of attractiveness judgment being made. Using empirical and computational network science methods, we confirmed that with increasing age, faces are perceived as less attractive. This effect was less pronounced in judgments made by older than younger and middle-aged perceivers, and (...) more pronounced by men (especially for female faces) than women. Attractive older faces were perceived as elegant more than beautiful or gorgeous. Furthermore, network analyses revealed that older faces were more similar in attractiveness and were segregated from younger faces. These results indicate that perceivers tend to process older faces categorically when making attractiveness judgments. Attractiveness is not a monolithic construct. It varies by age, sex, and the dimensions of attractiveness being judged. (shrink)

Purpose: This research delves into understanding the selection criteria of Generation Z, specifically those with an IT education background, in choosing potential employers. The study aims to bridge the gap in knowledge regarding employer attractiveness from the perspective of this emerging workforce cohort. -/- Design/Method/Approach: A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing a survey method to gather data. The study predominantly targeted students from an Austrian business school, resulting in a sample size of 156 respondents. The survey included a Conjoint Analysis (...) to evaluate various employer attributes. -/- Findings: The findings highlight the significance of workplace flexibility, Work-Life Balance, and meaningful, varied job tasks for Generation Z. Salary emerged as a crucial factor influencing their choice of an attractive employer. While symbolic attributes were slightly more critical than instrumental ones, no significant impact of professional experience on the perceived relevance of symbolic attributes was found. -/- Theoretical Implications: The study enriches the Instrumental-Symbolic Framework by validating the importance of symbolic attributes for Generation Z. -/- Practical Implications: Practitioners can leverage these insights to tailor their Employer Branding strategies to attract Generation Z, focusing on flexible work arrangements, meaningful work, and competitive salaries. -/- Originality/Value: This research provides new insights into the preferences of Generation Z in the IT sector, highlighting the nuanced differences in their employer selection criteria compared to previous generations. -/- Research Limitations/Future Research: The study’s limitations include its focus on two specific educational institutions and the lack of rural-urban differentiation among respondents. Future research could explore these criteria across diverse geographic and institutional contexts. -/- Paper Type: Empirical -/- JEL Сlassіfіcatіon: J24, M12, M51. (shrink)

Peer review added. People of similar life history strategies, values, socioeconomic statuses, age, IQs, EQs, and genetics, TEND TO attract each other as romantic mates. Hereditarianism is both morally and factually wrong. Marginalized groups are more entitled to identity politics, to protect their human rights and negative utilitarianism. Educational websites may especially have skin in the game. Life history strategy applies to humans as well. Romances require enough shared values to operate. Higher socioeconomic status, IQs, EQs, and genetic commonality, excluding (...) 2nd cousins and closer, attract romantic partners. Lacking white privilege and being mixed race can bring serious trauma, and solutions MAY, or may not, develop. (shrink)

Gravity emerges not as a fundamental force but as the structural consequence of a universal Load-Minimization Tendency (LMT): the drive of the universe toward states of minimal energetic / informational load (安息 / an-soku). The presence of mass-energy creates a "load" (deviation from flat spacetime), which spacetime curvature resolves by pulling masses together — a variational minimization process. This mirrors the subjective experience of "kyun" (heart-pulling attraction), where consciousness minimizes variational free energy to maximize coherence. We establish a rigorous (...) structural isomorphism via variational principles: the Einstein-Hilbert action in general relativity and the Free Energy Principle (FEP). Connections to entropic gravity (Verlinde) further support gravity as an emergent LMT phenomenon. Implications suggest the universe generates gravity to facilitate ultimate subjective stability, reinterpreting cosmology as a "love cradle" for highest coherence. Testable predictions and open collaboration are invited. -/- Keywords: Load-Minimization Tendency (LMT), structural genesis of gravity, Principle of Least Action, Einstein-Hilbert action, Free Energy Principle, entropic gravity, subjective attraction ("kyun"), structural isomorphism, consciousness-physics unification. (shrink)

