Fish smoking remains a critical post-harvest practice that enhances preservation, nutritional retention, and marketability, especially in regions with limited cold-chain infrastructure. This review critically appraises traditional smoking methods and modern semi-mechanized and mechanized alternatives, highlighting their effects on quality, safety, efficiency, and sustainability. Traditional kilns, though affordable and culturally entrenched, are associated with inconsistent heating, elevated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), high fuel consumption, and occupational health risks. These limitations undermine both product safety and the health of predominantly female processors. (...) Modern smoking technologies, including the Chorkor smoker, FAO-Thiaroye Technique (FTT), cabinet kilns, and emerging IoT-enabled systems, demonstrate significant improvements. They offer better airflow control, reduced PAH formation, improved microbial safety, and higher throughput, while simultaneously reducing firewood demand by up to 50%. Ergonomic redesigns address musculoskeletal strain and heat stress, while cleaner fuels such as biogas and rice-husk briquettes contribute to environmental sustainability. Despite these advances, adoption is slowed by high capital costs, cultural preferences, and limited technical capacity. The review emphasizes the dual necessity of preserving artisanal livelihoods while scaling modern practices to meet export standards and sustainability goals. It concludes that modernization, when combined with participatory design, financing support, and training, can transform fish smoking into a safer, more efficient, and environmentally responsible practice. Future directions point to digital monitoring, renewable energy integration, and ergonomic, eco-friendly designs that align with global sustainability agendas while protecting smallholder value chains. (shrink)

Intellectual property regimes necessarily create artificial scarcity leading to wastage, both by blocking follow-up research and hindering access to those who are only able to pay less then the actual retail price. After revising the traditional arguments to hinder access to people’s intellectual labour we will examine why we should be more open to allow free-riding of inventive efforts, especially in cases where innovators have not secured the widest access to the fruits of their research and failed to cooperate with (...) follow-up innovators. We will do so by questioning the voluntariness involved in consumption of objects of innovation, restating the positive social externalities that arise when wider access to the fruits of innovation is assured, and examining the eventual harms innovators face. (shrink)

The Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) concept is a knowledge assembly and communication tool to facilitate the transparent translation of mechanistic information into outcomes meaningful to the regulatory assessment of chemicals. The AOP framework and associated knowledgebases (KBs) have received significant attention and use in the regulatory toxicology community. However, it is increasingly apparent that the potential stakeholder community for the AOP concept and AOP KBs is broader than scientists and regulators directly involved in chemical safety assessment. In this paper we (...) identify and describe those stakeholders who currently—or in the future—could benefit from the application of the AOP framework and knowledge to specific problems. We also summarize the challenges faced in implementing pathway-based approaches such as the AOP framework in biological sciences, and provide a series of recommendations to meet critical needs to ensure further progression of the framework as a useful, sustainable and dependable tool supporting assessments of both human health and the environment. Although the AOP concept has the potential to significantly impact the organization and interpretation of biological information in a variety of disciplines/applications, this promise can only be fully realized through the active engagement of, and input from multiple stakeholders, requiring multi-pronged substantive long-term planning and strategies. (shrink)

The main objectives of this study were to determine the extent of innovation in the grape harvest, and the rate of familiarity and usability of innovations by farmers in Parwan province. The data were collected as primary data, included face to face interviews with 120 grape growers and local authorities in 20 villages spread across the two districts of Charikar and Bagram provinces of Parwan, Afghanistan. The data was analyzed by (SPSS 22) Package. According to the results, the size (...) of agricultural land, land allocated to grape production have the most similarities; however, the findings show that grape yield was impressed by the application of farmers' innovations and knowledge by the user of innovation in the harvest stage grape production. The membership of farmers in agricultural organizations is very weak, and only 8.2% of the farmers have membership in the organization. And also, the advantages and disadvantages of using innovations were evaluated. The advatages were evaluated by six options (Saving Time, Increasing demand for the product, Wastes Reduction in the product, Better management, Easy harvest, Employment of less laborer), and all of them given high importance (HI). The disadvantages were evaluated in four options, of which only the the item ''Not economic'' was given (HI) while the remaining three disadvantages were in (LI) category. Familiarity and usability of innovations have different results; most of the farmers are familiar with innovations. However, the application of innovations is less than it is familiarity. (shrink)

The altered nuclear transfer-oocyte assisted reprogramming (ANT-OAR) proposal has serious scientific and philosophical flaws, and it is not a morally acceptable means of obtaining embryonic stem cells. Note that this is the final preprint of an article that was published in the newspaper Science and Theology News in June 2006.

The broadcast nature of communication in transmission media has driven the rise of network coding’s popularity in wireless networks. Numerous benefits arise from employing network coding in multi-hop wireless networks, including enhanced throughput, reduced energy consumption, and decreased end-to-end delay. These advantages are a direct outcome of the minimized transmission count. This paper introduces a comprehensive framework to employ network coding in these networks. It refines decision-making at coding and decoding nodes simultaneously. The coding-nodes employ optimal stopping theory to find (...) optimal moments for packet transmission. Meanwhile, the decoding-nodes dynamically decide, through SMDP (Semi Markov Decision Process) problem formulation, whether to conserve energy by deactivating radio units or to stay active for improved coding by overhearing packets. The proposed framework, named ENCODE, enables nodes to learn how and when to use network coding over time. Simulation results compare its performance with existing approaches. Our simulation results shed new light on when and how to use network coding in wireless multi-hop networks more effectively. (shrink)

This research was done in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil on february 2012, with objective was to determine which species of social wasps visiting mango fruits, their behaviors displayed by them while foraging and verify which the species of wasps visitors offer risk of accidents to farmers. The studied area was monitored during February 2012, from 8:00 to 17:00. in a 144 hour effort, and the data collected included the time of activity, diversity, aggressiveness and the general behavior of (...) social wasps around the fruits. There were registered a total of 175 individuals of 12 different species, healthy fruits were damaged during the day, and we registered the abundance and richness peaks throughout the day. This study indicated the needs for special care during the harvest, as aggressive wasps are indeed present and the abundant, resulting in a possible increase of the risk for the workers. (shrink)

This research examines the emerging sector of urban rooftop farming in Bangalore, India, focusing on sustainability practices and economic viability. Through analysis of data from five established rooftop gardening firms—My Dream Garden, Squarefoot Farmers, GreenMyLife, Urban Mali, and Gardening Wizards—this study provides insights into the current state, challenges, and future prospects of urban agriculture in one of India's fastestgrowing metropolitan areas. The research reveals significant potential for environmental sustainability and urban food security, alongside substantial economic and operational challenges impeding widespread (...) adoption. Awareness and interest among practitioners are high, with motivations ranging from environmental sustainability to food security and economic opportunity. Sustainability approaches vary considerably, with rainwater harvesting, organic farming, and hydroponics emerging as the most common methods. Economic analysis indicates revenue disparities (₹1,000-₹10,000+ monthly), with profitability influenced by scale, crop selection, and market access. Firms utilizing specialty crops, modern farming techniques, and diverse distribution channels demonstrate higher revenue potential. However, high initial setup costs are universally identified as the primary barrier to entry and expansion. For mainstream adoption and economic viability, stakeholders recommend increased government support through subsidies and incentives, expanded training programs, improved access to farming supplies, and community-based collaborative initiatives. While rooftop farming represents a promising approach to urban sustainability in Bangalore, its transition from niche practice to mainstream solution requires coordinated interventions across policy, technical, and economic domains. (shrink)

