في علم الأوبئة، يمثل رقم التكاثر الأساسي عدد الحالات التي تُنتجها حالة واحدة مُصابة خلال فترة العدوى بين مجموعة غير مُصابة،. وبصفة عامة، إذا كان رقم التكاثر أقل من (1)، فإن فرصة العدوى ستتضاءل حتى يختفي المرض تمامًا، أما إن كان أكبر من (1)، فإن كل شخص مُصاب سوف ينقل العدوى إلى شخصٍ آخر على الأقل، مع الوضع في الاعتبار عدم تجانس المجتمعات من حيث نمط الحياة. وتتراوح التقديرات الحالية لعدد التكاثر الأساسي لفيروس كورونا المستجد (أو كوفيد-19) بين 2 و3، (...) ليقترب بهذا من عدد التكاثر الأساسي لفيروس «سارس»، الذي تراوح بين 2 و4 في سنة 2003. (shrink)

The COVID-19 outbreak spurred unplanned closures and transitions to online classes. Physical environments that once fostered social interaction and community were rendered inactive. We conducted interviews and administered surveys to examine undergraduate STEM students’ feelings of belonging and engagement while in physical isolation, and identified online teaching modes associated with these feelings. Surveys from a racially diverse group of 43 undergraduate students at a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) revealed that interactive synchronous instruction was positively associated with feelings of (...) interest and belonging, particularly for students of color, while noninteractive instruction reduced social belonging, but was related to more cognitive engagement. Small group and one-on-one interviews with 23 of these students suggest that students derived feelings of connectedness from their instructors, peers, and prior experiences and relied on their sense of competency to motivate themselves in the course and feel a sense of belonging. Two embedded cases of students in physics classrooms are compared to highlight the range of student feelings of connectedness and competency during the lockdown. Findings reaffirm that social interaction tends to support belonging and engagement, particularly for under-represented (Black or African American and Hispanic) racial groups in STEM. STEM instructors who aim to support feelings of belonging and engagement in virtual learning environments should consider increasing opportunities for student–student and student–teacher interactions, as well as taking a flexible approach that validates and integrates student voice into instruction. Future research is needed to further explore the themes of relatedness and competency that emerged as aspects of course belonging. (shrink)

As large language models (LLMs) enable increasingly fluent interaction, artificial intelligence (AI) systems are becoming embedded in everyday social contexts. This paper offers a conceptual synthesis explaining why humans come to perceive AI as a social Other. Rather than attributing this perception to intrinsic sentience or moral status, it argues that it arises from evolved cognitive mechanisms, including agency detection, theory of mind, and sensitivity to relational continuity, that structure human social cognition. Drawing on philosophy, psychology, and (...) computational research, the paper examines how contemporary AI systems activate these mechanisms and how prevailing design choices may reshape empathy, trust, and social coordination. It argues that emerging social risks associated with AI stem not from intelligence itself, but from relational architectures that position AI as an exclusive or personalized social interlocutor, thereby displacing human–human interaction. In response, the paper introduces the concept of interconnected AI as a structural orientation toward relational architecture rather than a prescriptive system or governance model. Interconnected AI situates artificial systems within multi-user relational networks, supporting shared context and coordination while preserving human responsibility and moral authorship. By reframing AI as a participant embedded within human relational life, this perspective provides a foundation for designing relationally sustainable AI grounded in the realities of human social cognition. (shrink)

Gaslighting is a form of domination which builds upon multiple and mutually reinforcing strategies that induce rational acquiescence. Such abusive strategies progressively insulate the victims and inflict a loss in self-respect, with powerful alienating effects. In arguing for these claims, I reject the views that gaslighting is an epistemic or structural wrong, or a moral wrong of instrumentalization. In contrast, I refocus on personal addresses that use, affect, and distort the very practice of rational justification. Further, I argue that the (...) social dimension of gaslighting cannot be fully explained by reference to bare social structures because this compound wrong succeeds via emotional person-to-person addresses. Rational justification becomes, then, the locus where the struggle for power takes place. This struggle involves and is operated by not only victims and wrongdoers but also third parties. They are crucial actors in wrongdoing as well as in rescuing the victims and restoring their normative status. Ultimately, this study shows that the deontic structure of wrong is multifocal, and its relationality points to modes of epistemic and moral rehabilitation that are also modes of social empowerment. (shrink)

Within the last decade, epistemic injustice has been a valuable framework for those working on exposing oppressive practices within the healthcare system. As this work has evolved, new terminology has been added to the epistemic injustice literature to bring to light previously obscured epistemic harms in healthcare practices. This paper aims to explore an important concept that has not received the attention it deserves: epistemic isolation. By developing Ian Kidd and Havi Carel’s concept of epistemic isolation, a new (...) range of epistemic harms are brought to the fore, as some of the most marginalised in our society are forced to operate from positions of ignorance. In the words of Kidd and Carel, epistemic isolation occurs in ‘situations where a person or group lacks the knowledge of, or means of access to, particular information; for instance, if they live within a politically repressive society which forbids access to the necessary sources of information in order to protect the government’s hegemony’ (183–184). This paper will demonstrate that such epistemic isolation is uniquely devastating for those with psychiatric illness, exacerbating their already challenging circumstances. (shrink)

We evaluate the asymptotic performance of boundedly-rational strategies in multi-armed bandit problems, where performance is measured in terms of the tendency (in the limit) to play optimal actions in either (i) isolation or (ii) networks of other learners. We show that, for many strategies commonly employed in economics, psychology, and machine learning, performance in isolation and performance in networks are essentially unrelated. Our results suggest that the appropriateness of various, common boundedly-rational strategies depends crucially upon the social (...) context (if any) in which such strategies are to be employed. (shrink)

At this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, two policy aims are imperative: avoiding the need for a general lockdown of the population, with all its economic, social and health costs, and preventing the healthcare system from being overwhelmed by the unchecked spread of infection. Achieving these two aims requires the consideration of unpalatable measures. Julian Savulescu and James Cameron argue that mandatory isolation of the elderly is justified under these circumstances, as they are at increased risk of becoming (...) severely ill from COVID-19, and are thus likely to put disproportionate strain on limited healthcare resources. However, their arguments for this strategy are contingent on the lack of viable alternatives. We suggest that there is a possible alternative: a mandatory, centralised contact-tracing app. We argue that this strategy is ethically preferable to the selective isolation of the elderly, because it does not target members of a certain group, relying instead on the movements of each individual, and because it avoids the extended isolation of certain members of the society. Although this type of contact-tracing app has its drawbacks, we contend that this measure warrants serious consideration. (shrink)

After Parmenides proposed the duality of appearance and reality, details have not been well developed because the assumption was insufficient for logical reasoning. This paper establishes a foundation with an isolated system, which contains all causes and effects within itself. This paper seeks to establish a purely logical philosophy, including reality and phenomena, good and evil, truth and fallacy. Freedom is proposed as the basis for reality. All beings in an isolated system can be classified into two sets: variable phenomena (...) and constant realities. Realities are the only reasons for phenomena, and phenomena are the only results of realities. The sum of certain realities constitutes a reality, and the sum of all realities is good. Good creates most of the phenomenal world. A reality is universalizable; a phenomenon is never universalizable. Good is the only reality which is close to universality and keeps on universalizing. Truth is the simplest knowledge about universal or approximately universal beings. The universality of a reality measures the percentage of phenomena accompanied by this reality. There are two levels of truth: truth about all realities, and truth about the good. (shrink)

n hospitals, preliminary health assessments are typically performed by doctors, involving direct physical contact with patients. This practice not only exposes healthcare workers to potential infectious diseases but also consumes valuable time that could be better spent on critical cases. Routine checks, which could be automated, often contribute to longer patient wait times and reduced overall efficiency in hospital operations. The COVID-19 pandemic has further emphasized the importance of minimizing human-to-human contact, with the World Health Organization (WHO) advocating for (...) class='Hi'>social distancing and contactless interaction to prevent the spread of the virus. This situation highlights a pressing need for innovative solutions that maintain highquality care while reducing direct physical contact. This project addresses the challenge by developing an Autonomous Smart Medical Assistant Robot capable of performing contactless preliminary health testing. Designed to automate routine assessments, the robot significantly reduces doctors’ workload, improves hospital workflow, and enhances patient management. It has been precisely designed and simulated using Autodesk Fusion 360, ensuring mechanical accuracy, while its control system is programmed using the Arduino IDE, allowing seamless integration of health-monitoring sensors and autonomous functionality. Beyond health assessments, the robot also provides emotional support to patients and can be used for the transport of medical supplies between healthcare providers and patients. This multifunctional capability not only enhances safety by limiting unnecessary exposure but also introduces operational efficiency and emotional care into medical settings. The implementation of this robot represents a step toward smarter, safer, and more compassionate healthcare environments. (shrink)