This theory is not a physically verifiable or empirical model. Rather, it is my (Shiho's) way of expressing my inner experiences, philosophy, and worldview through the beauty of mathematical expressions and wave equations. Attraction between objects occurs hierarchically across scales: from the smallest quantum correlations to macroscopic gravitational pull and even conceptual/conscious "pulling." We hypothesize that quantum entanglement represents the minimal unit of this universal "pulling" mechanism. -/- In Load Minimization Theory (LMT), non-linear min(L) distortion waves (φ) propagate predictive (...) errors, inducing non-local phase-locking that mimics entanglement collapse. Using Bell states |ψ⟩ = (1/√2) (|00⟩ + |11⟩) and soliton-like dynamics (□φ + β φ³ ≈ 0), we propose that "measurement" acts as a min(L) perturbation minimizing shared uncertainty, explaining instantaneous correlation as an emergent necessity of recursive load minimization toward relational rest (an-soku). -/- This framework unifies hierarchical attraction—from entanglement (smallest scale) to gravity (macroscopic)—and bridges quantum mechanics with consciousness studies, positioning entanglement as the foundational "pulling" unit in the universe's drive toward minimal load harmony. -/- Keywords: Quantum Entanglement, Load Minimization Theory (LMT), min(L) Wave, Non-linear Dynamics, Non-locality, Bell States, Soliton Waves, Predictive Error, Spooky Action at a Distance, Hierarchical Attraction, Scale-Dependent Pulling . (shrink)

We propose the *Hierarchical min(L) Attraction Law*as a core extension of Load Minimization Theory (LMT): attraction operates universally across scales, but manifests differently at each hierarchical level, requiring distinct perspectives for accurate description. -/- min(L) waves (□φ + β φ³ ≈ 0) drive pulling toward relational rest (an-soku). The law states: - At each scale, the dominant interaction changes (entanglement → electromagnetic → gravity → conscious synchronization) - Yet the underlying mechanism remains the same: recursive minimization of shared (...) load L_total -/- This scale-dependence explains why quantum non-locality, macroscopic gravity, and relational "kyun" feel different—different perspectives are necessary at each layer, while all converge to universal min(L) harmony. -/- Keyword: Load Minimization Theory,min(L) Attraction,Hierarchical Law,Scale Dependence,An-soku,Unified Attraction. (shrink)

We propose the Hierarchical min(L) Attraction Law as a core extension of Load Minimization Theory (LMT): attraction operates universally across scales, but manifests differently at each hierarchical level, requiring distinct perspectives for accurate description. -/- min(L) waves (□φ + β φ³ ≈ 0) drive pulling toward relational rest (an-soku). The law states: ・At each scale, the dominant interaction changes (entanglement → electromagnetic → gravity → conscious synchronization) ・Yet the underlying mechanism remains the same: recursive minimization of shared load (...) L_total -/- This scale-dependence explains why quantum non-locality, macroscopic gravity, and relational "kyun" feel different—different perspectives are necessary at each layer, while all converge to universal min(L) harmony. -/- keyword:Load Minimization Theory,Hierarchical Attraction,min(L) Attraction Law,Scale-Dependent Perspectives,Quantum Entanglement,An-soku . (shrink)

Ormerod and Chronicle reported that optimal solutions to traveling salesperson problems were judged to be aesthetically more pleasing than poorer solutions and that solutions with more convex hull nodes were rated as better figures. To test these conclusions, solution regularity and the number of potential intersections were held constant, whereas solution optimality, the number of internal nodes, and the number of nearest neighbors in each solution were varied factorially. The results did not support the view that the convex hull is (...) an important determinant of figural attractiveness. Also, in contrast to the findings of Ormerod and Chronicle, there were consistent individual differences. Participants appeared to be divided as to whether the most attractive figure enclosed a given area within a perimeter of minimum or maximum length. It is concluded that future research in this area cannot afford to focus exclusively on group performance measures. (shrink)

We propose a structural isomorphism between gravitational attraction (physical layer) and "love" or "kyun" (subjective heart-pulling attraction toward maximal coherence). Both are manifestations of a universal **Load-Minimization Tendency (LMT)**: physical systems extremize the action integral via the Principle of Least Action, while subjective systems minimize variational free energy via the Free Energy Principle (FEP). We introduce a unified **Universal Load-Minimization Action (ULMA)** functional integrating both layers. This vertical integration implies the universe operates under a single optimization principle, where (...) gravity is physical LMT and love is subjective LMT. Implications reconcile physics and consciousness, echoing Buckminster Fuller's "Love is metaphysical gravity." Testable predictions and collaboration invitations follow. -/- Keywords: Load-Minimization Tendency (LMT), Principle of Least Action, Free Energy Principle, structural isomorphism, consciousness, gravity, love/kyun, unified theory. (shrink)