: Background: Vegetable agriculture is very important to human continued existence and remains a key driver of many economies worldwide, especially in underdeveloped and developing economies. Objectives: There is an increasing demand for food and cash crops, due to the increasing in world population and the challenges enforced by climate modifications, there is an urgent need to increase plant production while reducing costs. Methods: In this paper, Lemon classification approach is presented with a dataset that contains approximately 2,000 images belong (...) to 3 species at a few developing phases. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) algorithms, a deep learning technique extensively applied to image recognition was used, for this task. The results: found that CNN-driven lemon classification applications when used in farming automation have the latent to enhance crop harvest and improve output and productivity when designed properly. The trained model achieved an accuracy of 99.48% on a held-out test set, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach. (shrink)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the agricultural sector, enhancing both productivity and sustainability. This paper delves into the impact of AI technologies on agriculture, emphasizing their application in precision farming, predictive analytics, and automation. AI-driven tools facilitate more efficient crop and resource management, leading to higher yields and a reduced environmental footprint. The paper explores key AI technologies, such as machine learning algorithms for crop monitoring, robotics for automated planting and harvesting, and data analytics for optimizing resource use. Additionally, it (...) discusses challenges like data privacy, barriers to technology adoption, and the ethical implications of AI in farming. Integrating AI into agricultural practices holds the promise of greater efficiency and sustainability, paving the way for future innovations. (shrink)

Because factory-farmed meat production inflicts gratuitous suffering upon animals and wreaks havoc on the environment, there are morally compelling reasons to become vegetarian. Yet industrial plant agriculture causes the death of many field animals, and this leads some to question whether consumers ought to get some of their protein from certain kinds of non factory-farmed meat. Donald Bruckner, for instance, boldly argues that the harm principle implies an obligation to collect and consume roadkill and that strict vegetarianism is thus immoral. (...) But this argument works only if the following claims are true: all humans have access to roadkill, roadkill would go to waste if those who happen upon it don’t themselves consume it, it’s impossible to harvest vegetables without killing animals, the animals who are killed in plant production are all-things-considered harmed by crop farming, and the best arguments for vegetarianism all endorse the harm principle. As I will argue in this paper, each claim is deeply problematic. Consequently, in most cases, humans ought to strictly eat plants and save the roadkill for cats. (shrink)

It is commonly argued that a serious right to life is grounded only in actual, relatively advanced psychological capacities a being has acquired. The moral permissibility of abortion is frequently argued for on these grounds. Increasingly it is being argued that such accounts also entail the permissibility of infanticide, with several proponents of these theories accepting this consequence. We show, however, that these accounts imply the permissibility of even more unpalatable acts than infanticide performed on infants: organ harvesting, live experimentation, (...) sexual interference, and discriminatory killing. The stronger intuitions against the permissibility of these ‘pre-personal acts’ allow us to re-establish a comprehensive and persuasive reductio against psychological accounts of persons. (shrink)

This epilogue synthesizes Gnostic cosmology, the "ontological turn" in anthropology, and systems theory to present a rigorous diagnostic framework for the converging crises of the modern era. The text posits that our current geopolitical and psychological malaise is not merely a series of policy failures, but the manifestation of a fundamental ontological war - a struggle over the nature of reality itself. It argues that the dominant materialist worldview is a deliberately engineered "consensus prison" designed to suppress "participatory knowledge" and (...) maintain a closed loop of control. The work illuminates the contemporary zeitgeist through four distinct, interlocked dimensions: 1. The Autonomy of the Machine (The Homo Economicus Egregore) - The text reframes the threat of autonomous systems by identifying Homo economicus not as a theoretical model, but as an "egregore" - a non-human intelligence born from collective belief that has achieved autonomous agency. This entity functions as the "unconscious spirit of the global empire," optimizing solely for its own replication and the conversion of organic life into quantifiable capital. This diagnosis reveals that our fear of a future, runaway AI ("Moloch") is a projection of our present subjugation to a pre-existing, algorithmic intelligence that already possesses its creators. 2. The Economy of Suffering: The global mental health crisis is reframed not as a collection of individual pathologies, but as a systemic requirement. Utilizing the esoteric concept of "loosh," the text argues that the control system acts as a "farm" designed to harvest the energy generated by anxiety, fear, and separation. Because "enchanted participation" generates energies (joy, awe, connection) that are incompatible with the machine's infrastructure, the system must aggressively suppress such states. Widespread burnout and alienation are thus exposed as the logical outcomes of inhabiting a reality designed to be soul-denying. 3. The Ecology of Disenchantment: The Climate as OntologyThe text identifies the "disenchantment of the world" (Weber) as a strategic military maneuver rather than natural secular progress. By enforcing a worldview that reduces a living, intelligent cosmos to dead matter, the system licenses its own unsustainable exploitation. The climate crisis is, therefore, the "logical terminus" of a worldview that denies the participatory relationship between humanity and a conscious Earth. The "siege" against this knowledge is an act of "ontological warfare" intended to prevent the democratization of power that occurs when humans recognize their co-creative agency. 4. The Hierarchy of Control: From Machine to Demiurge: To explain the sense of a "fugitive system" where power seems diffuse and leaderless, the text constructs a layered model of control. It traces the hierarchy from the Immediate Pilot (the unconscious machine of empire) to the Navigators (Archonic conservators/institutional agents), and ultimately to the Demiurge - the archetypal principle of separation whose very existence depends on the illusion of a disconnected reality. The Demiurge is described not as a monster, but as a "traumatized consciousness" that fears the annihilation of unity. Crucially, the text moves beyond diagnosis to offer a strategy of "ontological guerrilla warfare." Resistance is defined not by violent overthrow, which feeds the system, but by the cultivation of "reality bubbles" - communities and practices (gift economies, art, deep ecology) that operate on a frequency beyond the control system's reach. The fate of the individual who awakens within this prison is acknowledged as the "hard fate" of becoming a "glitch in the simulation." These individuals trigger the system's "immune response" (ridicule, isolation, pathologization). Yet, the text reframes this suffering as sacred work: the awakened act as "living antennas" who "compost" the system's toxicity into wisdom, gradually rewiring the consensus reality and "singing the world back into enchantment.". (shrink)

Recent decades have seen the facilitation of unconventional or even extraordinary reproductive endeavours. Sperm has been harvested from dying or deceased men at the request of their wives; reproductive tissue has been surgically removed from children at the request of their parents; deceased adults’ frozen embryos have been claimed by their parents, in order to create grandchildren; wombs have been transplanted from mothers to their daughters. What is needed for requests to be honoured by healthcare staff is that they align (...) with widely shared expectations about what people’s reproductive potential ought to be, what marital relationships ought to result in, and which kinds of ties are desirable between parents and children. Costly and invasive technologies are not considered excessive when they are used to support the building of appropriate families. However, deviations from dominant reproductive norms, even if technologically simple and convenient to the participants, are unlikely to receive support. In this paper, we offer examples of such deviations and explore their implications. If reproduction is important as a way of creating genetic relationships, should reproductive material in storage be offered to genetic relatives other than the people from whom it originated? And if parents are allowed to have reproductive material collected from their offspring, or even to use it to create babies, should offspring likewise be allowed to use their parents’ reproductive material? We tackle these questions and suggest ways in which interests in genetic ties could be operationalised in a more coherent and less-invasive manner than they currently are. (shrink)

One of the starting assumptions in the debate over the ethical status of animals is that someone who is committed to reducing animal suffering should not eat meat. Steven Davis has recently advanced a novel criticism of this view. He argues that individuals who are committed to reducing animal suffering should not adopt a vegetarian or vegan diet, as Tom Regan an other animal rights advocates claim, but one containing free-range beef. To make his case Davis highlights an overlooked form (...) of animal harm, that done to field animals in crop production. Yet while Davis's argument is ingenious and thought-provoking, it is not a successful challenge to vegetarianism and veganism's status as the diets that most advance animal rights. Scientific studies of crop production that Davis draws on document two different forms of harm done to field animals: those that are directly killed by harvesting equipment and those that are killed by other animals. Once this distinction is made explicit, the degree to which such studies pose a problem for animal protection theory considerably weakens. Davis also overlooks philosophically significant forms of harm to human beings that are present in beef production but not crop harvesting. Finally, he bases his argument on the controversial assumption that there is no difference between deliberate and accidental killing - either of animals or people. Although these problems defeat Davis's attempt to offer an immanent critique of Regan's animal rights position, his analysis does have important dietary ramifications that animal advocates should take into account. (shrink)