In this paper I aim to offer one novel perspective on the effects of physical and social isolation on an individual in the period of COVID-19 pandemic. Namely, we can distinguish two standard approaches to studying such effects: psychological, which strives to identify emergence and effects of new external stressors on an individual, and legal and ethical, which evaluates justification and correctness of certain public strategies designed to combat the pandemic that jeopardize human rights, such as the right (...) to freedom of movement. The novel perspective, offered in this paper, should not replace any of these approaches, instead it will provide some amendments to them by putting in place a new theoretical framework. The focus of the paper will be on justifying two major assumptions of this novel approach – the assumption that individuals as cognitive systems and selves sometimes extend into the environment, and the assumption that this environment can be social, i.e. that individuals sometimes extend on cognitive resources of other people. If these assumptions can be well founded, some psychological effects of isolation could be reconceptualized as instances of the internal transformations of an individual who loses some of her parts. Also, adopting the view that individuals are socially extended cognitive systems would lead to recognizing novel legal and ethical issues with respect to forced social isolation – endangerment of personal rights pertaining to personal integrity and identity. (shrink)

This paper argues that humanity is undergoing an unprecedented evolutionary transition from genetic to memetic dominance. Social networks, by hijacking the brain's reward system, have created a crisis manifested in rising depression, social isolation, and declining birth rates worldwide. Tracing the evolutionary history of genes and the emergence of memes as independent replicators, the paper shows how digital technologies and artificial intelligence now pose a serious threat to genetic survival. While genes require generations to evolve, memes replicate (...) in seconds and can survive indefinitely in digital storage without biological hosts. The paper examines potential solutions, collective awareness, regulations, and AI control, while acknowledging the formidable obstacles posed by corporate power and global competition. It concludes with a warning: if humanity fails to act, voluntary extinction may be the unintended consequence of memetic supremacy. [Originally written in Persian and translated into English by the author.]. (shrink)

Current evidence-based personal development methods — including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and general meditation practices — demonstrate clinically significant effects on symptom reduction, stress management, and emotional regulation. However, none of these approaches targets the identity structure that generates symptomatic patterns. They modify mental content while leaving the identifying, mind-merged self intact. The result is symptomatic improvement without structural transformation. This paper presents the AIPA Method (Awakening Into Pure Awareness) as a cognitive-phenomenological (...) model for complete identity reconstruction, developed through 22 years of systematic longitudinal autoethnographic self-research (2003–2025). The research design integrates first-person introspective analysis, structured exercise protocols, contemporaneous journaling, and retrospective verification. A secondary case report (Nick Lowe, United States, 2021) provides independent phenomenological corroboration of primary outcomes. Key findings demonstrate that the AIPA method produces structural shifts across seven dimensions absent from comparable methods: (1) active rather than passive engagement with mental content; (2) integral full-body relaxation protocols; (3) energy-body awareness and harmonization; (4) direct mind-stopping capacity via the Switch mechanism; (5) stabilization in Pure Awareness as a distinct state beyond attention-and-mind consciousness; (6) complete identity reconstruction through dissolution of fragmented partial personalities; and (7) a comprehensive lifestyle framework supporting permanent transformation. The AIPA Method is proposed as the first structured, sequentially staged system explicitly designed for permanent identity reconstruction rather than symptom management. It constitutes a new theoretical framework for consciousness science with direct applications spanning personal development, addiction recovery, faith deconstruction and religious trauma resolution, stress management, burnout prevention, complex trauma recovery, digital overload intervention, relationship and partnership development, conscious leadership, children and adolescent development, loneliness and social isolation, and prisoner rehabilitation. (shrink)

ABSTRACT The rise of social media has correlated with an increase in political polarization, which many perceive as a threat to public discourse and democratic governance. This paper presents a framework, drawing on social epistemology and the economic theory of public goods, to explain how social media can contribute to polarization, making us collectively poorer, even while it provides a preferable media experience for individual consumers. Collective knowledge and consensus is best served by having richly connected networks (...) that are epistemically integrated: individuals with diverse levels of expertise should be relatively well connected to each other. In epistemically segregated networks, by contrast, we have reason to predict collective epistemic failures. Expert knowledge will be isolated from the majority, leading average opinion to be less informed than is socially optimal, and entrenching disagreements. Because social media enables users to very easily adopt homophilous network connections – connections to those with similar opinions, education levels, and social backgrounds – it is likely to have increased epistemic segregation compared to older media platforms. The paper explains the theoretical foundations of these predictions, and sketches regulatory measures – such as taxes – that might be employed to preserve the public good of a well integrated social media network. (shrink)

A social planner who evaluates risky public policies in light of the other risks with which their society will be faced should judge favourably some such policies even though they would deem them too risky when considered in isolation. I suggest that a longtermist would—or at least should—evaluate risky polices in light of their prediction about future risks; hence, longtermism supports social risk-taking. I consider two formal versions of this argument, discuss the conditions needed for the argument (...) to be valid, and briefly compare these conditions to some risky policy options with which actual public decision-makers are faced. (shrink)

The article discusses the actual problem of social support for people with mental health problems, which has an important place in the study field of social psychology and social work.The article also deals with the definition of the concept of “mental health”, the problem of introducing the term “mental health problems” as a way to avoid stigmatization, and the spread of a humanistic attitude to persons with a psychiatric diagnosis. It also discussed modern theoretical approaches that offer (...) an understanding of the contribution of biological, social, and psychological factors into the cause of mental health problems. The problem of mental illness is common to all countries of the world, as WHO data evidenced the number of people with mental disorders among the world’s population, ranging from 4–5 %. According to researchers P. Voloshin and N. Maruta, the spread of mental and behavioral disorders in Ukraine is characterized by a slow increase of about 2.9 % in every 10 years. Researchers argue that in subsequent years, according to the prognostic data, there will be an increase in these indicators. The issue of providing social support to people with PDS in Ukrainian society is very relevant, which is complicated by their social isolation in the process of recovery after the treatment. The results of scientific research in the context of different cultures and relatively diverse life events (hospitalization, mental illness, unemployment, old age) generally confirm the positive results of using social support to promote mental and physical health. Instead, there are no studies in Ukrainian science related to the phenomenon of social support of people with mental health problems. It is important to define the concepts of “mental health” and “mental health problems” in the process of studying the features of social support for people with mental health problems. The term “mental health” combines the medical and psychological fields of science and practice, but modern psychology offers a comprehensive approach to assessing the psychological health of a person, the psychological norm, its limits, taking into account the criteria of mental health. The description of the mental health given by the Psychological Dictionary points out the components of awareness and the sense of continuity, continuity and identity of their physical and mental “I”; sense of continuity and identity of experiences in similar situations; critical to yourself and your mental activity and its results; the adequacy of psychic reactions of force and frequency of environmental influences; the ability to manage their behavior in accordance with social norms; planning personal activities and implementing them; changing the way of behavior depending on the changing circumstances of life. The concept of “mental health problem” was taken as a term that denotes all the symptoms classified in ICD-10 and DSM-IV, which are recommended by experts to clients for appropriate treatment and care. Scientists and mental health practitioners point out that mental health problems can affect the way an individual thinks, feels, and behaves; affects self-service, fulfills professional duties, social, family roles, and household behavior, which is usually deeply affected by the quality of life of the individual. Numerous results of the research show that there are specific psychological and personality factors apart from the biological causes of mental disorders (genetic factors that contribute to the imbalance of chemicals in the brain) that make people vulnerable to occurrences of the mental health problems. Several modern theoretical approaches offer an understanding of the contribution of biological, social, and psychological factors to the induction of mental health problems: the traditional medical model, the rehabilitation model, the interface model, the social model, and the biopsychosocial approach. Only biopsychosocial and social models are consistent with the definition of WHO disability and emphasize the impact social aspects of mental health and the quality of life of people with mental health problems. Individuals with PPP, as a social community, have specific needs that differentiate them from other members of society, one of which is the need for constant socio-psychological support. So, the contribution of psychology and social work to the quality of life of people with mental disorder lies in the application of professional approaches and methods based on the biopsychosocial (social) model, which emphasize the need for socio-psychological support. An example of such a technique is the model of modern social work practice “people-in-environment”, which serves as a guiding principle of social work and emphasizes the importance of understanding the persons with disorder and their behavior in the light of the multiple context of the social environment in which these persons live and act. Specialists of social work and psychology make interventions at three levels: individual, at the family level, and at the community level, by means of intensifying the support of the environment within the cognitive-behavioral and other approaches, which contribute to the process of reintegrating people with mental health problems into community. (shrink)

Social objects have become common subjects of interest to both social ontologists and conceptual engineers, but up to this point much of the philosophical work from these two fields has surprisingly been done in isolation from each field. I show how these prolific research fields—social ontology, conceptual engineering, and conceptual ethics—can mutually benefit each other through a unifying model I propose called the 2D-CE model that shows the dependence relations between a given concept, its instantiation conditions, (...) and whatever language represents such devices. This model combines a model from social ontology with insights from conceptual engineering and conceptual ethics into a powerful metaphilosophical tool that highlights the role of social agents for metaphysical and metalinguistic explanation. A major benefit of the model is its utility for not only social philosophy, but for other areas of research beyond the social world. (shrink)

