Voting Procedures for Complex Collective Decisions. An Epistemic Perspective

Abstract. In addressing a complex issue that is decomposable into several sub‐questions, a committee can use different voting procedures: Either it can let the committee members vote on each sub‐question and then use the outcomes as premises for its conclusion on the main issue (premise based‐procedure, pbp), or it can let the members directly vote on the conclusion (conclusion‐based procedure, cbp). The procedures can lead to different results, but which of them is a better truth‐tracker? On the basis of Condorcet's jury theorem, we show that the pbp is clearly superior if the objective is to reach truth for the right (= correct) reasons. However, if the goal instead is to reach truth for whatever reasons, right or wrong, there will be cases in which using the cbp turns out to be more reliable, even though, for the most part, the pbp will retain its superiority. In that connection, we also consider the truth‐tracking potential of a “sophisticated” variant of the pbp, which is sensitive to the size of the majorities supporting each of the premises.     

Futility Clarified

Futility is easily defined as uselessness. The mistaken appearance that it cannot be defined is explained by difficulties applying it to particular cases. This latter problem is a major goal of clinical training and cannot be solved in a pithy statement.     

Hormone Therapy, Dilemmas, Medical Decisions

The decision for women to go on hormone therapy (HT) remains controversial. An historical oscillation of beliefs exists related in part to expectations of the medicinal value of HT over longer-term use beyond the initial peri-menonpausal period. Studies thought to resolve issues surrounding the efficacy of HT were perhaps overstated as confusion still permeates the decision making with regard to HT. Overzealous advertising and exaggerated understanding of the results (negative or positive) undermine patient and physician decision making. There remains no magic bullet with regard to HT. What remains is still the possibility of HT longer-term efficacy on diverse end organ systems with pockets of clinical and scientific ambiguity while working to engender reasonable expectations.     

农村集体经济组织立法探析

农村集体经济组织是农村基本经营制度的组织基础和实施前提。通过完善相关立法,必将提高农村生产经营的组织化程度、降低交易成本,对于促进农村集体经济发展,稳定和完善农村基本经营制度具有重大意义。在分析农村集体经济组织立法必要性的基础上,应当明晰立法的基本思路,着力解决立法中存在的诸如管理体制、法律地位和成员资格界定等重点与难点问题。     

集体合同权利争议的分析与研究

我国《劳动合同法》第56条规定,对因履行集体合同发生的争议可以申请仲裁、提起诉讼。但对此类争议的性质、权利争议当事人的诉讼主体地位及法律责任等均未作出规定。本文通过对此类争议的分析,认为集体合同权利争议不应纳入劳动争议的范畴之内,而是应当作为一类特殊的案件来处理;工会作为一方诉讼主体不是充当诉讼代表人的角色,而是诉讼担当人;对于不履行集体合同,工会主要是承担道义上的责任,而用人单位则应根据其行为的性质,承担违约责任或违法责任。     

医疗责任保险制度初探

笔者从医疗风险、医疗责任保险的可保性及医疗责任保险的性质与意义等方面多角度的进行详细的论述,对医疗责任保险制度在国内外的发展及现状进行了较为客观的分析,最后结合我国实际,在借鉴国内外成功经验的基础上提出了我国建立医疗责任保险制度的初步构想。     

对一起涉嫌医疗事故罪案例的分析

在本案例中,辩护人通过非法证据排除原则,推翻控方的有罪证据,通过论证被告人不存在“严重不负责任”和“造成”的主观、客观要件,采用犯罪构成要件说,导出不构成犯罪的结论。关于刑法第335条,笔者建议出台相关司法解释,以利具体操作。     

论医疗损害责任的完善——以《侵权责任法》第七章的规定为视角

我国《侵权责任法》应当进一步完善医疗损害责任制度,应当增订医疗同意书制度、医疗共同损害责任以及会诊行为责任,在此基础上建议制定专门的《医疗损害责任法》。     

城市化进程中农村集体土地所有权分析

中国城市化的时代背景决定了中国农村集体土地所有权继续存在的必要性。原因在于不论从国家角度,还是从农民角度,当前中国农地属性的价值排序中社会属性都应优先于经济属性,而集体土地所有权恰恰能够保证土地的社会属性得以发挥。然而我国集体土地所有权仍存在一些弊端,表现为集体土地处分权制度的模糊性。因此,需要在集体内部形成保护农民个体利益的合力机制,在集体外部建立具有约束性的土地用途评价机制,从而使中国农地真正走出集体困境。     

Impact of Information About Sentencing Decisions on Public Attitudes Toward the Criminal Justice System

Research reveals public dissatisfaction with perceived leniency of the criminal justice system. However, when asked to sentence hypothetical offenders, members of the public tend to choose dispositions similar to what current court practices prescribe. In two studies reported here, subjects completed a mock sentencing exercise and a general attitude survey. In an initial pilot study, they expressed general dissatisfaction with the criminal justice system but the relative punitiveness of their sentences (in terms of their perceptions of how severe various sentencing options are) was only slightly elevated above a set of reference sentences. Providing a typical judge's sentencing decisions did not decrease dissatisfaction but was associated with an anchoring effect. This effect was explored in the main study by manipulating the provided reference sentences to be either lenient, moderate, or punitive. Again, participants expressed general dissatisfaction with the criminal justice system but prescribed generally moderate sentences, anchoring their sentences to the information provided. However, only those exposed to moderate typical sentences subsequently reported reduced dissatisfaction with the criminal justice system.     

From ‘Doctor Knows Best’ to Dignity: Placing Adults Who Lack Capacity at the Centre of Decisions About Their Medical Treatment

In 1989, the House of Lords first derived a ‘best interests’ test for the medical treatment of adults who lack capacity from the doctrine of necessity and, now codified, the test continues to apply today. The Mental Capacity Act 2005 sets out a non‐exhaustive checklist of relevant considerations, but it gives no particular priority to the patient's wishes. There is also no formal expectation that the patient will participate directly in any court proceedings in which her best interests are to be determined. This article will consider the advantages and disadvantages of providing additional guidance to decision‐makers in order to help them navigate both taking seriously the wishes of people who lack capacity and, at the same time, not abandoning patients who need help and support. More specifically, this article advocates formalising current best practice in the Court of Protection through the introduction of a series of rebuttable presumptions, or starting points.     

企业医疗管理体制下大型医用设备配置的法律政策探究

本文通过对企业医疗投资环境下大型医用设备配置的相关政策分析,结合当前的国家投资体制和行政许可审批等政策进行全面剖析,认为国家对于大型医用设备的配置管理方面,是否考虑需要做出某些灵活的调整,应当更多的把力气放在设备使用监管上,资本投入管理政策应当视政府投资和非政府投资情况而异。