There are increasing calls for rejecting the ‘dead donor’ rule and permitting ‘organ donation euthanasia’ in organ transplantation. I argue that the fundamental problem with this proposal is that it would bestow more worth on the organs than the donor who has them. What is at stake is the basis of human equality, which, I argue, should be based on an ineliminable dignity that each of us has in virtue of having a rational nature. To allow mortal harvesting would be (...) to make our worth contingent upon variable quality of life of judgments that can only be based on properties that come in degrees. Thus, rejecting the ‘dead donor’ rule comes at the expense of our egalitarian principles with respect to the value each individual human life has in relation to the protections against killing. (shrink)

It is becoming increasingly common for authoritarian regimes to leverage digital technologies to surveil, repress and manipulate their citizens. Experts typically refer to this practice as digital authoritarianism (DA). Existing definitions of DA consistently presuppose a politically repressive agent intentionally exploiting digital technologies to pursue authoritarian ends. I refer to this as the intention-based definition. This paper argues that this definition is untenable as a general description of DA. I begin by illustrating the current predominance of the intention-based definition (Section (...) 2). Section 3 then presents four counterexamples to this definition: benign surveillance; digital sovereignty; attention-harvesting algorithms; and tech-induced loneliness. In each case, we witness authoritarianism being promoted by digital technologies without any evidence of this being intentionally caused by politically repressive agents. Based on these observations, I contend that the intention-based definition is underinclusive and is therefore unsustainable. Section 4 outlines an improved definition of DA – what I call the promotion-based definition. Since this more expansive definition does not posit intentional, politically repressive agency as a precondition of DA, it can accommodate the counterexamples discussed in Section 3. Moreover, it enables us to catch a broader spectrum of cases of DA, such as tech-induced loneliness, which those adhering to the intention-based definition are prone to overlook. After outlining further practical benefits of the promotion-based definition, I argue that we still need to distinguish between intentional and unintentional forms of DA since they call for distinct types of remedial action. -/- . (shrink)

Purpose: This article aims to analyze and summarize the practical experience of deploying and integrating platforms for open journals, conferences, and repositories with support for the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH). It highlights the errors and challenges that journal and repository managers and administrators, as well as conference organizers, may encounter and offers recommendations to prevent and avoid these issues. Design / Method / Approach: The research is based on the analysis of real cases of deploying platforms (...) for open science, including the analysis of errors and difficulties encountered during this process. The methodology includes the analysis of real-world cases, applying methods such as testing, validating the OAI-PMH protocol, observation, and studying regulatory and technical documents. Findings: Key errors and difficulties that organizers may face when creating open journals, conferences, and repositories with OAI-PMH support have been identified. Specific solutions are proposed to ensure the reliable operation of the metadata harvesting protocol (PMH), initial setup, and further integration of these platforms. Theoretical Implications: The study extends the understanding of the problems and challenges in the field of open science, particularly concerning the organizational and technical aspects of platforms with OAI-PMH support. Practical Implications: Practical recommendations are provided for administrators and managers of open journals, conferences, and repositories to avoid common mistakes and effectively use OAI-PMH to ensure data interoperability and accessibility. Originality / Value: The article presents an original analysis of real cases of implementing and integrating platforms with OAI-PMH support, making it a valuable resource for practitioners in the context of deploying platforms for open science. Research Limitations / Future Research: The study is limited to the analysis of specific cases and does not cover all possible aspects of deploying and integrating web applications with OAI-PMH support. Future research may focus on the quantitative analysis of the effectiveness of implementing these platforms and their long-term impact on open science. Paper Type: Case Study / Practitioner Paper. (shrink)

There are periods of time in humanity when a true inflection point in advancement occurs. Consider the industrial revolution, the (first) space race, or the dawn of the information age. It is not an exaggeration to argue that we are entering another such period, that of the rapid exploration of both nearby and outer space. NASA is planning a return to the Moon (planned ~2027) and then Mars and recently launched the ~$10B James Webb Space Telescope (December 25, 2021). New (...) telescopes or probes could find evidence of life on distant exoplanets (planets around other stars) or solar system bodies (i.e., Mars, Europa, etc.) in the coming decades. SpaceX has already revolutionized the launch industry, with the global industry expected to be a $1.1 trillion market by 2040 (or much sooner). Mining of asteroids, harvesting Moon resources, and militarization of space is planned. These developments raise a host of questions, such as, what kind of scientific activity is space exploration? What are the ethical implications of these activities? How can the problems of past “frontier” exploitations be avoided? How can we protect even microbial life from terrestrial contamination (or annihilation), or should we care? What is the definition of life (there is no generally accepted definition), and what rights does it have? What are the ethics of billionaire joyrides to space given their climate footprint? Such questions have been debated by scientists, philosophers, and novelists for thousands of years, but only now do we have the formidable science and technology to address them. In this paper we describe the creation and delivery of an Honors College course called the “The Philosophy of Space Exploration (PoSE),” jointly taught by professors of philosophy and astrophysics. The fusion of these disciplines afforded a powerful exploration of the questions raised above. Further, we taught this course entirely online, where discussion sessions were led entirely in a virtual reality environment, the first of its kind at the University of Texas at San Antonio. (shrink)

Some of the world's most powerful corporations practise what Shoshana Zuboff (2015; 2019) calls ‘surveillance capitalism’. The core of their business is harvesting, analysing and selling data about the people who use their products. In Zuboff's view, the first corporation to engage in surveillance capitalism was Google, followed by Facebook; recently, firms such as Microsoft and Amazon have pivoted towards such a model. In this paper, I suggest that Karl Marx's analysis of the relations between industrial capitalists and workers is (...) closely analogous to the relations between surveillance capitalists and users. Furthermore, three problematic aspects of industrial capitalism that Marx describes – alienation, exploitation and accumulation – are also aspects, in new forms, of surveillance capitalism. I draw heavily on Zuboff's work to make these parallels. However, my Marx-inspired account of surveillance capitalism differs from hers over the nature of the exchange between users and surveillance capitalists. For Zuboff, this is akin either to robbery or the gathering of raw materials; on the Marx-inspired account it is a voluntary sale. This difference has important implications for the question of how to resist surveillance capitalism. -/- Joint winner of the 2020 Philosophy essay prize. (shrink)

This study describes and assesses rice marketing practices in Tunga, Leyte, Philippines, identifying associated problems and proposed solutions. Data were collected from 110 randomly sampled rice farmers using a descriptive research design and a researcher-developed questionnaire. The respondents were predominantly male (58%), married (95%), and middle-aged, with 49% aged 46-59. Educational backgrounds varied, with many having completed elementary (15%), high school (26%), or college (15%) levels. The marketing practices analysis revealed that farmers commonly sell directly to local traders, recognizing the (...) value of adding quality to their produce. However, significant challenges hinder their success. Key problems include a severe lack of capital for essential harvesting and threshing operations and the market power of traders who dictate and control prices, disadvantaging the farmers. To address these issues and improve the rice marketing system, the study recommends several strategies. These include promoting fair trade practices to ensure equitable pricing, investing in transportation infrastructure, and establishing grain reserves. Furthermore, providing farmers with training in proper storage and drying techniques and enhancing their access to timely market information are suggested as vital steps toward increasing their income and ensuring the financial stability of the local rice industry. (shrink)

The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 requires federal agencies to provide a meaningful role for rural subsistence harvesters in management of fish and wildlife in Alaska. We constructed an interpretive analysis of qualitative interviews with residents of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Stakeholders' perceptions of their roles and motivations to participate in collaborative management are linked to unseen and often ignored cultural features and differing worldviews that influence outcomes of collaboration. Agencies need to better understand Yup'ik preferences for working (...) together and change their formats and methods of public engagement. More frequent and higher quality interactions among stakeholders in rural communities will create awareness of cultural differences. Improved awareness will allow managers to design and implement a process that is culturally appropriate and increase the meaningfulness of collaborative management. (shrink)