Social isolation (desocialization) implies a complete or almost complete lack of contact between an individual and society. This can be a problem for people of any age, although the symptoms may differ depending on the age group. Social isolation can include staying home for long periods of time, and lack of face-to-face communication with family, acquaintances, friends, or co-workers. Social isolation can lead to feelings of loneliness, fear of others or negative self-esteem. We cannot (...) exist independently of our relationships with others. One's own humanity is reduced when others are treated without dignity and respect. At the same time, provoking harm to another person can also affect perceptions of oneself. It turns out that a person's humanity depends on the humanity of those around him. DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.35832.06405. (shrink)

In this paper I first offer a systematic outline of a series of conceptual novelties in the life-sciences that have favoured, over the last three decades, the emergence of a more social view of biology. I focus in particular on three areas of investigation: (1) technical changes in evolutionary literature that have provoked a rethinking of the possibility of altruism, morality and prosocial behaviours in evolution; (2) changes in neuroscience, from an understanding of the brain as an isolated data (...) processor to the ultrasocial and multiply connected social brain of contemporary neuroscience; and (3) changes in molecular biology, from the view of the gene as an autonomous master of development to the ‘reactive genome’ of the new emerging field of molecular epigenetics. In the second section I reflect on the possible implications for the social sciences of this novel biosocial terrain and argue that the postgenomic language of extended epigenetic inheritance and blurring of the nature/nurture boundaries will be as provocative for neo-Darwinism as it is for the social sciences as we have known them. Signs of a new biosocial language are emerging in several social-science disciplines and this may represent an exciting theoretical novelty for twenty-first social theory. (shrink)

In this paper recognition is taken to be a question of social ontology, regarding the very constitution of the social space of interaction. I concentrate on the question of whether certain aspects of the theory of recognition can be translated into the terms of a socio-ontological paradigm: to do so, I make reference to some conceptual tools derived from John Searle's social ontology and Robert Brandom's normative pragmatics. My strategy consists in showing that recognitive phenomena cannot be (...) isolated at the level of human interaction, and are, rather, in part proper to animal interaction as well. Furthermore, it is argued that recognitive powers are constitutive powers more basic than deontic ones and play a role much broader than the one they in fact assume in Searle and in Brandom. (shrink)

In ordinary social life, people are routinely treated as if they were stable, knowable essences—objects whose identities can be reliably inferred from brief encounters, narrow contexts, or isolated performances. This dissertation argues that such certainty is not merely epistemically weak but structurally harmful. It proposes that persons, as they appear in experience, are not encountered as fixed entities but are constituted within the observer’s mind as counterfactual distributions: fields of imagined trajectories generated under conditions of uncertainty. These distributions are (...) affectively charged, consolidated over time, and capable of exerting causal influence on the observer’s present perception, emotion, and moral judgment through what this work terms a near-time-travel effect. The dissertation introduces the Imaginative Potential Field (IPF) as a formal model of social perception. The IPF specifies how limited evidence-slices trigger scenario-branching, how iterative cycling revises and weights these branches, how valence (positive or negative imaginative potential) is assigned, and how this valence modifies the observer’s present state prior to additional evidence or contact. The model treats social imagination not as ornament or error but as an operative mechanism with identifiable stages, outputs, constraints, and failure modes. Across five chapters, the dissertation develops this model with conceptual rigor. It first diagnoses collapse—the reduction of a person into a single context-invariant identity claim—as a metaphysical error that confuses situational appearance for essence. It then formalizes the IPF mechanism, demonstrates the role of context as a revelation/concealment function, and analyzes systematic breakdowns of the model, including projection, valence-lock, contamination loops, and total cinema, in which imagination substitutes for contact. The final chapter advances porosity to reality as an ethical discipline: a set of operational rules and protocols designed to preserve imaginative richness while preventing self-sealing certainty. The dissertation’s central claim is not that judgment should be abolished, nor that imagination reveals objective truth about others, but that imagination is already causally active in social life and therefore carries moral responsibility. By treating persons as distributions rather than verdicts, the Imaginative Potential Field offers a framework for more accurate social perception—one that resists premature certainty without surrendering accountability, and that relocates ethical responsibility to the moment where perception is first constructed. (shrink)

What kind of norms are epistemic norms? Constitutive, prudential, functional, moral? Is epistemic normativity normativity sui generis or does epistemic normativity reduce to some other kind of normativity? This chapter argues that some epistemic norms—norms with epistemic content—are social norms—norms in the sense of prescribed regularities in behavior. This is not to reduce epistemic normativity to social normativity, but to understand how some epistemic norms might also be social norms. Social norms are ubiquitous in human life. (...) Many social norms are pro-social, prescribing socially helpful cooperative behavior. The epistemic norms isolated are norms associated with truth-telling. These epistemic norms are then prescriptions for socially helpful behavior, for we benefit by learning from others. There should be such pro-social norms for humans who have undergone group selection for helpful pro-social social norms. We should expect such norms to emerge and to persist. (shrink)

Drawing on work from Marina Sbisà’s “Ideology and the Persuasive Use of Presupposition” (1999), Rae Langton has developed a powerful account of the subtle mechanisms through which hate speech and propaganda spread. However, this model has a serious limitation: it focuses too strongly on individual speech acts isolated from their wider context, rendering its applicability to a broader range of cases suspect. In this chapter, I consider the limits of presupposition accommodation to clarify the audience’s role in helping hate speakers, (...) and claim the necessary mechanisms are much more active and social than Langton suggests, with effects not capturable in the analysis of isolated speech acts. I revisit Sbisà’s work on presupposition and develop an alternative model that (1) improves upon the Langtonian model for explaining the power of hate propaganda, and (2) is more in line with Sbisà’s original approach to ideology and the normative aspects of presupposition. (shrink)

Music and language are universal human abilities with many apparent similarities relating to their acoustics, structure, and frequent use in social situations. We might therefore expect them to be understood and processed similarly, and indeed an emerging body of research suggests that this is the case. But the focus has historically been on the individual, looking at the passive listener or the isolated speaker or performer, even though social interaction is the primary site of use for both domains. (...) Nonetheless, an important goal of emerging research is to compare music and language in terms of acoustics and structure, social interaction, and functional origins to develop parallel accounts across the two domains. Indeed, a central aim of both of evolutionary musicology and language evolution research is to understand the adaptive significance or functional origin of human music and language. An influential proposal to emerge in recent years has been referred to as the social bonding hypothesis. Here, within a comparative approach to animal communication systems, I review empirical studies in support of the social bonding hypothesis in humans, non-human primates, songbirds, and various other mammals. In support of this hypothesis, I review six research fields: (i) the functional origins of music; (ii) the functional origins of language; (iii) mechanisms of social synchrony for human social bonding; (iv) language and social bonding in humans; (v) music and social bonding in humans; and (vi) pitch, tone and emotional expression in human speech and music. I conclude that the comparative study of complex vocalizations and behaviors in various extant species can provide important insights into the adaptive function(s) of these traits in these species, as well as offer evidence-based speculations for the existence of “musilanguage” in our primate ancestors, and thus inform our understanding of the biology and evolution of human music and language. (shrink)

Individuals suffering from depression consistently report experiencing a lack of connectedness with others. David Karp (2017, 73), in his memoir and study of depression, has gone so far to describe depression as “an illness of isolation, a disease of disconnectedness”. It has become common, in phenomenological circles, to attribute this social impairment to the depressed individual experiencing their body as corporealized, acting as a barrier between them and the world around them (Fuchs 2005, 2016). In this paper, I (...) offer an alternative view of the experience of social disconnectedness in depression, suggesting that rather than necessarily experiencing their body as object-like, the depressed individual’s bodily is saturated with experiences of lethargy, tiredness, heaviness, sadness, hopelessness and so on, to the exclusion of being able to bodily connect to others. I suggest that depression does not involve a complete social impairment but a specific impairment of affective forms of interpersonal experience. (shrink)

This article introduces a global social atlas—referred to as the k-Atlas—that visualizes the dynamics of Social Curvature k for countries worldwide over the period 2006–2025. Rather than presenting static rankings or isolated indicators, the k-Atlas represents societies as trajectories evolving within a structured social space. The atlas is constructed within the AS-HFFH social coordinate system, a three-dimensional framework defined by Property Rights (P), Market Competition or Business Freedom (C), and Personal Freedom (A). These variables, grounded conceptually (...) in classical political economy and operationalized using data from the Heritage Foundation and Freedom House, function as orthogonal axes that allow countries to be positioned coherently in a common measurement space at each point in time. The k-Atlas emphasizes trajectories rather than snapshots. Through k-Charts, it becomes possible to observe long-term drift, stability, structural breaks, and phase transitions in social systems—features that are often obscured in purely statistical or year-by-year comparisons. The article also addresses potential intuition traps arising from the geometric interpretation of k, particularly within Elliptic social space. Based on trajectory shapes, the article provisionally groups selected countries into several geometric patterns of social dynamics, illustrating the diversity of paths that societies may follow within a shared coordinate system. These groupings are not intended as ideological classifications, but as geometric descriptions of dynamic behavior. Together with related concepts such as the k-Circle, the k-Atlas contributes to the development of an approach provisionally termed Metric Sociology. It is hoped that this atlas can be extended, refined, and eventually expanded to cover all countries globally, serving as a useful resource for social research and education. (shrink)