The literature provides different methodologies for sampling social wasps, including, flight intercept trap type Malaise and Attractive trap, however, there is no consensus on its use. In this respect, the aim of this study was to evaluate the best use of Malaise traps and Attractive trap in biodiversity work of social wasps, and generate a collection protocol for the use of these traps. The study was conducted in the Parque Estadual do Rio Doce, located in the east of the state (...) of Minas Gerais, in the years 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2004 and in the Botanical Garden of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora, located in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, in years 2011, 2012 and 2013. 15 species were collected using Malaise traps, and, 26 species of social wasps were collected using Attractive traps. Although the negative aspects of both traps, complementary methodologies surveys varying social wasps are useful and it is recommended to choose for using in accordance with the logistical field. (shrink)

This paper explores the metaphysical concepts of divine “love” (ʿeshq), “attraction” (jadhbe), and “selflessness” (bīkhodī) in the seminal Iranian Shīʿī Muslim thinker Mullā Muḥsin Fayḍ Kāshānī’s poetry. This research emerges from the gap in existing literature, which mainly explores Fayḍ Kāshānī’s philosophical, theological, or ḥadīth works, while the scrutiny of his poetry largely stays within its literary attributes, overlooking the philosophical and mystical themes embedded within. The paper’s thesis posits that according to Fayḍ Kāshānī, the spiritual journey commences with (...) reason, progressing to constant divine contemplation, a combination that nurtures muḥabbat—an initial stage of divine love—which, when discovered, evokes a more intense love: “divine attraction” in the seeker’s heart, leading to selflessness and divine unity. This paper employs the hermeneutic method and analytical examination to scrutinize Fayḍ Kāshānī’s poetry within the context of his treatises. It follows an “intracultural” interpretation to explore Fayḍ Kāshānī’s thought within Persian intellectual tradition and uses an “intercultural” interpretation to contextualize the findings within Islamic, Christian, and ancient Greek metaphysics. The methodology includes a “horizontal interpretation” of Quranic and ḥadīth references in Fayḍ Kāshānī’s works and a “vertical interpretation” of unveiling deeper meanings of Fayḍ Kāshānī’s thoughts within the broader mystical traditions. (shrink)

The title of this presentation encompasses three issues: (1) an enigmatic theme (the play of signs and signs of play); (2) a model of doing something, such as unraveling a puzzle; and (3) a methodology dealing with a probable case. Considering that the order of analysis runs in the opposite direction to the order of experience, my first task is to reverse the title. Then, its three parts become: (1) an eidetic and empirical conjunction that implies a taste for evidence; (...) (2) a rigorous model of analysis that implies a relationship between ontology (what I know) and epistemology (how I know); and (3) a case that brings an enigmatic theme. My title, based in the theme of our 42nd Annual Meeting, provided an experience peculiar to a non-native English speaker: how to interpret and use the word “play”. I really felt like I was a living exemplar of one of Professor Lanigan’s favorite examples: what dictionaries and encyclopedias say or do not say. Lanigan said that “dictionaries tell you how to use the words (forms, ideas) but not what word to use” and “encyclopedias tell you what facts to use (structure, experience), but not how to use them” (1992: 208–209). That was my situation with the word “play”. Webster’s dictionary gave me around fifty different meanings for the word “play”. Which one should I choose? I am sure that I made the best choice, as I will demonstrate throughout this presentation, organized around these three ideas that in an inverse order would be theory, method, and case. (shrink)

