Psychological and biochemical mechanisms of schizoprenia

Schizophrenia is a disease whose physical cause is unknown despite the attempts of several research teams to discover a physical basis for it. Some success has been gained in genetic studies which indicate that schizophrenia is an inherited disability. However, since research tools are at present so sadly inadequate, the value of pursuing a genetic line of reasoning is questionable. To compensate for the lack of biochemical certainties in treating mental illness, psychological theories have been constructed to explain the schizophrenia syndrome. Normal personality is seen as the resultant of environmental and inherited influences. Involved in the formation of personality are the processes of differentiation and integration, maturation of inherited traits, and the learning processes. As personality develops. consciousness of the self, inferiority feelings, and compensatory mechanisms, and the transformation of interests into drives exert a decided influence upon personality growth. Finally, in the mature personality, an integrating philosophy of life, a large variety of interests, and the possibility of self-objectification become evident.

Fragmentos da história das concepções de mundo na construção das ciências da natureza: das certezas medievais às dúvidas pré-modernas

A concepção filosófica do mundo se inicia com os gregos sintetizados por Platão e Aristóteles. Para o primeiro o mundo físico é aparente e para se chegar à verdade é preciso se lembrar das idéias originais que determinam seu significado. Para o segundo as coisas físicas são dirigidas pelas idéias e para entendê-las é preciso a lógica. Durante o helenismo a escola de Alexandria elabora o neoplatonismo, a base da Patrística. Após a queda de Roma, os filósofos bizantinos guardam a herança clássica. A Igreja constrói uma visão neoplatônica da cristandade, a Escolástica. No oriente os persas também sofreram a influência grega. Entre os árabes do Oriente o pensamento neoplatônico orienta filósofos e religiosos de forma que para eles a razão e a fé não se separam. Aí a ciências se desenvolvem na física, na alquimia, na botânica, na medicina, na matemática e na lógica, até serem subjugadas pela doutrina conservadora dos otomanos. Na Espanha mulçumana sem as restrições da teologia, a filosofia de Aristóteles é mais bem compreendida do que no resto do Islã. Também aí todas as ciências se desenvolvem rápido. Mas a Espanha sucumbe aos cristãos. Os árabes e judeus apresentam Aristóteles à Europa Ocidental que elabora um Aristóteles cristão. A matemática, a física experimental, a alquimia e a medicina dos árabes influenciam intensamente o Ocidente. Os artesãos constroem instrumentos cada vez mais precisos, os navegadores constroem navios e mapas mais eficientes e minuciosos, os armeiros calculam melhor a forma de lançamento e pontaria de suas armas e os agrimensores melhor elaboram a medida de sua área de mapeamento. Os artistas principalmente italianos, a partir dos clássicos gregos e árabes, criam a perspectiva no desenho, possibilitando a matematização do espaço. Os portugueses, junto com cientistas árabes, judeus e italianos, concluem um projeto de expansão naval e ampliam os horizontes do mundo. Os pensadores italianos, como uma reação à Escolástica, constroem um pensamento humanista influenciado pelo pensamento grego clássico original e pelos últimos filósofos bizantinos. Por todas essas mudanças se inicia a construção de um novo universo e de um novo método, que viria décadas mais tarde.

Geometrias não-eucludianas como anomalias: implicações para o ensino de geometria e medidas

This present research the aim to show to the reader the Geometry non-Euclidean while anomaly indicating the pedagogical implications and then propose a sequence of activities, divided into three blocks which show the relationship of Euclidean geometry with non-Euclidean, taking the Euclidean with respect to analysis of the anomaly in non-Euclidean. PPGECNM is tied to the line of research of History, Philosophy and Sociology of Science in the Teaching of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. Treat so on Euclid of Alexandria, his most famous work The Elements and moreover, emphasize the Fifth Postulate of Euclid, particularly the difficulties (which lasted several centuries) that mathematicians have to understand him. Until the eighteenth century, three mathematicians: Lobachevsky (1793 - 1856), Bolyai (1775 - 1856) and Gauss (1777-1855) was convinced that this axiom was correct and that there was another geometry (anomalous) as consistent as the Euclid, but that did not adapt into their parameters. It is attributed to the emergence of these three non-Euclidean geometry. For the course methodology we started with some bibliographical definitions about anomalies, after we ve featured so that our definition are better understood by the readers and then only deal geometries non-Euclidean (Hyperbolic Geometry, Spherical Geometry and Taxicab Geometry) confronting them with the Euclidean to analyze the anomalies existing in non-Euclidean geometries and observe its importance to the teaching. After this characterization follows the empirical part of the proposal which consisted the application of three blocks of activities in search of pedagogical implications of anomaly. The first on parallel lines, the second on study of triangles and the third on the shortest distance between two points. These blocks offer a work with basic elements of geometry from a historical and investigative study of geometries non-Euclidean while anomaly so the concept is understood along with it s properties without necessarily be linked to the image of the geometric elements and thus expanding or adapting to other references. For example, the block applied on the second day of activities that provides extend the result of the sum of the internal angles of any triangle, to realize that is not always 180° (only when Euclid is a reference that this conclusion can be drawn)

