The R&D-growth paradox arises in fast-growing sectors

Several notions of a R&D paradox can be found in the literature. In the Swedish Paradox version, the emphasis is normally on high and growing levels of business R&D connected to comparatively low GDP growth rates. This paper examines whether this pattern is consistent over time and, more importantly, which sectors drive the aggregate patterns. Based on an investigation of the entire Swedish economy 1985-2001, there is clear evidence that the paradox occurs only in fast-growing manufacturing and service sectors. Fast-growing sectors show an increasing gap between R&D and value-added growth, while the slow-growing sectors do not. This paradox is not interpreted as a sign of failure of the national innovation system, as the largest gap would then be for the slow-growing sectors, failing to transform R&D to economic growth. The gap between R&D and GDP is consistent with the idea of diminishing marginal returns to R&D investment in high-investing sectors. The evidence does not rule out, however, that rendering the innovation system more effective could yield better outcomes. As the findings of a gap are quite consistent over time, it seems fair to conclude that businesses have good reasons for their high R&D investments, despite not being on par with their production growth.     

The immigrant paradox and math self-concept: An SES-of-origin-country hypothesis

The immigrant paradox is the phenomenon where recent immigrants have better outcomes than individuals from native-born families. Although limited past research has shown the paradox to exist for math self-concept, neither its exact nature nor a theoretical explanation for its existence have been reported. Using Australian cohort data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2003 (N = 12,551) and 2012 (N = 14,481), we first establish that immigrant students have higher math self-concepts than native students, controlling for gender and absolute parental socioeconomic status (SES), and show that it is similar to—albeit weaker than—the expectation-achievement gap. We then provide an SES-of-origin-country hypothesis as a contextual explanation for this effect; we show that the immigrant paradox for both math self-concept and educational expectations substantially reduces when accounting for parents' SES relative to their country-of-origin. Our findings suggest that the paradox for math self-concept and educational expectations may partly result from immigrant parents’ socioeconomic advantage in their home countries.     

Obesity paradoxes

Abstract

In this review, we examine the original obesity paradox phenomenon (i.e. in cardiovascular disease populations, obese patients survive better), as well as three other related paradoxes (pre-obesity, “fat but fit” theory, and “healthy” obesity). An obesity paradox has been reported in a range of cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular conditions. Pre-obesity (defined as a body mass index of 25.0–29.9 kg · m^?2) presents another paradox. Whereas “overweight” implies increased risk, it is in fact associated with decreased mortality risk compared with normal weight. Another paradox concerns the observation than when fitness is taken into account, the mortality risk associated with obesity is offset. The final paradox under consideration is the presence of a sizeable subset of obese individuals who are otherwise healthy. Consequently, a large segment of the overweight and obese population is not at increased risk for premature death. It appears therefore that low cardiorespiratory fitness and inactivity are a greater health threat than obesity, suggesting that more emphasis should be placed on increasing leisure time physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness as the main strategy for reducing mortality risk in the broad population of overweight and obese adults.     

乳酸异常现象的研究进展

就乳酸异常产生原因这一目前学界争议较大的问题,对近几年来学者们的研究成果进行综述,主要包括肌纤维募集减少、机体保护作用、生化变化、运动适应现象以及多种疲劳机制等,同时对乳酸异常的存在条件加以归纳。     

论爱人如己的宗教团体性

基督宗教的教义始终主张,“爱人如己”是一种指向所有邻人的“普世之爱”。但进 一步的分析可以表明:由于坚持上帝至上的神本主义立场,基督宗教提倡的这种“爱人如己”必然 呈现出鲜明的宗教团体性,甚至还会引发宗教仇恨,从而最终陷入难以消解的深度悖论。     

谈新闻悖论

新闻传播作为人类创造的具有其特质的事物现象,以其特质构成了 有价值、有意义的世界,从它产生那一天开始,按其本性来说,就存在着结构和功能 上的不合理性,存在着自我相关的矛盾性,存在着价值和意义上的混乱、模糊和不确 切性。但“新闻悖论”的概念是与一般形式逻辑中的悖论概念不相同的;也不像哲 学社会科学中“异化”的概念用得那样广泛和混乱。另外,作者还就新闻价值体系 自我相关的悖谬如何排除谈了几点看法。     

大学图书馆情景规划模型构建与实现——以香港理工大学图书馆为例

[目的/意义] 针对当前我国图书馆面临的不确定性复杂环境, 引入情景规划理论, 建立嵌入情景的大学图书馆战略规划实施模型, 旨在丰富图书馆战略规划理论, 并在实践层面上为我国大学图书馆及其他类型图书馆战略规划提供借鉴。[方法/过程] 运用系统研究方法, 融合战略规划与情景规划理论, 突出情景规划的系统学习、应急性与反馈性等特性, 构建大学图书馆情景规划模型, 以香港理工大学图书馆为例阐释说明其实现过程与实施效果。[结果/结论] 结果显示, 作为面向复杂多变的不确定性环境的战略规划方法, 大学图书馆情景规划有助于形成面向未来导向与公共导向的未来情景, 培养与形成图书馆共享心智模式, 在成本预算、建筑修复、员工技能等方面, 为图书馆制定面向未来的战略规划研究与实践提供有益参考。     

"悖论"概念的几个层面

"悖论"是一个多义词,表达着多个概念。在日常语言中,"悖论"常常在修辞与逻辑不同层面被使用,在逻辑层面还存在狭义逻辑悖论和广义逻辑悖论之差异;逻辑悖论是一种"理论事实"或"理论状态",但实践领域中的"悖行"或"悖境"也曾使用"悖论"的称谓。悖论有严格和泛化之区别。     

从条件句悖论看信息流理论的哲学基础

经典逻辑中的一些有效推理规则对自然语言条件句推理的失效导致条件句悖论。情景语义学认为,造成条件句悖论的原因跟条件句所描述制约关系的背景条件有关。信息流理论继承情景语义学使用内涵方法处理内涵问题的传统、使用信息通道的概念在通道等级系统中表征条件句所描述制约关系的背景条件,对造成条件句悖论的原因给出令人信服的合理解释。根据信息流理论对条件句悖论的分析和解释,本文进一步分析阐释信息流理论在本体论和认识论方面的哲学基础。在本体论上,信息流理论认为世界是一个由情景和关系构成的关系网络。在认识论上,信息流推理与认知主体及其知识状态紧密相连。     

破解说谎者悖论

说谎者悖论是学界探索不止的千年难题。应当从思维和存在关系的角度,建立正确的语言层面理论,以作为分析说谎者悖论的方法。语言可以划分成外延、内涵和形式三个层面,三个层面之间存在重合、透明和转换的关系。解析说谎者悖论,关键也是理解语句名称与被代表的语句本身之间的层面关系,不能混淆。断定“真”与断定“假”的作用不同：断定“真”,具有转换语言层面的功能,因此我们允许一个语句断定自身为真;而断定一个语句为“假”则使它定位于内涵层面,因此从断定自身为假的语句推不出矛盾等价式来。运用类似的方法同样可以解析说谎者悖论的变体。