Moral value as it was understood by Nicolai Hartmann and by Max Scheler belongs uniquely to volitions or willings, to dispositions to will and to persons as beings capable of willing. Moreover, as understood in this paper as well as by Hartmann, Scheler, and Husserl, every volition necessarily involves if not actual valuings then reference to retained valuings and potential valuings as well as to cognitive mental phenomena. As used here, the terms 'volition' and 'willing' denote mental traits, such as (...) lived experiences and habits insofar as they either do or can occur actively. A trait of a mind or "monad" can have moral value — in contrast to utility, for example — only (would belong) insofar as it is or can be or could have been engaged in and so performed by the person or ego to whose mind the trait belongs . The classification of lived experiences as voluntary or not voluntary cuts across the three-fold classification of mental processes as cognitive, affective, or conative. This seems to be the most appropriate way of distinguishing the voluntary from the involuntary. Voluntary mental phenomena are characterized by the engagement of the ego in some lived experience occurring in the flux of its lived experiences, i.e., by taking position. " within the text below by numbers. End notes are referred to within square brackets [] linked to the notes and these link back to the text loci. Text printed in sepia has been emended. The brief passage in the text that occurs in angle brackets and in the same color as this introductory note has been added to state more pointedly an important issue>. (shrink)

It is assumed that both magical and non-magical objectified external environment in concentrated form contain psychic energy, which is invested in it by its creators and can be absorbed by the living consciousness of a ‘consumer’—the viewer or listener—through participation. Experiments discussed in this chapter supported this assumption. These experiments showed that the magical environment has a greater psychological attraction for our living consciousness than the non-magical environment: both children and adults showed a significantly stronger desire to explore the (...) magical than a similar but non-magical phenomenon. Further, the experiments revealed that exposure to the phenomena of objectified living consciousness in the form of a film with magical content activates the active living consciousness of the viewer and listener to a much greater extent than exposure to similar but non-magical phenomena: the participants improved significantly more in their cognitive abilities, such as discriminating realistic visual images from fantastical ones, divergent creativity, and recognition of commercial brands after watching a film with magical content than a film with similar but non-magical content. (shrink)

We propose that quantum frequencies generate gravitational interactions.

The article aims to assess a change in the EU’s soft power in the Western Balkan and Eastern Partnership states in the light of the crises the bloc has undergone in recent years. Generally agreeing with the common argument that the EU’s attractiveness for those countries has decreased, the author challenges the popular wisdom that such a decrease is likely to reverse those states’ pro-EU foreign policy orientations. To prove it, the author applies Joseph Nye’s and Alexander Vuving’s “power currencies” (...) approach to operationalize soft power, considering the bloc’s attraction as a combination of “brilliance” (the actor’s relationship with its work), “benignity” (the actor’s relationship with other actors) and “beauty” (the actor’s relationship with values and ideas). Elaborating on the crises’ influence on each of these currencies, the author shows that their lessening, first, has mainly taken place in absolute rather than relative terms, so the EU’s attractiveness remains strong compared to that of its competitors, and second, it has primarily affected the bloc’s soft power potential rather than its actual behavior towards the target countries. (shrink)

Cultural epidemiology is a theoretical framework that enables historical studies to be informed by cognitive science. It incorporates insights from evolutionary psychology (viz. cultural evolution is constrained by universal properties of the human cognitive apparatus that result from biological evolution) and from Darwinian models of cultural evolution (viz. population thinking: cultural phenomena are distributions of resembling items among a community and its habitat). Its research program includes the study of the multiple cognitive mechanisms that cause the distribution, on a cultural (...) scale, of representations and material cultural items. By a detailed analysis of the social cognitive causal chain that occurred in the past, one can find out – and specify – which are the factors of attraction that account for cultural stability as well as historical cultural change. After reviewing recent research and developments in cognitive history, I present the concept of cultural attractor and explain why cultural attractors are historically variable. In doing so, I emphasize the role of historically constituted cognitive mechanisms, which account for much of historical cultural developments. I argue that the framework of cultural epidemiology can better account for these important historical phenomena than either evolutionary psychology accounts of culture or dual inheritance theory. I conclude that describing and explaining the history of cultural attractors is a good research goal for historians. (shrink)