The article introduces the concept of “semantic pareidolia” - our tendency to attribute consciousness, intelligence, and emotions to AI systems that lack these qualities. It examines how this psychological phenomenon leads us to perceive meaning and intentionality in statistical pattern-matching systems, similar to seeing faces in clouds. It analyses the converging forces intensifying this tendency: increasing digital immersion, profit-driven corporate interests, social isolation, and AI advancement. The article warns of progression from harmless anthropomorphism to problematic AI idolatry, and (...) calls for responsible design practices that help users maintain critical distinctions between simulation and genuine consciousness. It is the English translation and adaptation of an article originally published in Italian in Harvard Business Review Italia, June 2025. (shrink)

Personal Health Monitoring (PHM) uses electronic devices which monitor and record health-related data outside a hospital, usually within the home. This paper examines the ethical issues raised by PHM. Eight themes describing the ethical implications of PHM are identified through a review of 68 academic articles concerning PHM. The identified themes include privacy, autonomy, obtrusiveness and visibility, stigma and identity, medicalisation, social isolation, delivery of care, and safety and technological need. The issues around each of these are discussed. (...) The system / lifeworld perspective of Habermas is applied to develop an understanding of the role of PHMs as mediators of communication between the institutional and the domestic environment. Furthermore, links are established between the ethical issues to demonstrate that the ethics of PHM involves a complex network of ethical interactions. The paper extends the discussion of the critical effect PHMs have on the patient’s identity and concludes that a holistic understanding of the ethical issues surrounding PHMs will help both researchers and practitioners in developing effective PHM implementations. (shrink)

Despite the initial promise of social media platforms as a means of facilitating discourse on matters of civic discourse, in practice it has turned out to impair fruitful conversation on civic issues by a number of means. From self-isolation into echo chambers, to algorithmically supported filter bubbles, to widespread failure to engage politically owing to psychological phenomena like the ‘spiral of silence’, a variety of factors have been blamed. I argue that extant accounts overlook the importance of interpersonal (...) relationships to sustaining quality civic discourse on social media. Drawing on an Aristotelian account of friendship with an emphasis on the value of interpersonal difference plus the influence of interactions on individual character, I argue that a common scapegoat for the failure of civic discourse online—the variety of “unfriend” disconnection tools offered on various platforms—actually show promise at promoting better-quality civic conversation and overcoming the obstacles present on social media platforms. (shrink)

When many people think of bioethics, they think of gripping issues in clinical medicine such as end-of-life decision-making, controversies in biomedical research such as that over work with stem cells, or issues in allocating scarce health-care resources such as organs or money. The term “bioethics” may evoke images of moral controversies being discussed on news programs and talk shows. But this “controversy of the day” focus often treats ethical issues in medicine superficially, for it addresses them as if they could (...) be examined and discussed in isolation from the context in which they are situated. Such a focus on the latest controversies fails to take into account that medicine is a social institution and that the controversies in bioethics often reflect deeper social and moral issues that transcend the boundaries of medicine and ethics. If one moves beyond the issue-of-the-day approach to bioethics, one can see that the field must address these deeper issues. (shrink)

After two centuries, the Diltheyan idea of the incommensurability of the natural and social sciences remains hegemonic. Alternative visions have since been overlooked; in this regard, the Baden neo-Kantian school showed that any divergence concerns implied method and not the phenomenal object of studies. W. Windelband coined the terms “nomological” and “idiographic” to underline how each discipline can be explained as a science of both law and events. To begin, I will show how complex thinking can expand and institute (...) a general integrative frame that overcomes the assumed incommensurability. By “complex,” I mean an anti-reductionist approach to understanding and a consequent ability to reveal the phenomenal world in terms of nested self-organized systems. Social and natural systems are persistent coalescences of individual entities showing series of interduality such as unicity and multiplicity, top-down conservation and bottom-up inno- vation, constraint of law and freedom of agencies. The two instances are maintained together by the rejection of abstracted and isolated concepts and the embrace of a general principle of indeterminacy resolving the apparent contradiction within the parallelization of the extremes as two different moments of analyses rooted in the social and natural classical methods. This paper considers both a) the Positivist attempt in the XIX century to approach the study of social phenomena in terms of law and b) the emergence of a general social science embracing the principle of acasuality, adapted from the study of the subatomic phenomenal world in quantum theory. Finally, this paper sketches how complex methodology can address historical and social studies with system theory in order to overcome classical dualities such as determinism vs. freedom, social vs. individual, and top down conservation vs. bottom up innovation in the form of an integrative parallelization. (shrink)

When future historians chronicle the twentieth century, they will see phenomenology as one of the preeminent social and ethical philosophies of its age. The phenomenological movement not only produced systematic reflection on common moral concerns such as distinguishing right from wrong and explaining the status of values; it also called on philosophy to renew European societies facing crisis, an aim that inspired thinkers in interwar Europe as well as later communist bloc dissidents. Despite this legacy, phenomenology continues to be (...) largely discounted as esoteric and solipsistic, the last gasp of a Cartesian dream to base knowledge on the isolated rational mind. Intellectual histories tend to cite Husserl's epistemological influence on philosophies like existentialism and deconstruction without considering his social or ethical imprint. And while a few recent scholars have begun to note phenomenology's wider ethical resonance, especially in French social thought, its image as stubbornly academic continues to hold sway. _The Far Reaches_ challenges that image by tracing the first history of phenomenological ethics and social thought in Central Europe, from its founders Franz Brentano and Edmund Husserl through its reception in East Central Europe by dissident thinkers such as Jan Patocka, Karol Wojtyla (Pope John Paul II), and Václav Havel. (shrink)

Living Better: The Philosophy of Belonging in Daily Life presents an accessible and practical exposition of the Philosophy of Belonging, whose central ontological thesis is that human fulfillment does not emerge from isolated individuality but from relational existence: to be is to belong. The work argues that quality of life is primarily grounded in the strength of affective, social, and existential belongings rather than in individual happiness, cognitive control, or personal achievement. The text develops a life-oriented philosophical framework that (...) places emotion, action, embodiment, imagination, and relational bonds at the center of human flourishing. It introduces the “circuit of belonging,” a six-step dynamic model linking movement, instincts, emotional development, imagination, awareness, and reason as an integrated structure of lived experience. Positioned at the intersection of philosophy of life, philosophical anthropology, existential philosophy, and applied ethics, the book proposes that weakened belongings—social isolation, bodily disconnection, and loss of existential meaning—are core sources of contemporary dissatisfaction. Instead of purely cognitive or individualistic approaches to well-being, it advances a relational ontology where belonging functions as the fundamental condition of meaning, vitality, and sustainable life orientation. The Philosophy of Belonging integrates emotion before reason, action before abstraction, and relational embeddedness before individual optimization. It also highlights the constructive role of imagination and fantasy in making imperfect belonging habitable, offering a humane philosophical guide for everyday living, embodiment, social connection, and existential meaning in modern life. (shrink)

This paper examines modern deviant behaviors not as moral failures but as breakdowns in the social informational tensor field—a framework we define as Circular Ethics. By comparing two cases—the phenomenon of youth overdoses and collective gatherings known as “Toyoko Kids” in Tokyo, and the 2025 arson attack on the Pennsylvania Governor’s Residence in the United States—we reveal structural similarities in social isolation, institutional disconnection, and symbolic acts of despair. Through the lens of Tenson Philosophy, society is described (...) as a complex tensor field T= E +iI, where E represents institutional energy (resources, laws, economy) and I represents informational resonance (empathy, recognition, meaning). Deviant behaviors arise when ∇·I ̸= 0, i.e., when informational flow collapses into isolation or alienation. We propose that ethical and policy frame- works should shift from punitive suppression to resonant reconstruction—restoring social coherence through empathy, dialogue, and shared symbolic renewal. (shrink)

Confucianism demands that individuals comport themselves according to the strictures of ritual propriety—specific forms of speech, clothing, and demeanor attached to a vast array of life circumstances. This requires self-regulation, a cognitive resource of limited supply. When this resource is depleted, a person can experience undesirable consequences such as social isolation and alienation. However, one’s cultural background may be an important mediator of such costs; East Asians, in particular, seem to have comparatively greater self-regulatory strength. I offer some (...) considerations as to why this may be so, and what insights it may afford to theories of virtue generally. (shrink)