A metafísica de Isaac Newton

The general objective of this dissertation is to analyze the metaphysical aspects of "rational mechanics" of Isaac Newton, clarifying, by scientific and philosophical discourse, their main elements, with emphasis to the presence of one entity infinitely rational behind all the phenomena of nature, and to the Newton's insight as certain empiricist which, however, accepts deductions metaphysics; a philosopher-scientist. The specific objectives are detailed below: a) brief presentation of the development of modern science, since the Pre-Socratics, seeking to understand the historical conjecture that enabled the rise of Newtonian mechanics; b) presentation of the elements of scientific methodology and philosophical, aimed at comprehension of certain "Newtonian methodology", understanding how this specific methodology able to present empirical aspects, mathematics, philosophic and religious in communion; c) to understand, from the Newtonian concepts, both concerning man's role in the world as the "notional notions" of mass, space, time and movement, necessary for analysis and understanding of certain metaphysical aspects in the Newtonian physics; d) to present the Newtonian concepts related to the ether, to understand why it necessarily assumes metaphysics characteristics and mediation between the bodies; e) to present and understand the factors that lead the empiricist Newton to assume the religion in his mechanics, as well as, the existence and functions of God in nature, to object to the higher content of his metaphysics; f) to highlight the metaphysical elements of his classical mechanics, that confirm the presence of concepts like God Creator and Preserver of the natural laws; g) at last, to analyze the importance of Newton to the modern metaphysics and the legacy to philosophy of science at sec. XVII to science contemporary

Topological K-equivalence of analytic function-germs

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Boundary of the rauzy fractal sets in R x C generated by P(x)=x(4)-x(3)-x(2)-x-1

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

What are Scientific Leaders? The Introduction of a Normalized Impact Factor

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Free actions of abelian p-groups on the n-torus

In this work we make some contributions to the theory of actions of abelian p-groups on the n-Torus T-n. Set congruent to Z(pk1)(h1) x Z(pk2)(h2) x...x Z(pkr)(hr), r >= 1, k(1) >= k(2) >=...>= k(r) >= 1, p prime. Suppose that the group H acts freely on T-n and the induced representation on pi(1)(T-n) congruent to Z(n) is faithful and has first Betti number b. We show that the numbers n, p, b, k(i) and h(i) (i = 1,..,r) satisfy some relation. In particular, when H congruent to Z(p)(h), the minimum value of n is phi(p) + b when b >= 1. Also when H congruent to Z(pk1) x Z(p) the minimum value of n is phi(p(k1)) + p - 1 + b for b >= 1. Here phi denotes the Euler function.

Fragmentos da presença do pensamento idealista na história da construção das ciências da natureza

O propósito deste trabalho é estabelecer o caminho percorrido pelo idealismo em sua participação na construção das Ciências da Natureza desde a antigüidade até o final do século XX. Para os pensadores antigos, o mundo físico era governado pela idéia, e o modo de apreendê-la era por meio da contemplação da alma ou da observação e da lógica. Na escolástica essa idéia é Deus. Na renascença, Deus se torna matemático. em Galileu a Matemática do mundo é entendida pela experimentação. Para Descartes o mundo é mecânico e entendido por hipóteses dedutivas. Newton enxerga o mundo mecânico construído e corrigido pelo Deus geômetra e entendido pela observação e experimentação. Os empiristas retiram a idéia do universo e a colocam no espírito humano. em Kant as regras que organizam as idéias na mente também organizam o mundo mecânico. em Hegel o real só é real porque é racional, e essa racionalidade vem de Deus, que transforma o mundo natural e atinge o espírito humano. Os pensadores, influenciados por Hegel, percebem a incapacidade das leis da mecânica explicarem as leis da vida. Comte e Bergson procuram, de forma diferente, submeter às leis da Física às leis das ciências da vida. O universo mecanicista é absorvido pelo determinismo relativista e pelo probabilismo quântico. A linguagem da lógica se associa ao empirismo na descrição da ciência procurando retirar dela o idealismo e a metafísica e, após um período de florescimento, acaba não tendo sucesso. A dificuldade da apreensão do real volta a ser o problema da ciência no final do século XX, e a procura de uma possível solução reaproxima a ciência do idealismo.

On the hardy space H¹ on products of half-spaces

We show that the Hardy space H¹ anal (R2+ x R2+) can be identified with the class of functions f such that f and all its double and partial Hubert transforms Hk f belong to L¹ (R2). A basic tool used in the proof is the bisubharmonicity of |F|q, where F is a vector field that satisfies a generalized conjugate system of Cauchy-Riemann type.

DIFFERENT MEDIA, DIFFERENT TYPES OF COLLECTIVE WORK IN ONLINE CONTINUING TEACHER EDUCATION: WOULD YOU PASS THE PEN, PLEASE?

This paper presents some findings regarding the interaction between different computer interfaces and different types of collective work. We want to claim that design in online learning environments has a paramount role in the type of collaboration that happens among participants. In this paper, we report on data that illustrate how teachers can collaborate online in order to learn how to use geometry software in teaching activities. A virtual environment which allows that construction to be carried out collectively, even if the participants are not sharing a classroom, is the setting for the research presented in this paper.

Phenomenological perspective on mathematics education

This is a philosophical essay on a phenomenological way to understand and to work out Mathematics Education. Its philosophical grounding is the Husserlian work, focusing on its key word "going to the things themselves" in order to keep us away from the theoretical educational truth, took as the unique one. We assume the attitude of being on the life-world with the students and Mathematics as a field of research and practice that show and express themselves through lived experiences and through language. We assume to be in search of understanding of education, learning and Mathematics, as we take care, consciously, of what we are doing and saying in the same movement of saying and doing it.