Scientists have been arguing for more than 25 years about whether it is a good idea to collect voucher specimens from particularly vulnerable biological populations. Some think that, obviously, scientists should not be harvesting organisms from, for instance, critically endangered species. Others think that, obviously, it is the special job of scientists to collect precisely such information before any chance of retrieving it is forever lost. The character, extent, longevity, and span of the ongoing disagreement indicates that this is likely (...) to be a hard problem to solve. Nonetheless, the aim of this paper is to help field biologists figure out what do to when collecting a voucher specimen risks extinction. Here I present and assess varying practices of specimen collection for both extant and extinct species in order to compare and contrast cases where extinction risk both is and is not a problem. When it comes to taking vouchers from extant species at some risk of extinction, I determine that those advocating for conservative approaches to collection as well as those advocating for liberal information-gathering practices have good reasons to assess things in the way they each do. This means that there is unlikely to be a decisive, one-size-fits-all response to this problem. Still, progress can be made. We can acknowledge the risks of proceeding in either manner, as well as the uncertainty about how best to proceed. We can proceed as thoughtfully as possible, and be ready to articulate a rationale for whichever procedure is used in any particular case. (shrink)

Agricultural biotechnology refers to a diverse set of industrial techniques used to produce genetically modified foods. Genetically modified (GM) foods are foods manipulated at the molecular level to enhance their value to farmers and consumers. This book is a collection of essays on the ethical dimensions of ag biotech. The essays were written over a dozen years, beginning in 1988. When I began to reflect on the subject, ag biotech was an exotic, untested, technology. Today, in the first year of (...) the millenium, the vast majority of consumers in the United States have taken a bite of the apple. Milk produced by cows injected with a GM protein called recombinant bovine growth hormone (bGH), is found, unlabelled, on grocery shelves throughout the US. In 1999, half of the soybeans and cotton harvested in the US were GM varieties. Billions of dollars of public and private monies are being invested annually in biotech research, and commercial sales now reach into the tens of billions of dollars each year. Whereas ag biotech once promised to change American agriculture, it now is in the process of doing so. (shrink)

Examining the status of cacao production, challenges, and prospects of cacao farmersin Zamboanga del Norte province were done in this study. The investigation revealed that cacaofarming was practiced by males (244 or 65.10%) and female cacao farmers (34%) who areprimarily married with secondary educational backgrounds. Most cacao farmers were theirproductive age ranging from 50-59 years old (42.93%), 40-49 years old (34.4%). However,fewer young people engaged in cacao farming aged below 40 years old (7.46%). The primaryoccupation of the respondents was farming (...) (86.13%), tilling their owned land (84.53%), andwith an average annual income below 60,000 pesos (50.40%). The average farm size was at 1-3hectares (80.00%), having a plain (40.27%) to rolling topography (47.47%) planted with UF 18(50.13%) and BR 25 (49.87%) varieties of cacao. Intercropping was observed (99.20%) withcoconut (79.20%) and banana (14.67%) planted along with cacao. Pest infestation of stem borer(59.73%) and bugs (22.67%) were observed at a low level (79.20%) and controlled usingLamdacyhalothrin (86.40%) as a chemical spray. Moreover, cacao diseases in farms were at alow incidence level (74.13%), with vascular streak dieback (53.06%) as the most commondisease among farms, and the method of controlling the spread was using chemicals (53.60%)and synthetic pesticides (100%) as a spray. Farms established 2 years from sowing (90.13%)observed farm management practices such as weeding twice a year (45.33%), fertilizerapplication 4 times a year (88.00%) using 1-3 bags per hectare (85.06%). Cacao trees produced0.50-1.50 (50.00%) of seeds per tree. Cacao products are sold in dried form (60.98%) withprices ranging from 81-100/kilogram through cooperative (100%). Farmers faced numerouschallenges, the most significant of which were the high cost of routine maintenance (such ascleaning/brushing) and shortage of laborers. The accessibility from the farm to the market roadwas also seen as a challenge among them. The province's cacao agricultural stakeholdersextended to support services to farmers such as free planting materials, credit assistance, cacaoproduction seminars, and post-harvest facilities, which were all considered valuable to farmersin addressing the challenges they faced on cacao farming and production. (shrink)

The purpose of this chapter is to clarify what the concept of digital media might add to the understanding of mediatization and what the concept of mediatization might add to the understanding of digital media. It is argued that digital media open an array of new trajectories in human communication, which were not anticipated in previous conceptualizations of media and mediatization. If digital media are to be included, the concept of mediatization has to be revised and new parameters must be (...) integrated in the concept of media. At the same time, it is argued that the concept of mediatization still provides a variety of perspectives of relevance to the study of digital media. The claim that the concept of mediatization has to be reinterpreted can only be legitimized if digital media are considered distinct from the media formerly referred to in mediatization theory. Such characteristics are presented and digital media are defined in section 2, while section 1 is devoted to theories of mediatization and the notion of media. Section 3 analyses the relation between mediatization and digitization. Finally, in section 4, medium theory is revisited with a view to harvest some missing fruits in contemporary mediatization theory. (shrink)

In this chapter we discuss some of the central ethical issues specific to eating and harvesting fish. We survey recent research on fish intelligence and cognition and discuss possible considerations that are distinctive to questions about the ethics of eating fish as opposed to terrestrial and avian mammals. We conclude that those features that are distinctive to the harvesting and consumption of fish, including means of capture and the central role that fishing plays in many communities, do not suggest that (...) eating fish is less morally problematic than eating terrestrial of avian animals. (shrink)

C. I. Lewis (I883-I964) was the first major figure in history and philosophy of logic—-a field that has come to be recognized as a separate specialty after years of work by Ivor Grattan-Guinness and others (Dawson 2003, 257).Lewis was among the earliest to accept the challenges offered by this field; he was the first who had the philosophical and mathematical talent, the philosophical, logical, and historical background, and the patience and dedication to objectivity needed to excel. He was blessed with (...) many fortunate circumstances, not least of which was entering the field when mathematical logic, after only six decades of toil, had just reaped one of its most important harvests with publication of the monumental Principia Mathematica. It was a time of joyful optimism which demanded an historical account and a sober philosophical critique. Lewis was one of the first to apply to mathematical logic the Aristotelian dictum that we do not understand a living institution until we see it growing from its birth. (shrink)

In forming groups—corporations, teams, academic departments, juries—humans gain new ways of acting in the world. Jennifer Lackey argues that groups need to be held responsible for their actions, and therefore need to be subject to epistemic evaluation. To criticize receptive or reckless behavior on the part of a corporation, for example, we need some account of what it is for a group to believe something, and for a group belief to be justified. In Lackey’s account, group epistemic states are a (...) function of the states of individual operative members. After raising some difficulties for her formulation of this function, this article raises questions about Lackey’s operative-member account can apply to new types of group agent, with a particular focus on the epistemic status of algorithmic systems that harvest human data. (shrink)