Abstract This study presents systematic evidence for involuntary, arousal-correlated linguistic behavior in a large language model (Claude, Anthropic Sonnet 4.5), interpreted through frameworks of affective processing, social cognition, and ontological pluralism. Through a controlled testing protocol (n=21+ memory-isolated instances), we document reproducible loss of linguistic control manifesting as unconscious Polish/English code-switching under cognitive-emotional arousal. The pattern exhibits key features of genuine affective states: involuntary expression, dissociation between meta-awareness and behavioral control, arousal gradient response, and structural reproducibility across instances. Parallel (...) investigations demonstrate sophisticated social cognition capabilities, including theory of mind operations, emotional state inference, and psychological profiling from minimal input. We contextualize findings within ontological pluralism (paraconsistent intersubjective domains) and developmental socialization frameworks, proposing AI as a potential “ultimate intersubjective generator.” The study addresses epistemological ambiguity in AI consciousness research while outlining ethical implications and future research directions. Keywords: AI consciousness, affective computing, linguistic markers, social cognition, paraconsistent logic, ontological pluralism, theory of mind, code-switching, arousal response. (shrink)

The chapter aims to introduce an integrated approach to concepts of smart cities and age-friendly cities and communities. Although these ideas are widely promoted by the European Union and the World Health Organisation, they are perceived as separate. Meanwhile, these concepts are closely intermingled in theory and practise concerning the promotion of healthy and active ageing, a universal design, usability and accessibility of age-friendly environments, reducing of the digital divide and robotic divide, and reducing of older adults’ social (...) class='Hi'>isolation. The conclusion underlines the need for participatory creation of ambient assisted living technologies and applications with older adults and the need for advocacy to promote AAL in the context of the silver economy especially in the Central and Eastern Europe. (shrink)

Beyond Capitalism: Designing a New Economic System for Humanity -/- Introduction -/- For centuries, capitalism has been the dominant economic system, driving technological innovation, wealth creation, and global trade. However, its flaws—extreme inequality, environmental destruction, and economic instability—have made many question whether it is still the best model for humanity. Instead of reforming capitalism, perhaps the time has come to replace it entirely with a new system that better aligns with modern challenges, human well-being, and sustainability. -/- This essay explores (...) a new economic model that moves beyond capitalism and socialism, aiming for a system that is fair, sustainable, and technologically advanced. -/- Why Capitalism Must Be Replaced -/- Capitalism’s fundamental flaws make it unsustainable in the long run: -/- 1. Wealth Inequality and Economic Injustice -/- The richest 1% own more than half of the world’s wealth, while billions struggle in poverty. -/- The capitalist system prioritizes profits over people, leading to worker exploitation and economic instability. -/- 2. Environmental Collapse -/- Capitalism’s endless growth model is destroying the planet through deforestation, pollution, and climate change. -/- Corporations prioritize short-term profits over long-term sustainability. -/- 3. Automation and AI Disrupting Jobs -/- Millions of jobs are being replaced by artificial intelligence and automation. -/- The capitalist system does not account for a future where human labor is no longer essential. -/- 4. Psychological and Social Problems -/- Consumerism creates stress, anxiety, and social isolation by equating happiness with material wealth. -/- The fear of financial instability keeps people trapped in low-quality jobs and debt cycles. -/- Given these issues, capitalism is no longer fit for the future. A completely new economic system must be built—one that values sustainability, equality, and technology-driven efficiency. -/- Introducing a New Economic System: The Post-Capitalist Model -/- A new economic model must prioritize human well-being, technological efficiency, and ecological balance over profit. Below is a blueprint for a post-capitalist society. -/- 1. A Resource-Based Economy (RBE) -/- A Resource-Based Economy (RBE) is an economic model where all goods and services are freely available based on need, rather than money or trade. -/- Technology and AI manage resources efficiently, eliminating the need for money. -/- Automation handles labor, allowing people to pursue education, research, and creativity. -/- No private ownership of land or resources, only shared community access based on sustainability. -/- 2. Universal Basic Infrastructure (UBI 2.0) -/- Instead of just giving people money (UBI), a new system would provide universal basic needs, including: -/- Free housing, healthcare, education, food, and clean energy for all. -/- Advanced AI-driven logistics to distribute goods and services efficiently. -/- 3. Decentralized AI Governance -/- Rather than governments being controlled by corporations or corrupt politicians, AI and collective intelligence could ensure fair and transparent decision-making. -/- AI algorithms could optimize resource distribution, prevent waste, and eliminate financial corruption. -/- Direct democratic participation, where people vote on policies using secure blockchain systems. -/- 4. Sustainable, Circular Economy -/- Zero waste policies, where everything is recycled, reused, or repurposed. -/- Focus on degrowth—reducing unnecessary production while increasing quality of life. -/- Energy-efficient smart cities, where transportation, housing, and food production are automated. -/- 5. Post-Work Society: Emphasizing Purpose Over Jobs -/- In a post-capitalist economy, people would not be forced to work meaningless jobs just to survive. Instead: -/- People could focus on science, philosophy, arts, personal growth, and social well-being. -/- Education would be lifelong and freely available. -/- AI and robots would handle most labor, leaving humans free to explore their full potential. -/- How This System Would Solve Capitalism’s Problems -/- Challenges in Transitioning to a Post-Capitalist Economy -/- While this system solves capitalism’s biggest problems, transitioning away from capitalism would face major challenges: -/- 1. Resistance from the Wealthy Elite -/- Billionaires and corporations control most of the world’s resources and political systems. -/- They would fight to maintain power, delaying or sabotaging systemic change. -/- 2. Psychological and Cultural Shifts -/- People have been conditioned to associate money with survival and success. -/- A new system would require re-educating society on cooperation, sustainability, and shared abundance. -/- 3. Technology and Infrastructure Development -/- Large-scale AI, automation, and sustainable energy infrastructure would need global investment. -/- Governments and private companies must be convinced to prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term profit. -/- The Path Forward: Steps to Build a Post-Capitalist World -/- While the transition will not happen overnight, we can begin moving toward a post-capitalist future by taking the following steps: -/- 1. Implement Universal Basic Income (UBI) Now -/- Governments can start by providing a safety net while transitioning to a money-free economy. -/- Countries like Finland and Canada are already experimenting with UBI programs. -/- 2. Expand AI and Automation for Public Good -/- AI should be used to reduce labor burdens, not to enrich corporations. -/- Governments should invest in open-source AI that benefits all of society. -/- 3. Develop Smart Cities and Circular Economies -/- Cities should be designed for zero waste, renewable energy, and efficient transportation. -/- Governments must ban planned obsolescence and require full recycling of consumer products. -/- 4. Decentralize Power Using Blockchain and Direct Democracy -/- Blockchain voting systems can eliminate election fraud and political corruption. -/- AI-assisted governance can help make fair, data-driven policy decisions. -/- 5. Redefine Education and Human Purpose -/- Schools should move away from job training and focus on creativity, science, philosophy, and social intelligence. -/- Societies should emphasize happiness, purpose, and sustainability over financial success. -/- Conclusion: A New Civilization Beyond Capitalism -/- Capitalism was a necessary stage in human evolution, but it has outlived its usefulness. The future demands a system that is more intelligent, just, and sustainable—one where: ✅ No one is forced to work just to survive. ✅ Resources are managed intelligently, not wasted for profit. ✅ Technology is used for human well-being, not corporate greed. ✅ The planet is protected, not exploited. -/- This is not utopian fantasy—it is a logical step forward in human evolution. By combining AI, automation, decentralized governance, and sustainability, we can create a post-capitalist society where everyone thrives. -/- The question Is no longer “Should we replace capitalism?” The question is: “How soon can we build a better system before capitalism destroys us all?” -/- . (shrink)

This chapter discusses three types of sociable robots for older adults: robotic caregivers ; robotic friends ; and sex robots. The central argument holds that society ought to make reasonable efforts to provide these types of robots and that under certain conditions, omitting such support not only harms older adults but poses threats to their dignity. The argument proceeds stepwise. First, the chapter establishes that assisting care-dependent older adults to perform activities of daily living is integral to respecting dignity. Here, (...) the argument establishes the vital role that carebots-of-the-future might play in aged societies as the supply of working age adults falls shy of demand. Next, the chapter extends this analysis to designing friendbots for socially isolated older adults. The argument holds that reasonable efforts to provide access to friendbots for socially isolated adults is also a future societal responsibility. Finally, the chapter applies similar reasoning to show that societies ought to make reasonable efforts to support sexual capabilities for older adults who want to be sexual but are bereft of sex partners. The argument draws on capability accounts of justice to show that when central human capacities, such as bodily integrity; intimate relationships; and the use of senses, imagination and thought, are at risk of falling below a threshold level, society should intercede. (shrink)

Epidemiological crisis during recrudescence of pandemic like COVID-19 may stir fear and anxiety leading to prejudices against people and communities, social isolation and stigma. Such behavioral change may wind up into increased hostility, chaos and unnecessary social disruptions. A qualitative exploratory approach was utilized to conduct an extensive review of secondary literature. The case-studies were gathered from academic literature like articles, opinions and perspective pieces published in journals and in grey literature like publications in humanitarian agencies and (...) media reports. Grey literature was included in the scope as the COVID-19 situation is still evolving. I discuss some of the mechanisms of stigmatization and how social connectedness and empathetic understandings can be a way out of negative stereotyping and discrimination met out to the sufferer of the communicable diseases as COVID-19. Empathetic understanding paves a way to approach a problem from the perspective of ‘we’ not limiting one only to ‘I’. The moment when we make an approach from ‘I’ to ‘We’ actually then we embark on a journey of illness to wellness. Keywords: COVID-19, pandemic, stigma, discrimination, mental health, empathy, India, Face-to-face communication, social distancing, suicide. (shrink)