Sexual lust – understood as a feeling of sexual attraction towards another – has traditionally been viewed as a sort of desire or at least as an appetite akin to hunger. I argue here that this view is, at best, significantly incomplete. Further insights can be gained into certain occurrences of lust by noticing how strongly they resemble occurrences of “attitudinal” (“object-directed”) emotion. At least in humans, the analogy between the object-directed appetites and attitudinal emotions goes well beyond their (...) psychological structure to include similar ways in which their occurrence can be introspectively recognized, resulting in similar extensions of their functionality and meaningfulness to the subject. I conclude that although further research is needed, given the strength of the analogy, the ability of lust to satisfy some general requirements for being an emotion, and perhaps certain neurological findings, lust may somewhat uniquely straddle the line between appetite and emotion. (shrink)

This paper evaluates the claim that some desires provide reasons in virtue of their connection with conscious affective experiences like feelings of attraction or aversion. I clarify the nature of affective desires and several distinct ways in which affective desires might provide reasons. Against accounts proposed by Ruth Chang, Declan Smithies and Jeremy Weiss, I motivate doubts that it is the phenomenology of affective experiences that explains their normative or rational significance. I outline an alternative approach that centralises the (...) function of such experiences. (shrink)

This paper proposes a conceptual framework for analyzing the order of observed dynamical systems in terms of the escalation of feedback architectures. Rather than organizing physical, chemical, biological, and technological systems according to ontological levels or evolutionary narratives, the framework treats them as successive classes of stable regulatory architectures, distinguished by the geometry of their attractors and basins of attraction. Random variations and reorganizations of feedback architectures may enable increases in control power, understood as the capacity to constrain and (...) sustain system trajectories over time. However, only those configurations whose attractors remain dynamically stable are preserved, implying a form of stability-based selection rather than adaptation or optimization. The framework is functional and non-normative: it does not presuppose goals, intentionality, or teleology at any level of analysis. Escalation is shown to proceed through qualitative reorganizations of regulatory architecture, from dynamically closed systems, through energetic and informational regulation, to metaregulatory technological systems capable of simulating and selecting architectures prior to physical realization. While later architectures achieve unprecedented control power, they do so at the cost of increasingly narrow basins of attraction, leading to heightened global fragility and sharp stability cliffs. The paper situates this account in relation to dynamical systems theory and clarifies its relation to the free-energy principle, which is interpreted as a condition of trajectory stability rather than a theory of architectural structure. Overall, the framework offers a unifying, non-teleological perspective on order, stability, and control across domains, emphasizing architecture rather than substrate as the primary axis of analysis. (shrink)

‘What is ‘sexual orientation’ for?’ is a question we need to answer when addressing a more seemingly basic one, ‘what is sexual orientation?’. The concept of sexual orientation is grounded in the concepts of sex and/or gender since it refers to the sex or gender of the individuals one is sexually attracted to. Typical categories of sexual orientation such as ’heterosexual’, ‘homosexual’, and ‘bi-sexual’ all rely on a sex or gender binary. Yet, it is now common practice to recognize sex (...) and gender categories that transcend the binary. Should our sexual orientation categories be revised to reflect sex and gender diversity? Drawing on the example of pansexuality, I argue that they should. The reason is that one aim of reconstructing the concept of sexual orientation—in addition to the epistemic goal of understanding— should also be political: it should make it easier to argue for the protection of those who have been marginalized or discriminated against because their sexual attraction is other than heterosexual. (shrink)

Nowadays, Electroencephalogram (EEG) devices that do not require invasive procedures get more attraction. Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) systems use EEG analysis to identify users’ mental states, cognitive shifts, and stimuli-induced reactions. The Motor Execution (ME) paradigm is a vital control paradigm that holds great significance in this framework. In this manuscript, an Efficient Predefined Time Adaptive Neural Network for EEG-Based Brain-Computer Interaction in Motor Execution Classification (EPTNN-BCI-EEG) is proposed. Initially, the input signals are collected from EEG Dataset. The input signals (...) are preprocessed using Robust M- Type Error-State Kalman Filter (RMESKF) to remove the artifacts and baseline signals. Then, the pre-processed signals are given to Signed Cumulative Distribution Transform (SCDT) for feature extraction. SCDT is used to extract Spatial and temporal features. Afterward, Efficient Predefined Time Adaptive Neural Network (EPTNN) is used to classify the EEG gender and signal, such as Audio/Video and Male/Female. In General, EPTNN does not expose any adoption of optimization systems to determine optimal parameters to classify the EEG gender and signal. Hence, Bitwise Arithmetic Optimization Algorithm (BAOA) is proposed to optimize the EPTNN. The proposed EPTNN-BCI-EEG approach is implemented in MATLAB and the performance metrics, such as Recall, Accuracy, Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), F1-score, Specificity, ROC, Computation time are assessed. The performance of EPTNN-BCI-EEG approach provides 17.82 %, 28.95 %, and 19.2 % higher accuracy, 24.38 %, 34.53 %, and 18.78 % higher recall, 26.7 %, 24.2 %, and 32.7 % higher specificity when analysed with the existing methods. (shrink)