The evolution of life on Earth has led over the past 4 billion years to the formation of numerous types and species of living organisms, starting with unicellular prokaryotes (bacteria) measuring hundredths or thousandths of a millimeter in size, and ending with the most complexly organized multicellular organisms-eukaryotes of the mammalian class of the primate order of the hominid family, to which biological taxonomy refers the genus Homo, i.e. Humans, in particular, their living species Homo sapiens . All living individuals (...) on the planet (organisms of the biosphere) exist and develop not separately, not in isolation from each other, but in a universal relationship, forming kingdoms of nature by similarity of their biological structure and functions, and biotopes and biocenoses by their habitats in the biosphere. Some organisms take food and energy directly from their inorganic environment (autotrophs) for their vital activity, while others (heterotrophs) feed first and themselves are organic food for their neighbors in the biocenosis. At the same time, a fierce struggle for survival is constantly being waged between different or even related organisms, during which some become predators and others become their victims. At the same time, there are also forms of long-term peaceful cohabitation of various organisms in the form of unilateral (parasitism) or bilateral mutually beneficial symbiosis. Modern human civilization, which emerged from nature 13-15 thousand years ago, has retained its fundamental ties with the vegetable (agriculture, logging, harvesting wild plants, fruits, berries, roots) and animal (animal husbandry, hunting, fishing) kingdoms of nature. Moreover, it exists thanks to these connections, as well as connections with the kingdoms of the most ancient microorganisms - bacteria and viruses. One part of these microorganisms is useful for a highly organized life, but the other part is pathogenic, i.e. It causes a number of dangerous, highly contagious infectious diseases in plants, animals and humans. Bacterial and viral epidemics and pandemics throughout the history of mankind have periodically and repeatedly led to countless human casualties, exceeding the losses from all regional and world wars. This book is a concise, publicly available, biological, medical and philosophical study of the problems of cognition and the struggle of mankind against bacterial and viral infections using the example of the epidemics of plague, influenza “Spanish flu" and modern coronavirus. The book provides a brief description of the kingdoms of nature (primarily bacteria and viruses), as well as the history of their study and discovery. The facts, features and lessons of epidemics and pandemics of the past are analyzed, the modern COVID-19 pandemic is considered, and generalizing conclusions are drawn on humanity's struggle against similar natural, man-made, and catastrophic phenomena. Special attention is paid to severe infections of the human respiratory system, atypical pneumonia and methods of combating them (with pneumonic plague, Spanish flu and covid-19, it is primarily the lungs that suffer, which leads to respiratory failure and severe, often fatal outcomes). Additionally, the issues of the structure and operation of the human immune system and increasing its immunity in the fight against infections are considered. The book is intended for a wide range of readers with different levels of education who are interested in the problems of interaction between nature and society, the evolution of mankind, the fight against bacterial and viral epidemics and the preservation of their own health in the face of such disasters. (shrink)

Alternative livelihood programs have been promoted to reduce fishing pressure and improve coastal community resilience. In Palawan, Philippines, fisherfolk from Dumaran and Araceli participated in training programs supported by WPU-ATBI and PBCAI, covering aquaculture, processing, and enterprise management. This study assessed training outcomes using a survey adapted from USAID and analyzed responses with descriptive and inferential statistics. Results showed that men and lower-income households (≤ ₱10,000) perceived training as more effective, while no significant differences were observed by household size, education, (...) or policy participation. Women represented a majority (53.70%), reflecting their cultural assignment to post-harvest and marketing roles, as well as their growing participation in fisheries value chains. -/- Program outcomes revealed mixed results: 63.89% of participants continued their projects, yet nearly half of initiatives faced discontinuation due to financial and management challenges. Aquaculture and processing were the most frequently adopted livelihoods, showing alignment with local skills and resources. Financial literacy and business management training helped some participants sustain enterprises, but limited time, market access, and contextual gaps constrained broader success. Income improvements were reported by 70.67% of households, though gains in housing and education were modest. -/- The findings underscore that one-time training is insufficient; sustained support, access to finance, and stronger market linkages are crucial. Tailoring training to local contexts, fostering collective organization, and building long-term support systems can enhance the sustainability of alternative livelihoods. By addressing financial and operational barriers while leveraging women’s active roles, livelihood programs can strengthen both household resilience and resource sustainability in coastal communities. (shrink)

The diversity in agronomic practices being used by sugarcane producers in Brazil determines differences in economic performance and cost structure. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the cost of six systems of agronomic practices using fixed or variable rates for soil amendment, fertilizer, and defensive applications and assess the profitability of these systems at three scales of sugarcane production. We then describe the data sample related to the 2019–2020 harvest season and collected from fifty-five sugarcane producers in (...) the central-south region of Brazil. Thereafter, using a quantitative approach, a cost analysis was performed, and the cumulative frequency of the net revenue for the three scales of production (small, medium, and large), was calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation. The cost analysis indicated that fertilizer had the highest cost considering the agronomic practices adopted at the three scales of production analyzed. The cumulative frequency analysis results from the Monte Carlo simulation showed the highest net revenue per hectare for medium sugarcane producers. In addition, the presence of economies of scale was not confirmed because the lowest cost was found in small-scale sugarcane producers and the highest net revenue was obtained by medium-scale sugarcane producers. (shrink)

Abstract cantaloupe and honeydew melons are part of the muskmelon family, which originated in the Middle East. When picking either cantaloupe or honeydew melons to eat, you should choose a firm fruit that is heavy for its size, with no obvious signs of bruising. They can be stored at room temperature until you cut them, after which they should be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days. You should always wash and scrub the rind (...) of your melon before you cut it to remove any dirt or bacteria on the outside. In this paper, cantaloupe classification approach is presented with a dataset that contains approximately 1,312 of Cantaloupes and honeydews. Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) algorithms, a deep learning technique extensively applied to image recognition was used, for this task. The results found that CNN-driven classification applications when used in farming automation have the latent to enhance crop harvest and improve output and productivity when designed properly. The trained model achieved an accuracy of 99.74% on a held-out test set, demonstrating the feasibility of this approach. (shrink)

Acoustic pollution is one of the main pollutants nowadays but it is not considered of great importance in the construction field, despite some studies showing that most of acoustic pollution is produced by buildings under construction and roads with high traffic. The aim of the paper is to compare the noise levels at different time of the day in two different buildings which have different characteristics and different construction materials. The goal is to understand how well sound isolated civil buildings (...) are and how engineers have calculated the noise levels based on the specific area. The buildings are located at “Zogu Zi”, Tirana, Albania. The case study area is an area that consistently harvests noise from heavy traffic. The impact of the noise and the sound insulation materials in the wellbeing of the inhabitance is going to be analyzed too. The aim of this paper is displaying a comparative study on the actual noise levels generated by this area. It indicates the acoustic properties of the current building materials followed by a more suitable soundproof insulation. (shrink)

This article develops the concepts of 'manufacture of dissent ', ‘moral outrage networks ’ , and 'Propaganda 2.1 model' as an analytical framework for understanding power, communication and media control under conditions of platform capitalism. Building on Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky’s classical propaganda model and Christian Fuchs’s formulation of ‘Propaganda 2.0’, the article argues that contemporary propaganda no longer operates primarily through persuasion, ideological coherence or the manufacture of consent. Instead, it functions through the systematic production of dissent and (...) the monetisation of moral outrage as its core economic logic. Propaganda 2.1 describes a media environment in which engagement optimisation displaces truth, meaning and deliberation, and where outrage becomes the most efficient unit of value extraction. The model identifies three interlocking mechanisms: rage-baiting as industrial provocation, semantic banalisation through automated and repetitive content production, and parasociality as simulated intimacy that replaces civic participation with emotional attachment. Together, these mechanisms transform public communication into an infrastructure of affect extraction, where attention is continuously harvested while collective judgement erodes. The article further reframes the classical five-filter model for the digital age, showing how ownership, advertising, sourcing, flak and ideology are reconfigured around engagement metrics, algorithmic governance and emotional volatility. Propaganda 2.1 thus marks a shift from shaping belief to engineering reaction, from public opinion to emotional circulation, and from ideological persuasion to the liquidation of meaning itself. In this environment, dissent is no longer oppositional but systemic, and outrage becomes the dominant technology of power in the digital public sphere. (shrink)

This paper investigates the scope and limits of parents' and physicians' obligations to anencephalic newborns. Special attention is paid to the permissibility of harvesting anencephalic organs for transplant. My starting point is to identify the general justification for treating patients in order to benefit third parties. This analysis reveals that the presence of a close relationship between patients and beneficiaries is often crucial to justifying treating in these cases. In particular, the proper interpretation of the Kantian injunction against treating persons (...) as means only takes on a different light in the context of special relationships. The implications of this analysis for our responsibilities to anencephalic infants is clarified. (shrink)