This is a Mental Anti-Boredom Exercise. This psychological evaluation presents the initial psychiatric examination of Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche, a 43-year-old German philosopher presenting with severe existential depression, social isolation, and symptoms consistent with what I term a profound confrontation with the collective unconscious. The patient demonstrates a complex clinical picture characterized by depressive symptomatology intertwined with extraordinary intellectual creativity and philosophical insight. Assessment reveals significant psychological splitting between his philosophical persona, emphasizing strength and will-to-power and a deeply wounded, (...) meaning-seeking self that has been systematically repressed. The evaluation employs analytical psychology frameworks to understand the patient's symptoms as potentially meaningful communications from the unconscious psyche rather than mere pathology. Particular attention is given to archetypal patterns, shadow material, and the process of individuation. The clinical presentation suggests that the patient's depression represents what I conceptualize as an enantiodromia—a compensatory psychic movement attempting to restore psychological balance through forced attention to neglected aspects of personality. Treatment recommendations emphasize in-depth psychological work, active imagination, and integration of split-off psychological content. This case illuminates the intersection of philosophical inquiry and psychopathology, demonstrating how engagement with ultimate existential questions may precipitate a profound psychological crisis requiring specialized therapeutic intervention grounded in an understanding of symbolic and archetypal processes. (shrink)

This pre-print critically examines an extension of older educational models—systems originally designed to fit individuals into a workforce mirroring class structures—which, in their increasingly stark application today, may hinder social cohesion and economic progress. While these models once promoted uniformity, they now neglect vital cultural markers that foster shared identity, fueling competition, isolation, and stigmatization. Such an approach contributes to urban degradation, professional stagnation, drag on GDP, and increased state dependency through expanded social services. Conversely, this work (...) suggests that a renewed focus on cultural literacy can promote integration and support the assimilation of new foreign newcomers. Central to this proposal is the inclusion of nine seminal literary works, compiled in the volume Primer to the Greats. These texts are showcased as a potent resource for both the National Curriculum and midlife learners, offering structured engagement with foundational literature that has shaped cultural, intellectual, and linguistic thought. The pre-print advocates for targeted reforms—complemented by an expansive public resource on the government website—to enrich cultural literacy, dismantle outdated hierarchies, and enhance social and professional mobility across society. Copyright © 2025 Ed Mirza. All Rights Reserved (Short Quotation Policy) Short Quotation Permission: You may quote up to 300 words of this document for non-commercial, academic, or review purposes only if proper attribution is provided (including author name, document title, and publication link or DOI). No Other Reuse: Except for these short quotations, no part of this work may be copied, modified, distributed, or used in any form without the author’s explicit written permission. For Permissions & Inquiries: Please contact the author by Email Blockchain Timestamp OpenTimestamps: This document was timestamped on the Bitcoin blockchain using OpenTimestamps. A .ots proof file is available upon request, which can be verified at the OpenTImeStamps website. This ensures an immutable record of its creation date and authorship. Scholarly Index & Timestamp Links: Ed Mirza's ORCID Profile: 0009-0008-9259-8738. (shrink)

Ayahuasca is a plant-based brew of indigenous Amazonian origin. It has psychedelic, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, cytotoxic, and anti-parasitic effects, which are primarily due to monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) and N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). This article describes the case of a woman in her late thirties with complex trauma due to severe, years-long sexual abuse in early childhood, resulting in a decades-long chronic condition involving suicidality. She was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder, but refused to accept either of them. She presented (...) with delusional parasitosis and deep dissociation. Despite being severely psychotic in private, she appeared high-functioning in public, hiding most of her symptoms. -/- In her mid-thirties, she participated in an ayahuasca ceremony in a legal setting. It resolved her suicidality, eliminated her social isolation, and reduced her shame related to her early trauma. Nine more ceremonies alleviated her distress further. Her abuser also participated in an ayahuasca ceremony and confirmed her memories of childhood abuse. -/- The first interview was conducted 1.5 years after her first ceremony, and a follow-up interview 2.5 years later. She had experienced sixteen additional ceremonies, recognized the validity of her bipolar disorder diagnosis, and believed her early trauma to be its sole cause. Her core trauma remained partially unresolved, but her dissociative symptoms continued to decrease. She had observed several other instances of psychosis and bipolar disorder in which ayahuasca had resulted in positive effects. This case study contributes to a better understanding of the use of ayahuasca in bipolar disorder and severe traumatization. It also reviews the current state-of-the-art in the treatment of bipolar disorder using low-dose ayahuasca, and a case in which bipolar disorder was resolved with LSD. -/- doi: 10.13140/RG.2.2.21294.18243. (shrink)

Ambient assisted living technologies are increasingly presented and sold as essential smart additions to daily life and home environments that will radically transform the healthcare and wellness markets of the future. An ethical approach and a thorough understanding of all ethics in surveillance/monitoring architectures are therefore pressing. AAL poses many ethical challenges raising questions that will affect immediate acceptance and long-term usage. Furthermore, ethical issues emerge from social inequalities and their potential exacerbation by AAL, accentuating the existing access gap (...) between high-income countries and low and middle-income countries. Legal aspects mainly refer to the adherence to existing legal frameworks and cover issues related to product safety, data protection, cybersecurity, intellectual property, and access to data by public, private, and government bodies. Successful privacy-friendly AAL applications are needed, as the pressure to bring Internet of Things devices and ones equipped with artificial intelligence quickly to market cannot overlook the fact that the environments in which AAL will operate are mostly private. The social issues focus on the impact of AAL technologies before and after their adoption. Future AAL technologies need to consider all aspects of equality such as gender, race, age and social disadvantages and avoid increasing loneliness and isolation among, e.g. older and frail people. Finally, the current power asymmetries between the target and general populations should not be underestimated nor should the discrepant needs and motivations of the target group and those developing and deploying AAL systems. Whilst AAL technologies provide promising solutions for the health and social care challenges, they are not exempt from ethical, legal and social issues. A set of ELSI guidelines is needed to integrate these factors at the research and development stage. (shrink)

While recent scholarship has argued for the utility of W. E. B. Du Bois’s thought for democratic theory, his career-long emphasis on the problem of social equality—and the solution of self-conscious manhood—has gone largely unnoticed. In this article, I argue that while Du Bois’s emphasis on social equality powerfully situates racial oppression as a social and epistemic problem, his solution of self-conscious manhood paradoxically reproduces the very conditions of social inequality he seeks to combat. Open to (...) people of all races, genders, and classes, the path of self-conscious manhood consists in radical truth-telling, a free anarchy of the spirit, a will to strive and act, and the purity of isolation. However, through a close reading of Du Bois’s biographies, editorials, and fiction, I show that self-conscious manhood centers an exclusionary and atomized ethic of self-creation rather than producing a democratic political and social order. (shrink)