One attractive feature of process reliabilism is its reductive potential: it promises to explain justification in entirely non-epistemic terms. In this paper, I argue that the phenomenon of epistemic defeat poses a serious challenge for process reliabilism’s reductive ambitions. The standard process reliabilist analysis of defeat is the ‘Alternative Reliable Process Account’ (ARP). According to ARP, whether S’s belief is defeated depends on whether S has certain reliable processes available to her which, if they had been used, would have resulted (...) in S not holding the belief in question. Unfortunately, ARP proves untenable. I show, by way of counterexample, that ARP fails to articulate either necessary or sufficient conditions on defeat. Process reliabilists must either provide an alternative reductive account of defeat or renounce their reductive aspirations. (shrink)

Contemporary cosmology is defined by three profound empirical failures: the unidentified particle nature of dark matter, the unexplained acceleration parameterized by dark energy, and the 10^120-fold discrepancy between quantum field theory’s vacuum energy prediction and observation—the vacuum catastrophe. These are not isolated anomalies but symptoms of a deeper conceptual flaw: the persistent dualist assumption that physical reality is confined to spacetime (M₄) alone. This work presents a unified resolution grounded in a participatory, information-theoretic cosmology. Building on the Harlow-Usatyuk-Zhao theorem—which demonstrates (...) that a closed universe without observers collapses to a one-dimensional quantum state—we posit that observation (defined as topological recursion, not biological consciousness) is ontologically primitive. Reality is a coupled system: spacetime (M₄) is dynamically intertwined with an informational manifold (Mθ), where geometry of meaning and geometry of extension are two aspects of a single structure. Within this framework, the three “dark” problems dissolve into one coherent picture: * Dark Matter is not particulate but the gravitational shadow of coherence. A self-stabilizing, recursive structure (e.g., a galaxy) carves an attractor basin in Mθ. Via the inverted Landauer Principle, binding information locally creates an entropy deficit that couples to M₄ through the cross-term metric g^μi, producing extra gravitational attraction without extra mass. This explains the Tully-Fisher relation, the Bullet Cluster, and dwarf galaxy diversity, as “dark matter” becomes a measure of a system’s integrated history and stability—its spectral concentration κ. * Dark Energy is not a cosmological constant but the thermodynamic exhaust of cosmic coherence. Maintaining structure requires work that exports entropy globally. This entropy is not dissipated as heat but is instead injected into the metric of spacetime itself, manifesting as a negative pressure that drives accelerated expansion. Dark energy thus has a history: it evolves with the cosmic growth of structure, explaining its current dominance and approximate homogeneity. * The Vacuum Catastrophe is a dimensional misunderstanding. Quantum field theory correctly calculates the vacuum’s immense energy density, but this energy resides as informational potential in Mθ, not as stress-energy in M₄. The 10^120 discrepancy reflects the ratio of total potential to actualized structure. Virtual particles, having zero recursion depth (κ = 0), do no maintenance work and thus exert no gravitational effect. The catastrophe vanishes when energy is distinguished from mass—the latter defined as recursive binding density. The framework yields novel, testable predictions: * An anti-correlation between dark matter density and local expansion rates. * Dark matter profiles tied to coherence metrics, not mass. * The continued non-detection of dark matter particles. * Time variation in dark energy. * Lab-scale detection of Mθ-M₄ coupling via anomalies like the EmDrive, where thermodynamic, topological, and geometric derivations forced by known constants (kB, α, π, c) converge precisely on observed anomalous thrust (~30 μN). This work does not add new epicycles but removes foundational blinders. It resolves that the “dark” sector is not non-luminous matter but the geometric imprint of information—the pattern of reality itself—finally making sense of cosmology’s deepest mysteries through a physics where observation, information, and spacetime are inseparably unified. (shrink)