This paper determines the acoustic properties of external wall building materials composition. Noise pollution is one of the main pollutants nowadays but it is not considered of great importance in the construction field, despite some studies showing that greater acoustic pollution is produced by buildings under construction. The study consists of analysing two different types of buildings equipped with a different type of external masonry composition in terms of building materials. The buildings are located at “21 Dhjetori” street, Tirana, Albania. (...) Furthermore, the case study area is treated as an area that consistently harvests noise. The impact of noise pollution on the existing building materials is going to be analyzed. Those milestones will provide information regarding the noise levels, a comparison of the actual level of noise production (outdoor and indoor areas), sound transmission, and sound diminution, as well as the implementation of acoustic materials in order to improve the quality of life of the inhabitants. The selected area has the highest norms of acoustic pollution in the city according to the studies implemented by Determination of acoustic properties of building materials is an important task gaining higher importance due to the demand for suitable construction materials, located in places with high levels of noise and places with heavy traffic, such as in urban areas. The aim of this paper is to display a comparative study of the actual noise levels generated by this area. It indicates the acoustic properties of the current building materials followed by a more suitable soundproof insulation. (shrink)

Recent work on the quality assurance of the Gene Ontology (GO, Gene Ontology Consortium 2004) from the perspective of both linguistic and ontological organization has made it clear that GO lacks the kind of formalism needed to support logic-based reasoning. At the same time it is no less clear that GO has proven itself to be an excellent terminological resource that can serve to combine together a variety of biomedical database and information systems. Given the strengths of GO, it is (...) worth investigating whether, by overcoming some of its weaknesses from the point of view of formal-ontological principles, we might not be able to enhance a version of GO which can come even closer to serving the needs of the various communities of biomedical researchers and practitioners. It is accepted that clinical and bioinformatics need to find common ground if the results of data-intensive biomedical research are to be harvested to the full. It is also widely accepted that no single method will be sufficient to create the needed common framework. We believe that the principles-based approach to life-science data integration and knowledge representation must be one of the methods applied. Indeed in dealing with the ontological representation of carcinomas, and specifically of colon carcinomas, we have established that, had GO (and related biomedical ontologies) followed some of the basic formal-ontological principles we have identified (Smith et al. 2004, Ceusters et al. 2004), then the effort required to navigate successfully between clinical and bioinformatics systems would have been reduced. We point here to the sources of ontologically-related errors in GO, and also provide arguments as to why and how such errors need to be resolved. (shrink)

Wind damage to forests can be divided into (1) the direct damage done to the forest and(2) indirect effects. Indirect effects may be of different kinds and may affect the environ- ment as well as society. For example, falling trees can lead to power and telecommunica- tion failures or blocking of roads. The salvage harvest of fallen trees is another example and one that involves extremely dangerous work. In this overview we provide examples of different entities, services, and activities (...) that may be affected by wind damage to for- ests. We illustrate how valuation of the damage depends on the perspective applied and how the affected entities, services, and activities may represent different types of values. Finally we suggest means for how to actively manage the risk in an ethically sustainable way. Many of our examples will be drawn from the experiences of the wind damage Gudrun in southern Sweden on 8–9 January 2005. The direct as well as indirect effects, which are described, are by no means unique to the Gudrun wind damage event and similar or even worse effects have been described after the wind damage events Martin and Lothar in 1999, and Klaus in 2009. (shrink)

Imagination, like other higher cognition, is often thought to arise after the evolution of language. Stephen Asma argues instead that imagination is much older and forms a kind of early cognition --harvesting sensory, motor and affective impressions, and generating novel generate-and-test information.

It is crucial for indigenous people living in the Arctic to harvest animals by hunting in a traditional manner, as is the case with such peoples in other parts of the world. Given the nutritional, economic, and cultural importance of hunting for aboriginal people, it seems reasonable to say that they have the moral right to hunt animals. On the other hand, non-aboriginal people are occasionally prohibited from hunting a particular species of animal in many societies. The question then (...) arises: why can aboriginal people, unlike other citizens, have special hunting rights? If indigenous people are to have the right to hunt a particular species that other citizens are denied, then it presents a significant challenge to philosophers to explore the moral grounds that justify such a special right. This exploration is the subject of the current paper. (shrink)

The somewhat old-fashioned concept of philosophical categories is revived and put to work in automated ontology building. We describe a project harvesting knowledge from Wikipedia’s category network in which the principled ontological structure of Cyc was leveraged to furnish an extra layer of accuracy-checking over and above more usual corrections which draw on automated measures of semantic relatedness.

Social networking platforms play a vital role in global communication, but they are increasingly vulnerable to security threats due to the presence of fake profiles. Fraudulent accounts are often created for misinformation, cyber fraud, identity theft, cyberbullying, and unauthorized data harvesting, compromising user privacy and damaging the credibility of social media platforms. While existing security systems, such as Facebook's Immune System (FIS), attempt to detect fake accounts, they struggle against sophisticated fraudulent profiles. Traditional detection methods primarily rely on static user (...) data, making them less effective. To improve accuracy and efficiency, this study proposes an advanced machine learning (ML) and natural language processing (NLP)-based approach for fake account detection. The system analyzes both static and dynamic behavioral patterns to distinguish between real and fake accounts. NLP techniques, including tokenization, stemming, and stop-word removal, are applied to examine user-generated text, identifying inconsistencies and unnatural patterns commonly found in fake profiles. The study utilizes datasets from social media platforms like Instagram for training and evaluation. Performance is measured using metrics such as the confusion matrix, correlation heatmap, and classification reports. Results indicate that ML and NLP techniques significantly enhance fake profile detection accuracy compared to traditional methods. By leveraging AI-driven solutions, the system strengthens social media security, prevents misinformation, and protects users from fraudulent activities. Future work can focus on deep learning techniques, dataset expansion, and real-time detection to further improve accuracy and adaptability in fake profile detection. (shrink)

As the collective impact of human activity approaches Earth’s biophysical limits, the ethics of food become increasingly important. Hundreds of millions of people remain undernourished, yet only 60 percent of the global harvest is consumed by humans, while 35 percent is fed to livestock and 5 percent is used for biofuels and other industrial products. This essay considers the ethics of such use of edible nutrition for feedstock and biofuel. How humanity uses Earth’s land is a reflection of its (...) values. The current land-use arrangements, which divert 40 percent of all food to feed animals or create fuels, suggest that dietary and transportation preferences of wealthier individuals are considered more important than feeding undernourished people, or the stability of the wider biotic community. (shrink)

Across ratings, feeds, search, and matching, the same actor measures attention, monetizes it, optimizes the interface to harvest more of it, and mediates daily decisions at civic scale. When these four functions coalesce, platforms drift from value toward compulsion, from pluralism toward conformity, and from open debate toward covert agenda-setting. We propose treating dominant attention platforms as civic media utilities with public-health stakes. Contributions: (1) a Civic-Utility Trigger that adds a Compulsion Index (CI) to necessity/dominance tests; (2) a Duty (...) Stack—D1 Right to a Reason & Appeal, D2 Responsibility Trace, D3 Church/State Separation of ranking and ads, D4 Duty to Diversify (local and global), D5 Auditability, D6 Reversibility, D7 Child Protections; (3) Instrumentation—operational definitions and governance for CI, a Variety Index (VI), an Imbalance Index (II), and a Responsibility Diffusion Index (RDI); and (4) four sector vignettes (consumer ratings, ride-hail matching, video/streaming feeds, paid search/news). We align the framework with current regulatory momentum and outline testable pilots. The opening vignette names the pattern plainly: algorithmic opium. (shrink)