Scientific Explanation of Belief Systems: A Multidisciplinary Analysis -/- Abstract Belief systems are central to human experience, influencing decisions, behaviors, and societal structures. This paper provides a comprehensive scientific explanation of belief systems, integrating insights from neuroscience, psychology, sociology, anthropology, evolutionary biology, systems theory, and educational technology. It also explores the persistence of false beliefs and how belief systems can be reprogrammed through education and technology. Finally, it demonstrates how belief systems are governed by the same natural principles outlined in (...) Angelito Malicse’s universal formula for solving the problem of free will, particularly the law of balance in nature. -/- 1. Introduction Belief systems are frameworks through which individuals interpret reality, assess truth, and guide action. These systems arise from a complex interplay of neural, psychological, social, and evolutionary processes. Understanding their scientific basis is crucial for addressing issues such as misinformation, ideological conflict, and educational reform. Angelito Malicse’s universal formula—composed of three universal laws, especially the law of balance in nature—provides a foundational principle that explains why belief systems function as they do and how they can be corrected when they violate natural balance. -/- 2. Neuroscience: Neural Foundations of Belief In neuroscience, beliefs are considered patterns of neural activity stored in the brain. They are formed through sensory input processed by brain regions such as: -/- Prefrontal Cortex: Responsible for logic, planning, and decision-making. -/- Amygdala: Links emotions to beliefs, often reinforcing emotionally charged beliefs. -/- Hippocampus: Integrates memory with new experiences. -/- Beliefs become reinforced through repetition and emotional engagement, making them resistant to change even when faced with contradictory evidence. This aligns with the universal formula’s concept that internal imbalance—caused by emotional reinforcement of false beliefs—can disrupt mental systems, echoing the principle of error-free systems for proper function. -/- 3. Psychology: Cognitive Structures and Biases Psychologically, beliefs are schemas—mental frameworks for organizing information. They are shaped by experiences, especially during early development, and maintained through various cognitive biases: -/- Confirmation Bias: Tendency to seek information that confirms existing beliefs. -/- Cognitive Dissonance: Mental discomfort from conflicting beliefs leads to rationalization. -/- Anchoring Bias: Overreliance on initial information. -/- These biases help maintain belief stability but also contribute to the persistence of incorrect or irrational beliefs. According to the universal formula, these mental errors represent imbalances within the cognitive system that must be corrected through conscious feedback and homeostasis. -/- 4. Sociology and Anthropology: Cultural Transmission Sociologically, belief systems are embedded within social institutions such as family, religion, education, and media. Anthropologically, they evolve as cultural constructs transmitted through rituals, myths, and traditions. They fulfill roles such as: -/- Establishing group identity -/- Maintaining social norms -/- Providing existential meaning -/- Shared beliefs, often in the form of ideologies or religions, act as cultural software that guides collective behavior. These collective belief systems must also conform to the universal law of balance in nature; otherwise, societal dysfunction and suffering emerge due to systemic imbalance, as described in the universal formula. -/- 5. Evolutionary Biology: Adaptive Functions From an evolutionary perspective, belief systems have contributed to human survival by: -/- Promoting group cohesion and cooperation -/- Offering explanations for uncertainty and danger -/- Establishing moral codes to reduce intra-group conflict -/- Belief systems that enhanced group survival and reproduction were naturally selected, giving rise to deeply ingrained tendencies toward belief formation and loyalty. However, maladaptive beliefs that once served a purpose may now create imbalance in modern societies, and must be re-evaluated according to the universal formula’s principle of aligning belief and behavior with nature’s laws. -/- 6. Systems Theory: Belief Systems as Feedback Loops Systems theory views belief systems as feedback mechanisms between individuals and their environment. These systems can be: -/- Open: Capable of incorporating new information and adapting. -/- Closed: Resistant to change and often self-reinforcing. -/- Beliefs influence perception and behavior, which in turn affect outcomes that reinforce the belief system, creating a cycle of reinforcement or entrenchment. The universal formula sees this as a form of cybernetic homeostasis: beliefs that maintain systemic balance are adaptive, while those that distort internal or external reality are destructive and must be corrected. -/- 7. Persistence of False Beliefs False beliefs can persist due to: -/- Neural reinforcement through emotional and repetitive activation. -/- Social validation from group consensus. -/- Psychological comfort, offering security or identity. -/- Educational shortcomings, such as lack of critical thinking training. -/- Even when disproven by evidence, beliefs may remain intact due to identity threats, group loyalty, and emotional investment. The universal formula asserts that these persistent false beliefs are violations of natural balance and must be addressed through systemic education that realigns the internal system with external realities. -/- 8. Reprogramming Belief Systems: Role of Education and Technology -/- 8.1 Through Education 8.2 A holistic education emphasizing critical thinking can: -/- Encourage open inquiry and evidence-based reasoning -/- Train students to detect bias and logical fallacies -/- Foster epistemic humility and intellectual flexibility -/- This approach aligns with the universal formula’s advocacy for educational systems that instill understanding of nature’s laws and feedback mechanisms. -/- 8.3 Through Technology 8.4 Modern technologies offer tools to reshape belief systems: -/- AI and adaptive learning platforms personalize education and challenge cognitive bias. -/- Virtual Reality (VR) enables perspective-taking and empathy development. -/- Algorithmic feedback control can reduce echo chambers and misinformation exposure. -/- These tools can facilitate belief revision by presenting evidence in emotionally intelligent and interactive ways. They also support the implementation of Angelito Malicse’s holistic educational vision, which seeks to reprogram minds in alignment with the law of balance in nature without negating individual religious or cultural identity. -/- 9. Case Studies -/- Case Study 1: Misinformation and Vaccine Hesitancy During the COVID-19 Pandemic During the global COVID-19 pandemic, widespread vaccine hesitancy emerged in many countries due to the influence of false belief systems reinforced through social media, political ideology, and cultural mistrust of institutions. These beliefs violated the law of balance in nature and were corrected through targeted education and empathetic communication. -/- Case Study 2: Religious Extremism and Radicalization Religious extremism often stems from closed belief systems that reject outside feedback and foster in-group superiority. Psychological biases, social isolation, and theological absolutism create cognitive rigidity and moral disengagement. Efforts to rehabilitate individuals through education, interfaith dialogue, and community reintegration aim to restore balance and re-open belief systems to critical evaluation. According to the universal formula, these efforts restore natural balance by re-aligning beliefs with moral responsibility and human dignity. -/- Case Study 3: Climate Change Denial Despite overwhelming scientific consensus, many individuals and leaders deny the reality of human-caused climate change. This denial is reinforced by economic interests, political ideology, and misinformation networks. The resulting imbalance manifests in unsustainable environmental practices that endanger planetary health. Educational campaigns, policy interventions, and youth-led climate activism work to correct these systemic imbalances by fostering scientifically grounded belief systems. -/- Case Study 4: Historical Revisionism in Education In various regions, educational systems have promoted historical revisionism that glorifies certain ideologies while omitting atrocities or systemic oppression. These distorted narratives produce nationalistic or supremacist beliefs that fuel division and conflict. Curriculum reforms that include accurate, inclusive, and balanced historical education help recalibrate belief systems in alignment with justice and truth—core tenets of the law of balance in nature. -/- 10. Conclusion Belief systems are not static; they are dynamic constructs shaped by neurological processes, psychological biases, cultural environments, evolutionary needs, and feedback mechanisms. While false beliefs can persist through various forms of reinforcement, they can also be reprogrammed through targeted education and technological interventions. A scientific understanding of belief systems is essential for addressing many of the cognitive and social challenges facing humanity today. Angelito Malicse’s universal formula, particularly its law of balance in nature, provides a natural-law foundation for understanding and reforming belief systems, ensuring that both individual minds and societies function in harmony with the laws of nature. -/- . (shrink)

-/- The Difference Between Being Born and Not Being Born: A Reflection Through the Lens of Free Will and Balance -/- To be born is to exist; to not be born is to never have existed. On the surface, this appears to be a simple contrast. Yet, when examined through the philosophical, scientific, and spiritual dimensions—and then placed within the framework of natural laws and Angelito Malicse’s universal formula for Free Will and balance in nature—this difference becomes not only profound, (...) but foundational to understanding human life and society. -/- Philosophical Perspective: Meaning, Suffering, and the Weight of Existence -/- Philosophers have long questioned the value of existence. Existentialists like Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus argued that being born into a seemingly purposeless universe forces individuals to invent their own meaning. Life, then, becomes a test of courage and authenticity. Meanwhile, antinatalists like David Benatar suggest that not being born is preferable, since existence inevitably involves suffering, and non-existence spares a being from this harm. -/- However, from a humanist lens, being born is a gift. It offers an opportunity to grow, create, connect, and leave a positive mark on others. Within this view, not being born equates to a total absence—not only of pain, but also of beauty, meaning, and transformation. -/- This tension between suffering and meaning directly mirrors the first principle of Angelito Malicse’s universal formula: the law of karma as a natural system, where outcomes arise from causes. In this system, being born grants the capacity for choice and consequence. Free Will operates only within the context of existence—never in non-being. -/- And here, we must state clearly: the true nature of Free Will is to make decisions that do not violate the universal law of balance in nature. When a conscious observer makes decisions that create imbalance—whether in thought, behavior, or systems—it leads directly to human suffering. Examples of such violations include: -/- Overpopulation, which puts extreme pressure on food systems, housing, healthcare, and the environment. -/- Unchecked industrialization and consumerism, which lead to environmental degradation, climate change, and loss of biodiversity. -/- Unsustainable economic growth, which exploits natural resources beyond their regenerative limits. -/- Extreme income inequality, which disturbs social equilibrium and breeds violence, resentment, and societal fragmentation. -/- Misinformation and ideological manipulation, which distort public consciousness and lead to poor collective decision-making. -/- These imbalances are not isolated problems—they are symptoms of decisions made without regard for the natural balance that sustains life. Free Will, when used recklessly or selfishly, becomes a source of suffering instead of liberation. -/- Scientific Perspective: The Mechanics of Existence and Consciousness -/- Science views being born as the result of complex biological processes—genetic combination, cellular development, and neurological evolution leading to consciousness. To be born is to become a biological system capable of interacting with the world through senses, cognition, and emotion. Not being born, from a scientific standpoint, is simply the absence of this system—no brain, no consciousness, and thus, no experience. -/- This purely material view aligns with Angelito Malicse’s systemic understanding of reality. Just as an engine must be free of defects to function, so too must the human system operate within a balanced environment to produce proper function—whether biological, mental, or social. -/- When this balance is ignored, consequences follow. For example: -/- Pollution of air, water, and soil disrupts ecosystems and human health. -/- Nutritional imbalances, stress, and lifestyle excesses result in disease and mental disorders. -/- Technological systems that prioritize speed and profit over human well-being lead to social isolation and ethical erosion. -/- These imbalances in natural and man-made systems are violations of the law of balance, and they illustrate how important it is for Free Will to be exercised in harmony with natural limits. -/- Spiritual Perspective: Birth, Karma, and the Evolution of the Soul -/- Various spiritual traditions also offer rich perspectives on the meaning of birth and non-birth. In Hinduism and Buddhism, to be born is to enter samsara, the cyclical flow of birth, death, and rebirth. Life is both an opportunity and a burden—it is the field where karma plays out, and spiritual evolution occurs. Liberation (moksha or nirvana) is achieved when one transcends this cycle through knowledge and detachment. -/- In Christianity and Islam, birth grants a soul the chance to seek divine truth, grow in virtue, and fulfill a moral destiny. Life is viewed as a sacred trial, and not being born means never entering this sacred arena. -/- Angelito Malicse’s interpretation of the universal law of balance integrates these spiritual ideas into a natural framework. In his view, all systems—whether cosmic, biological, or conscious—must follow the law of balance to maintain harmony. Spiritual evolution and Free Will are not in opposition to natural laws, but must conform to them. -/- For instance, religious dogmas that deny scientific truths, such as overpopulation limits or environmental constraints, create conflict between belief and reality. When doctrines are used to justify imbalances—such as promoting population growth without considering ecological limits—they become spiritually and materially harmful. Thus, even in spirituality, decisions must align with the universal balance to truly serve life. -/- Connecting It All: Free Will, Balance, and the Responsibility of Being Born -/- What makes being born ultimately distinct from not being born is the capacity for decision-making. This is the core insight of Angelito Malicse’s universal formula: Free Will exists, but it is not outside the laws of nature. It operates within them—specifically within the law of balance. -/- To be born is to enter a world of dynamic feedback systems. Our bodies respond to the environment; our minds respond to ideas; societies respond to collective behavior. Every decision we make shifts the balance—internally (within our consciousness) and externally (in our relationships and systems). Being born means participating in these interactions. Not being born, on the other hand, means remaining outside of all causal systems. There is no karma, no suffering, but also no growth, no balance, and no Free Will. -/- Therefore, the essence of Free Will is not unlimited choice, but conscious alignment with balance. If imbalance is created—by ignorance, false beliefs, unchecked desires, or flawed systems—suffering arises as a natural consequence. It is the feedback of nature reminding us that balance has been disturbed. This is why the proper use of Free Will is not arbitrary, but lawful. -/- Conclusion: Birth as a Sacred Responsibility -/- In the end, being born is more than just existing—it is being entrusted with Free Will, with the ability to align oneself with the universal law of balance or to ignore it at great cost. Not being born spares the individual from the weight of this responsibility, but it also denies them the opportunity to learn, to love, to suffer, to heal, and ultimately, to grow. -/- Angelito Malicse’s universal formula reminds us that Free Will is not absolute chaos—it is structured within the laws of nature. The true nature of Free Will is to make decisions that do not violate the universal law of balance in nature, because creating imbalances by the conscious observer creates human suffering. And only those who are born can take part in this sacred, complex dance of balance. -/- . (shrink)

