生态弱人类中心主义的实践理性考察——基于《寂静的春天》的隐性价值预设

《寂静的春天》以其独到的视角昭示了生态伦理重要性,其背后隐藏的价值预设不同于单纯的人类中心主义和自然中心主义,是一种建立在人类中心主义前提下的人道主义。通过对卡逊《寂静的春天》著作背后的隐性价值从生态学视角进行考量,运用马克思"否定实践理性"的方法论对生态伦理进行理论建构,试图对探寻中国特色式的"弱人类中心主义"范式的理论实践进程有所启示。     

Prevalence and Behavioral Correlates of Depression and Anxiety Among Male Sex Workers in Vietnam

ABSTRACT. Objectives: This study assessed depression and anxiety symptoms and their association with high-risk sexual and drug behaviors among male sex workers in 3 Vietnamese cities. Methods: Male sex workers ages 16 to 35 years old completed an interview that included the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale to assess depressive symptoms and the Beck Anxiety Inventory to assess anxiety symptoms, as well as questions assessing drug and sexual risk practices. Results: A majority of participants reported depressive symptomatology, although fewer reported symptoms of anxiety. Risky sexual and drug use practices predicted both types of symptoms. Conclusions: Mental distress is associated with drug and sexual risk among male sex workers.     

On the robustness of the impossibility result in the topological approach to social choice

In the first part we make an assessment of the impossibility result, due to Chichilnisky, in the topological approach to social choice theory. We observe that this result depends essentially on the choice of the topology for the set of preferences. In the second part, we present two positive results, obtained using the global approach. The first one deals with the space of continuous and strictly convex preferences, a space which, in the local approach, would produce an impossibility result. The second result deals with a class of preferences which is dense in the space of all continuous preferences. Thus, an approximate solution of the Chichilnisky problem has been obtained on this space.     

On the generic emptiness of the local core of voting games

The local core of voting games is investigated from a genericity point of view. There exist preference profiles for which it is empty and there exist preference profiles for which the local core and its complement are both dense in the set of alternatives. Furthermore the subset of profiles having an empty local core is dense in the whole set of profiles. Some remarks on the choice of the topology are provided.We are grateful to the French Commissariat Général du Plan for financial support and to Norman Schofield for having the opportunity to read McKelvey and Schofield (1986) before the publication. We are indebted to two anonymous referees for helpful suggestions and to Jerry Kelly for important comments and for correcting our English.     

Acyclicity and the dispersion of the veto power

Blair and Pollak (Econometrica (1982) 50: 931–943) prove that, if there are more alternatives than individuals, then, for every arrovian binary decision rule that is acyclic, there is at least one individual who has a veto power over a critical number of pairs of alternatives. If the number of individuals is larger than the number of alternatives, there need not be single vetoers but there could be small coalitions endowed with a similar power. Kelsey (Soc Choice Welfare (1985) 2: 131–137) states precise results in this respect. In this paper, we first give a new and much simpler proof of the main result of Blair and Pollak and complete proofs of the generalization of this result by Kelsey. Then we give a precise answer as to the minimum size of the coalitions that must have a veto power under any acyclic binary decision rule and the minimum number of pairs of alternatives on which these coalitions may exercise their power. We also show that, if the veto power of the coalitions of the minimal size attainable under the last objective is limited to the minimum number of pairs of alternatives, then all larger coalitions have a veto power on all pairs. All the results are obtained by appealing to an acyclicity condition found by Ferejohn and Fishburn (J Econ Theory (1979) 21: 28–45). In the case of symmetric and monotonic binary decision rules, proofs are even easier and illustrate clearly the reasons for the veto power.     

An LP model for assessing congeneration strategies

A linear programming model is described which is designed to assist in the assessment of optimum operational strategies for industrial plants with cogeneration facilities. A concise format is provided for linking together basic elements such as boilers, valves, turbines and processes with steam and electricity demands with steam, fuel and electricity balance equations. The model should prove particularly useful for assessment when electricity tariffs have time-of-use energy or demand charges or when tariffs have conditions which require consideration of strategies over an extended period. The model has been applied to a paper mill which utilises pass-out turbines for cogeneration of electricity and process steam. Results indicate that savings in fuel costs of the order of 400,000 dollars per year could be obtained by implementing optimal strategies for operating the present turbines. Savings of the order of one million dollars per year could be obtained by converting the turbines to give high pressure pass-out steam and then operating optimally.     

Topological aggregation of inequality preorders

An inequality preorder is defined as a complete preorder on a simplex which satisfies the properties of continuity and strict Schur-convexity (the mathematical equivalent of Dalton's principle of transfers). The paper shows that it is possible to aggregate individual inequality preorders into a collective one if we are interested in continuous anonymous aggregation rules that respect unanimity. The aggregation problem is studied within a topological framework introduced by Chichilnisky.We are grateful to J. Laine for helpful discussions and to an anonymous referee of this Journal for valuable comments     

The family stress consultation team: an Illinois approach to protective services

An experimental, multidisciplinary approach to the handling of child abuse and neglect cases has proved particularly effective.