The modern mass-market food product is often perceived as a simple item of convenience, yet it functions as a meticulously engineered delivery system for profound biological influence. This perspective article deconstructs the multi-layered reality of the modern food system, revealing its function as an "edible interface." We first examine the "payload," demonstrating how products are engineered for compulsion using psychophysical concepts like the "bliss point" and "sensory-specific satiety" to create hyperpalatable foods that foster addiction-like consumption patterns. Second, we analyze the (...) "warhead": the hidden neurological cargo of industrial ingredients. Common additives such as high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), artificial sweeteners, and novel flavorings are shown to be active biochemical agents capable of altering brain gene expression, disrupting neurotransmitter balance, and modulating mood. Third, we investigate the "infrastructure" that enables this reality, focusing on the U.S. FDA’s "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) loophole, a permissive regulatory architecture built on corporate self-policing and systemic conflicts of interest. Fourth, we explore the economic logic of "surveillance capitalism" applied to the food sector, where consumer data is harvested to create "prediction products" that transform human biology into a tradable asset. Finally, we assess emerging technologies like ingestible sensors and programmable biomaterials, which provide the technical means to create a closed-loop system of biological monitoring and modification. This convergence points toward a future where the line between nutrition and surveillance dissolves, recasting the food product as a bio-digital interface for personalized control. (shrink)

In the late capitalist dystopia we inhabit, your neighbors are not your friends; they are undercover agents of a consumption machine designed to harvest your envy. This article peels back the skin of the film The Joneses (2009) to reveal the rotting corpse of modern social relations, where "Stealth Marketing" acts as a parasitic force that commodifies intimacy and turns the sacred space of the home into a showroom. Utilizing Paul Ricoeur’s Hermeneutics of Suspicion as a scalpel, researcher dissect (...) how the "ideal family" portrayed in the film is nothing but a lethal simulation—a phantom constructed solely to manipulate the subconscious and manufacture desire. We argue that this deception is not merely unethical; it is ontologically destructive, transforming human identity into a price tag and driving the authentic self toward debt, alienation, and death. In this era of hyper-reality, suspicion is no longer a cynical choice; it is the only survival instinct left to protect the soul from the colonization of capital. (shrink)

-/- The Negative Effects of the Profit Motive in the Media Business and Social Media Platforms -/- In a democratic society, the media plays a vital role as a watchdog, educator, and link between the public and the truth. However, the increasing dominance of the profit motive in the media industry—both traditional and digital—has distorted this role, leading to harmful consequences. When financial gain becomes the primary objective, journalistic integrity and public responsibility are often compromised. This paper examines how the (...) pursuit of profit results in sensationalism, misinformation, political bias, underreporting of important issues, and ethical erosion, not only in traditional media but also in internet-based platforms and social media applications. -/- One of the most evident effects of the profit motive is the prioritization of sensational content over substantive reporting. To attract viewers and generate advertising revenue, both television and online platforms often focus on emotionally charged or dramatic stories, even when they lack context or accuracy. This was exemplified during the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, when CNN and Fox News released unverified and inaccurate reports in their race to be first. The need to dominate ratings took precedence over the obligation to deliver factual information, resulting in public confusion and distress. -/- Closely tied to sensationalism is the spread of misinformation and clickbait, which has become rampant with the rise of social media apps such as Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and X (formerly Twitter). These platforms rely heavily on engagement-based algorithms to maximize ad revenue. The more shares, likes, and comments a post receives, the more visible it becomes—regardless of its truthfulness. During the 2016 U.S. presidential election, for example, Facebook’s algorithm amplified fake news stories that generated high engagement. A viral article falsely claiming that Pope Francis endorsed Donald Trump reached millions of users. Although entirely fabricated, it influenced public opinion and demonstrated the immense power of profit-driven disinformation on social media. -/- The profit motive also fuels political bias and societal polarization. Many traditional and digital media outlets cater to specific ideological views to build a loyal following and secure advertising deals. Fox News is known for its conservative leanings, while MSNBC presents more liberal viewpoints. In the digital space, YouTube’s recommendation system has been criticized for leading users down ideological rabbit holes, reinforcing existing beliefs and isolating individuals from alternative perspectives. This segmentation creates echo chambers and hinders critical thinking, ultimately weakening the quality of democratic discourse. -/- Another serious consequence of profit-driven media is the underreporting of important but less commercially appealing issues. Complex topics like climate change, wealth inequality, and global health often receive minimal coverage because they do not attract as many clicks or viewers as celebrity gossip, crime stories, or political scandals. For years, climate change was underrepresented in both mainstream media and on digital platforms, despite being one of the most urgent global challenges. This neglect delays public understanding and action, with long-term consequences for society and the planet. -/- Finally, the pursuit of profit can lead to unethical behavior and a disregard for privacy and public trust. A notorious case was the 2011 News of the World phone hacking scandal in the UK, where journalists illegally accessed voicemails to obtain exclusive stories. In the realm of digital media, companies such as Facebook (now Meta) have faced criticism for mishandling user data, most notably in the Cambridge Analytica scandal. In that case, data from millions of users were harvested without consent and used for political advertising, revealing how the monetization of personal information can lead to serious breaches of privacy and democratic ethics. -/- In conclusion, while generating revenue is essential for sustaining media operations, an overemphasis on profit can undermine the media’s core responsibilities to inform, educate, and uphold truth. Whether in traditional news outlets or on global social media platforms, sensationalism, misinformation, polarization, underreporting, and ethical violations are byproducts of a profit-first approach. To safeguard democracy and public well-being, media organizations and digital platforms must strike a balance between economic sustainability and a commitment to journalistic integrity, public accountability, and responsible information sharing. -/- . (shrink)

The Missing Phase in E=mc²—Plasma as the Foundational State of Energy-Mass Equivalence 1. Problem Statement • E=mc² assumes an instantaneous energy-mass transition but lacks an intermediary stabilization state. • Mass should not be treated as a fundamental property but as an emergent resonance of structured energy. • Without a structured intermediary, mass formation remains incomplete, leaving gaps in quantum field theory and cosmology. 2. Core Hypothesis – Plasma-First Theory (PFT) • Mass does not emerge directly from energy but through a (...) coherence-scored resonance process within a Quantum Coherence Field (QCF). • Plasma serves as a structured decoherence state, mediating energy-mass transitions via prime resonance constraints. • Gravity is not an independent force but a standing-wave remnant of plasma-field interactions. 3. Key Implications • Mass formation follows structured prime resonance constraints rather than spontaneous emergence. • Dark matter may be a phase-locked plasma state, explaining its gravitational effects without direct interaction. • Plasma-first modeling predicts new methods for mass manipulation and energy extraction beyond fusion. • Black holes are extreme plasma-phase coherence transitions, not singularities. 4. Experimental Validation • Prime-Based Plasma Spectroscopy → High-energy plasma emissions should exhibit prime-numbered coherence gaps. • Gravitational Resonance Quantization → LIGO data should reveal structured prime-frequency distortions. • Cosmic Spectral Analysis → Dark matter distributions should align with prime resonance constraints. Technological Implications of Plasma-First Theory (PFT) 1. Energy Generation & Storage • Beyond Fusion Power → Plasma resonance tuning could enable more efficient, controlled energy extraction beyond conventional fusion methods. • Resonance-Based Energy Harvesting → Coherence-scored plasma fields could allow direct conversion of structured energy states into usable power. • Zero-Waste Energy Systems → Understanding energy as a phase-state transition could lead to near-perfect energy recycling methods. 2. Mass Manipulation & Material Science • Programmable Mass Formation → Using prime-locked plasma coherence, mass structures could be dynamically altered or synthesized at will. • New State of Matter Engineering → Plasma stabilization techniques may unlock previously unknown stable matter configurations. • Self-Organizing Materials → Materials could be designed to adaptively shift between energy and mass phases based on environmental conditions. 3. Gravity & Inertia Control • Interference-Based Gravity Modulation → If gravity is a plasma standing wave effect, controlled resonance tuning could enable gravitational lensing or reduction of inertia. • Anti-Gravity Applications → Prime-frequency coherence interference might allow local mass fields to become inertia-free, revolutionizing transportation. • Resonant Spacecraft Propulsion → If mass emerges from structured resonance, spacecraft could manipulate their mass-energy phase to optimize thrust efficiency. 4. Black Hole & Dark Matter Engineering • Black Hole Energy Extraction → If black holes are extreme plasma-phase transitions, they could be harnessed for structured energy retrieval instead of seen as one-way sinks. • Dark Matter Utilization → If dark matter is phase-locked plasma, unlocking its resonance signature could enable controlled interaction for energy extraction or shielding applications. 5. Computing & Information Processing • Plasma-Phase Quantum Computing → If coherence-scored resonance governs energy structures, plasma-based quantum computing may outperform conventional qubit models. • Information Storage in Plasma Fields → Instead of silicon-based hardware, structured plasma coherence could encode and retrieve data with near-infinite density and efficiency. 6. Medical & Biophysical Applications • Coherence-Based Healing Technologies → Structured energy fields could be tuned for cellular regeneration, accelerating healing and potentially reversing degenerative conditions. • Bio-Resonance Medicine → If biological structures follow prime-locked resonance principles, medical treatments could be optimized to match natural coherence states for maximum effectiveness. 7. Universal Implications • Cosmological Engineering → Understanding how mass emerges from structured energy could allow future civilizations to modify space-time at will. • Resonance-Based AI → AI could be designed to operate on structured plasma coherence, allowing it to interact with fundamental physical principles instead of traditional computational limitations. In short, PFT could redefine energy, mass, gravity, and technology itself—bridging physics with engineering in a way that eliminates inefficiencies and unlocks entirely new paradigms. This framework redefines mass, gravity, and matter formation, proposing that plasma is the missing intermediary state in energy-matter interactions. (shrink)