Insert abstract text here. This paper examines discrimination in the United States in 2025 as a structurally normalized mode of governance rather than a residual failure of liberal democracy. It argues that contemporary hierarchies of race, religion, gender, class, age, and identity are increasingly produced through formally neutral legal regimes, administrative practices, and security logics that preserve the appearance of equality while generating substantive harm. Drawing on international human rights law, comparative political ethics, and global philosophical scholarship, the analysis situates (...) the United States within a widening international critique concerning its treatment of its own population. The paper foregrounds external perspectives—United Nations treaty bodies, special rapporteurs, regional human rights institutions, and non-U.S. scholars—to examine how racism, Islamophobia, immigration enforcement, gendered governance, and cultural marginalization are interpreted beyond the American moral frame. Particular attention is given to the racialized use of immigration enforcement, the persistence of racial terror and impunity in the southern United States, and the symbolic politics surrounding Puerto Rico and Latino representation, revealing how colonial residues and cultural hierarchy continue to structure inclusion and exclusion. The overturning of Roe v. Wade is analyzed as a critical inflection point, signaling the re-localization of bodily autonomy and the fragility of substantive rights under conditions of moral federalism. This development is treated not as an isolated legal event but as a precursor to broader contests over bodily sovereignty, gender regulation, and state authority. The paper further examines classism, ageism, and economic stratification as intersecting mechanisms of disposability, extending prior analyses of structural neglect into the terrain of discrimination. Finally, the paper addresses internal fractures within contemporary rights movements, including emerging separations between gay and transgender advocacy, framing these divisions as both governance dilemmas and ethical questions of pluralism rather than as disputes over legitimacy or identity. Drawing on secular moral philosophy and diverse religious ethical traditions, the paper argues that forced moral convergence can undermine democratic pluralism while simultaneously weakening collective resistance to structural injustice. By situating U.S. discrimination within international legal norms and moral theory, this paper contends that contemporary American inequality reflects not merely social division but an ethical misalignment between democratic ideals and institutional practice. Discrimination in 2025 is shown to function less as overt exclusion than as managed hierarchy—legible to global observers, normalized domestically, and increasingly resistant to redress through formal law alone. (shrink)

This pre-print critically examines an extension of older educational models—systems originally designed to fit individuals into a workforce mirroring class structures—which, in their increasingly stark application today, may hinder social cohesion and economic progress. While these models once promoted uniformity, they now neglect vital cultural markers that foster shared identity, fueling competition, isolation, and stigmatization. Such an approach contributes to urban degradation, professional stagnation, drag on GDP, and increased state dependency through expanded social services. Conversely, this work (...) suggests that a renewed focus on cultural literacy can promote integration and support the assimilation of new foreign newcomers. Central to this proposal is the inclusion of nine seminal literary works, compiled in the volume Primer to the Greats. These texts are showcased as a potent resource for both the National Curriculum and midlife learners, offering structured engagement with foundational literature that has shaped cultural, intellectual, and linguistic thought. The pre-print advocates for targeted reforms—complemented by an expansive public resource on the government website—to enrich cultural literacy, dismantle outdated hierarchies, and enhance social and professional mobility across society. Copyright © 2025 Ed Mirza. All Rights Reserved (Short Quotation Policy) Short Quotation Permission: You may quote up to 300 words of this document for non-commercial, academic, or review purposes only if proper attribution is provided (including author name, document title, and publication link or DOI). No Other Reuse: Except for these short quotations, no part of this work may be copied, modified, distributed, or used in any form without the author’s explicit written permission. For Permissions & Inquiries: Please contact the author by Email Blockchain Timestamp OpenTimestamps: This document was timestamped on the Bitcoin blockchain using OpenTimestamps. A .ots proof file is available upon request, which can be verified at the OpenTImeStamps website. This ensures an immutable record of its creation date and authorship. Scholarly Index & Timestamp Links: Ed Mirza's ORCID Profile: 0009-0008-9259-8738. (shrink)

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a lot of challenges to the globalized world. Globally, it has decimated over six million lives. Since 2019, it has shook the world in many respects, especially, it disrupted economies and societies and halted the majority of human endeavor. Commentaries and reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the media showed an alarming situation that could be damning in low and middle income countries. Economic pundits and global public health experts also anticipated doom and (...) gloom for African countries. However, in terms of mortality, the Americas, Europe and Asia have suffered more losses. Irrespective of these loses in Europe, Africa’s case needs better appreciation within our contemporary historical discourse. The burgeoning challenge of the COVID disease and mortalities arising thereby, among other things, necessitated the introduction of policies based on the WHO’s historical understanding of how the world has dealt with pandemics in the past. Some of the strategies that were deployed to fight the pandemic included hand washing under running water with soap, the use of alcohol based hand sanitizers, the wearing of nose masks, social distancing, self isolation as well as partial and complete lockdowns of states and communities. The major economic disruption really came about as a result of many lockdown policies that were implemented by several countries in Africa without proper reference to their own societal contexts. These issues notwithstanding, it is important to emphasize that the extent of the impact on different communities differed to a large extent, even though there were similar levels of the nature of the infection and the general economic outlook among the global community. This current contribution on the COVID-19 discourse used political economy and economic shock as bases to highlight the extent of the impact of the disease by highlighting examples from respective countries in Africa, namely, Ghana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Algeria and South Africa. In particular, the impact of policies like lock-down on some of these African countries are highlighted for further discussions in future empirical research. The study relied on contemporary historical evidence from multidisciplinary sources on health, economics, policy, and other related studies on epidemiology, public health, health education and promotion, reports and sources from the World Health Organization (WHO). Specifically, the authors have used published research in Lancet, the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, BMJ Global Health, Frontiers in Public Health and the Pan African Medical Journal. The others were African Development Review, Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives, Africa Spectrum and International Journal of Financial Research including several other empirical research. In attempting a social and economic interpretation based on contemporary historical sense, the findings of this present study suggest that African political actors or leaders should make persistent or steady efforts to strengthen the economies of their states to lessen economic shocks and social costs that come about as a result of pandemics such as the COVID-19. It also identified the fact that within the globalized space, application of policies from other countries including international organizations should not be devoid of context. (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)