Foresight Study on the Risk Governance of New Technologies: The Case of Nanotechnology

Technology‐led innovation represents an important driver of European economic and industrial competitiveness and offers solutions to societal challenges. In order to facilitate responsible innovation and public acceptance, a need exists to identify and implement oversight approaches focused on the effective risk governance of emerging technologies. This article describes a foresight study on the governance of new technologies, using nanotechnology as a case example. Following a mapping of the governance landscape, four plausible foresight scenarios were developed, capturing critical uncertainties for nanotechnology governance. Key governance elements were then stress tested within these scenarios to see how well they might perform in a range of possible futures and to inform identification of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for nanotechnology governance in Europe. Based on the study outcomes, recommendations are proposed regarding the development of governance associated with the responsible development of new technologies.     

Seeing is Believing? An Examination of Perceptions of Local Weather Conditions and Climate Change Among Residents in the U.S. Gulf Coast

What role do objective weather conditions play in coastal residents’ perceptions of local climate shifts and how do these perceptions affect attitudes toward climate change? While scholars have increasingly investigated the role of weather and climate conditions on climate‐related attitudes and behaviors, they typically assume that residents accurately perceive shifts in local climate patterns. We directly test this assumption using the largest and most comprehensive survey of Gulf Coast residents conducted to date supplemented with monthly temperature data from the U.S. Historical Climatology Network and extreme weather events data from National Climatic Data Center. We find objective conditions have limited explanatory power in determining perceptions of local climate patterns. Only the 15‐ and 19‐year hurricane trends and decadal summer temperature trend have some effects on perceptions of these weather conditions, while the decadal trend of total number of extreme weather events and 15‐ and 19‐year winter temperature trends are correlated with belief in climate change. Partisan affiliation, in contrast, plays a powerful role affecting individual perceptions of changing patterns of air temperatures, flooding, droughts, and hurricanes, as well as belief in the existence of climate change and concern for future consequences. At least when it comes to changing local conditions, “seeing is not believing.” Political orientations rather than local conditions drive perceptions of local weather conditions and these perceptions—rather than objectively measured weather conditions—influence climate‐related attitudes.     

未来应收账款证券化的比较法研究

未来应收账款证券化涉及许多复杂的法律问题,是资产证券化立法不能回避的问题,在英国和日本的法制环境下,未来应收账款的证券化具有较大的确定性,美国法上未来应收账款的证券化则常常因为破产法院重新定性而受到影响。我国应该借鉴上述国家的做法来进行资产证券化的立法。     

我国管理会计理论现实及未来的思考

目前我国管理会计理论主要是介绍、引进国外的管理会计理论、方法,还没有形成适合我国国情的管理会计理论体系;在实际工作中运用很少,理论与实际严重脱离;管理会计与财务管理的内容重复交叉现象严重。基于这种现象,我们应将西方的管理会计与我国的财务管理相结合,形成适合我国国情的具有我国特色的新时期的财务管理体系,并且,加强实证方法的研究,多采取案例分析,解决理论与实际脱离的问题。     

孔子人生哲学与乡村建设--梁漱溟对儒学未来发展方向的思考

儒学的未来发展方向问题,是中国近现代以来无数思想家不停地追问的一个问题.梁漱溟一方面从孔子的人生哲学来肯定儒学乃至整个中国文化的优越性;另一方面,又把孔子的人生哲学落实到具体的社会组织结构上,开展乡村建设运动,从而为儒学的未来发展提供了一个具体的方案.梁漱溟独特的致思方向无疑为未来儒学的发展指示了一个努力方向,它在现代新儒学史上将占有独立的重要意义.     

在进出口贸易中采用“期货定价”的风险分析

2004年初,国务院发布的《关于推进资本市场改革和稳定发展的若干意见》明确提出,“在严格控制风险的前提下,逐步推出为大宗商品生产者和消费者提供发现价格和套期保值功能的商品期货品种”。在避险和投资需求仍不断增加,越来越多的企业进入国际期货和衍生品市场,潘多拉之盒已经打开的情况下,对外贸易企业如何回避风险,有效地保护自己的正常收益,是我国进出口贸易企业在一段时间内要经常研究的问题。本文通过一个实际案例分析了现阶段在进出口贸易中“期货定价”的风险及其规避风险的途径。     

关于“后人类”若干问题的思考

所谓"后人类",是当代社会人们对未来人类的一种设想,它体现了关于人类未来的一种价值观."后人类"被设想成为人体和机器、人脑与电脑的结合体,它可以是机器人,可以是软件,也可以是信息状态.本文认为,这种关于"后人类"的设想是技术"物本主义"价值观的产物,"后人类"实质上是"非人类".在未来社会,机器和电脑是不可能超过人、取代人的.     

由历史看未来——近三百年楚辞研究史的启示

明末清初至新中国建立三百余年,是楚辞学研究史上最重要的历史时期,造就了一批卓越而特殊的楚辞研究者。全方位、多角度的新的研究思路,与其说肇端于“五四”,不如说滥觞于清初。而这种格局的形成,主要取决于楚辞研究发展的需要,又随外部条件的变化成波浪形起伏,并决定了未来２１世纪楚辞学研究的走向     

系统经济学研究:价值函数与等价交换原理

本文首先提出了价值函数的概念,它是把不具有直接可比性的商品投影到某个具有可比性的价值系统的影射。利用价值函数的概念,本文提出了“等价交换原理”。作者认为,价值系统中的等价关系是商品交换的标准,使用价值的不同是交换的动机。由价值函数所定义的价值系统可以是一个纯粹的符号系统,价值量的大小就是货币。现行货币所对应的符号系统的数学结构是代数结构,未来货币所对应的数学结构可能是拓扑结构或序结构