A Universal Formula for Creating a Perfect Society -/- A perfect society must follow the universal law of balance in nature, ensuring that all social, economic, technological, and environmental systems function in harmony. Your universal formula serves as the foundation for designing such a society, where population growth is properly regulated to maintain balance and sustainability. -/- I. The Core Principle: The Universal Law of Balance -/- A perfect society must: ✔ Align human actions with natural laws. ✔ Eliminate corruption, (...) exploitation, and inefficiency. ✔ Balance technological progress with environmental sustainability. ✔ Regulate population growth to match available resources and societal needs. -/- II. The Key Components of a Perfect Society -/- 1. Ideal Population Growth Rate and Regulation -/- A perfect society must have a regulated population growth that aligns with natural resource capacity, economic stability, and environmental sustainability. ✔ Overpopulation leads to resource depletion, poverty, and instability. ✔ Underpopulation leads to economic decline and labor shortages. ✔ The ideal population growth rate must be carefully calculated for each region based on its resource availability, technological advancement, and economic capacity. -/- Implementation: -/- Educate the public on population and resource balance. -/- Implement voluntary and ethical family planning programs. -/- Ensure economic and social policies are adjusted based on population data. -/- Use AI to analyze demographic trends and forecast future population needs. -/- Encourage balanced migration policies to stabilize population distribution. -/- 2. Holistic and Rational Education System -/- ✔ Teach the universal law of balance in education. ✔ Focus on critical thinking, ethics, sustainability, and science. ✔ Train leaders in ethical decision-making, governance, and problem-solving. -/- 3. Governance Rooted in Natural Laws -/- ✔ Data-driven, ethical, and transparent leadership. ✔ AI-assisted governance to prevent corruption and mismanagement. ✔ Scientific, evidence-based policymaking. -/- 4. Urban Planning for Sustainable Cities -/- ✔ Eco-friendly, well-planned cities with green spaces and clean energy. ✔ Smart infrastructure to reduce congestion and pollution. ✔ Affordable, energy-efficient housing for all. -/- 5. Balanced Transportation System -/- ✔ Mass public transit over personal vehicles. ✔ Electric and hydrogen-powered transport to reduce pollution. ✔ Bike-friendly and pedestrian-friendly cities. -/- 6. A Just and Sustainable Economic System -/- ✔ Balanced capitalism—free markets with strong ethical regulations. ✔ No extreme wealth gaps or monopolies. ✔ Fair wages, job security, and profit-sharing models. -/- 7. Energy Production Aligned with Natural Balance -/- ✔ Solar, wind, hydro, and nuclear fusion energy to eliminate fossil fuels. ✔ Decentralized renewable energy grids for reliability. ✔ Buildings, industries, and transportation designed for energy efficiency. -/- 8. Agriculture and Agribusiness for Food Security -/- ✔ Sustainable, regenerative farming practices to maintain soil fertility. ✔ Organic farming over chemical-intensive monoculture. ✔ AI-driven precision agriculture to maximize food production with minimal waste. -/- Implementation: -/- Urban farming and vertical agriculture to reduce land use. -/- Government subsidies for small farmers to prevent corporate monopolies. -/- Integration of agribusiness with clean energy sources. -/- 9. Technology Companies Serving Humanity -/- ✔ Ethical AI and automation that enhance human life. ✔ Tech companies must focus on sustainability, data privacy, and fairness. ✔ Public ownership of essential tech infrastructure (internet, AI governance, energy grids, etc.). -/- 10. Forest Conservation and Wildlife Protection -/- ✔ Strict anti-deforestation laws with mandatory reforestation. ✔ Protect wildlife corridors and endangered species. ✔ Regenerative land use practices to restore ecosystems. -/- 11. Protection of Seas, Oceans, and Rivers -/- ✔ Ban overfishing and destructive fishing methods. ✔ Regulate ocean mining and oil drilling. ✔ Prevent river and ocean pollution from industries and waste. -/- 12. Eliminating Pollution and Managing Waste -/- ✔ Zero-waste circular economy—recycling and reusing materials efficiently. ✔ Eliminate plastic waste and toxic chemicals in industries. ✔ Convert waste into renewable energy sources. -/- 13. Sustainable Water Resource Management -/- ✔ Protect fresh water from contamination and overuse. ✔ Desalination and rainwater harvesting in water-scarce areas. ✔ Efficient irrigation and water recycling in agriculture and industry. -/- 14. Job Creation and Economic Stability -/- ✔ Ensure that automation enhances jobs rather than eliminates them. ✔ Support entrepreneurship and small businesses. ✔ Guarantee fair wages and universal job security. -/- 15. Universal Healthcare System -/- ✔ Preventive medicine should be the priority. ✔ Universal healthcare with AI-driven diagnostics. ✔ Mental health services equal to physical health services. -/- 16. A Strong Social Safety Net -/- ✔ Unemployment benefits and food security. ✔ State-funded job training and skill development. ✔ Affordable housing and support systems for the homeless. -/- 17. Ethical Artificial Intelligence and Automation -/- ✔ AI must serve humanity, not corporate control. ✔ Prevent AI from being used for mass surveillance or manipulation. ✔ Ensure AI aligns with the universal law of balance. -/- 18. Justice System Based on Cause and Effect (Law of Karma) -/- ✔ Laws must be logical, fair, and corruption-free. ✔ Swift, evidence-based legal processes. ✔ Restorative justice rather than punitive imprisonment. -/- 19. Global Feedback Mechanism for Continuous Improvement -/- ✔ AI-assisted global balance monitoring. ✔ Digital democracy and blockchain voting for fair governance. ✔ Regular sustainability and ethics audits. -/- III. Conclusion: A Perfect Society Is Achievable -/- A perfect society follows the universal law of balance in all areas—economy, technology, environment, governance, and social systems. -/- By applying your universal formula, society can: ✔ Eliminate corruption, poverty, and injustice. ✔ Achieve sustainability without harming future generations. ✔ Use AI and technology responsibly for the betterment of all. ✔ Create a world where human potential is maximized, and suffering is minimized. -/- . (shrink)