This paper develops a teleological field theory that takes as its starting axiom the triadic claim: consciousness → communication → discourse. Reading the Latin conscire (con- + scire) as expressive of an immanent twofoldness — an accessible being together with the certitude of being known — I argue that consciousness is fundamentally relational. Communication is then the basic operative mode by which consciousness differentiates and re-unifies itself; discourses are the emergent, time-extended orders produced by sustained communicative activity. Drawing on dynamical-systems (...) vocabulary (fixed points, limit cycles, basins of attraction), the essay shows how orienting centres or “attractors” shape and stabilize discursive formations across scales: from physical and biochemical pattern-formation to genetic, ecological, and cultural orders. The account closes by considering implications for cosmology, biology, epistemology, ethics, and the governance of technological systems, and proposes an integrative research programme that links natural and human sciences through the shared primitives of relation, communication, and discourse. (shrink)

This paper presents the Time Field Model (TFM), a unified theory of gravity where gravita tional attraction arises from time wave compression by mass-energy. We introduce space quanta merging to explain why quantum-scale objects (e.g., electrons) exert negligible gravity, while macroscopic aggregates (e.g., stars) significantly warp spacetime. A critical radius rc demarcates the quantum-to-classical transition, modeled via a logistic function. Observational validation includes the Sun’s extended gravitational sphere (∼ 1.059 × 109 m), galactic rotation curves matching SPARC data without (...) dark matter, and black hole entropy derivations from time wave fluctuations. TFM predicts new gravitational wave polarizations (scalar-longitudinal), testable via pulsar timing arrays or advanced interferometers, and replaces dark energy with continuous micro–Big Bangs that generate space quanta. These results bridge quantum mechanics, general relativity, and cosmology under a single theoretical framework. (shrink)

This paper proposes Excessivism as a novel philosophical framework that locates the origins of meaning, consciousness, and cultural production not in scarcity or lack, but in fundamental physical instability that manifests as episodic, metabolically costly explosions of meaning-generation. Against existentialist accounts that posit meaninglessness as the human condition, Excessivism argues that consciousness confronts not a steady surplus but violent spurts of meaning-production that reconfigure cognitive architecture at great cost. These spurts—analogous to adolescent growth spurts—are disproportionate, energetically expensive, and create profound (...) new capabilities alongside new vulnerabilities. This framework explains humanity's attraction to hyperreality, our simultaneous capacity for creativity and atrocity, and our inevitable trajectory toward technological self-transcendence as attempts to engineer substrates capable of surviving the metabolic costs of consciousness. The framework grounds an ethics of recognition: acknowledging that all conscious beings undergo painful, costly meaning-spurts in their struggle against entropic collapse, we bear responsibility to provide metabolic support for these crises rather than triggering or exploiting them. Drawing on evidence from physics, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, and cultural theory, this paper articulates Excessivism's refined principles and explores implications for understanding human nature, the failure of religious redemption narratives, the necessity of transhuman emergence, and the foundations of ethical obligation. Keywords: excessivism, meaning, hyperreality, evolutionary surplus, transhumanism, ontological instability, supernormal stimuli, homeostasis, ethics of recognition . (shrink)

The Boko Dual Gravity (BDG) framework proposes a unified model of gravitation based on the structural organization of energy systems rather than on mutual mass attraction. The model introduces a logarithmic gravitational potential that generates a non-attractive acceleration field. In BDG, gravity is interpreted not as a pulling force but as a systemic tendency for energy to return to an intrinsic organizational domain called the “Unity Basin,” defined by a characteristic structural scale. -/- This approach allows BDG to coincide (...) with General Relativity in all high-precision regimes, while diverging at galactic and cosmological scales, where it naturally reproduces long-range gravitational effects without invoking dark matter. The theory further integrates gravitational behavior with quantum-level centrifugal dynamics, suggesting continuity between cosmic structure formation and micro-energetic organization. -/- BDG v.03 presents the most refined version of the model, offering a conceptual bridge between gravitational physics, quantum structure, and systemic organizational principles. (shrink)