“The Mother of Reason and Revelation”: Benjamin on the Metaphysics of Language

This paper is a reconstruction of Walter Benjamin's philosophy of language, especially as it expressed in 1916's “On Language as Such and the Language of Man”. I read Benjamin's theory as a contribution to what Charles Taylor has called the “expressivist” tradition that includes eighteenth century thinkers like J.G. Herder and J.G. Hamann. Hamann's work and his interpretation of the theological concept of condescension are of particular importance. Although Benjamin's views are often regarded as impenetrable or mystical, they are relevant to and, in part, motivated by concerns of more mainstream twentieth century philosophy of language, in particular Russell's paradox. His “metaphysics of language” understands reference or designation, central to analytic theories of meaning, as derived from a more fundamental, aesthetic meaning.     

Interrogating sub-Saharan Africa's high economic growth rate and low poverty reduction rate: A poverty paradox?

Sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) high economic growth coincides with an increase in the level of poverty. In a panel of 40 SSA countries over a 30-year period, while accounting for the potential spillover effect of poverty in the region. The study found that economic growth recorded over the years has not translated to poverty reduction, particularly, in resource-rich economies of SSA. The result also shows that income inequality worsens the effect of economic growth on poverty and that the poverty-reducing effectiveness of growth varies considerably across sectors, across space, and over time. The research findings suggest that governments across the region, particularly, in oil-exporting countries in SSA must diversify the economy away from oil (toward the service sector) to reduce poverty in the region.     

概率性证据研究中的认识悖论

在南昌大学原校长周文斌受贿案中，其机械使用概率论解释质疑控方证据的做法，存在严重错误，由此引发了关于概率证据理论的一些思考。虽然英美证据理论研究中，占统治地位的对证据和证明过程的描述是概率性的，但艾伦教授认为数学世界与人类事务世界之间可能并不相似。在进入大数据时代的今天，司法实践对于精确性和可操作性的需求，由量化带来的对证明责任和当事人主张的清晰表达，以及对证明过程提供的规范性指引，都刺激了大量的试图使用概率性理论解释审判过程的某个方面的论证尝试。然而，在概率性语言试图描述证据及证明活动时，检察官及辩护律师谬论、结合悖论、相关性悖论等认识错误的出现却带来了对事实认定活动与概率理论之间矛盾冲突的反思，或者说并非是对概率性理论的批判，而是对法学理论家们就概率性理论的特定使用的批判。     

Can an incompatibilist outfox a compatibilist hedgehog?

This article raises some incompatibilist challenges for, and queries some of the implications of, Ronald Dworkin’s arguments in his Justice for Hedgehogs (2011), that responsibility is compatible with both determinism and epiphenomenalism.     

Deputy sheriff or independent ally? Evolving Australian–American ties in an ambiguous world order

The policies of Australia’s current government have been so close to the United States as to invite comparisons to an Australian ‘deputy sheriff’ executing the interests and policies of a US global marshal. Advocates of the ANZUS alliance disagree, citing the immense politico-strategic benefits Australia extracts from that relationship and insisting that ANZUS objectives are commensurate with a stable and just world order. Recent developments in international security politics such as the Iraq conflict and the persistence of global terrorism may now challenge that proposition and test the Australian electorate’s future support for the American alliance. A greater determination by Australia to cultivate a more balanced approach to alliance politics will underwrite its national security interests more effectively than a sustained and rigid adherence to alliance loyalty under any circumstances.     

试论公共权力的异化及对策

本文从公共权力异化的两种现象——公共悖论和权力腐败出发,分析了公共权力在行使过程中之所以会产生异化,其原因主要有二:一是人的因素,二是制度的因素。公共权力的异化在很大程度上降低了公众对公共管理的满意程度,动摇了公共权力合法性的基础。因此,文章结合我国现实,提出了一系列制约公共权力异化的对策。     

侦查悖论探析

悖论有严格与泛化之区别,按照此种区分侦查中程序正义与实体正义、侦查程序与保障人权、侦查的强制性与任意侦查等属于泛化的悖论。鉴于悖论的可消解性,在侦查过程中应当严守正当程序原则,争取以最小的权利侵害实现社会持续健康的发展,将侦查区分为令状侦查、无令状侦查和令状例外侦查,以实现悖论消解,使得侦查发展的道路更加明朗。     

“杨佳的说法”与杀人逻辑的权利悖论

杨佳的个人尊严维护中"讨说法"与其恶意杀人之间存在着社会价值观念异常即轻视生命权利的社会氛围支持。在弱个体仇视某一职业强群体的社会学视野中,仇警文化是一种社会价值观念个体异常向群体异常演进的表现。而在法律经济学视野,1个人"讨"的所谓说法,等于要6个人生命的死亡、5个人身体的受伤,而竟然会有那么多网友叫好,则是一种忽视生命权利,在生命权与人格尊严之间,价值选择的错位。至于法律文化学领域,人权的核心是生命权,人存在的本源意义当中,生命权应当高于人的尊严,杨佳为了所谓的个人尊严而可以乱杀人的逻辑,是非常荒谬的。     

A Closer Look at the Paradox: Examining Immigration and Youth Reoffending in Arizona

The bulk of existing research on immigration and crime suggests that, counter to a number of theoretical perspectives and overall public and political opinion, indicators of immigration are either unrelated or negatively related to criminal behavior. Notably absent from this line of research is assessments of the impact of immigration on the social outcomes of ex-offenders and youth. Youthful ex-offenders in particular represent a vulnerable population that could be expected to benefit most from the protective effects of immigration as identified in the literature. Accordingly, in the present study we determine the importance of concentrated immigration (net of individual-level factors) in reoffending for a sample of previously arrested youth in the state of Arizona. In addition, we examine whether the effects of immigration on reoffending behavior are contingent on the individual characteristics (e.g. race, ethnicity, and gender) of youth. The implications for the ongoing theoretical, empirical, and policy debates surrounding immigration and crime are discussed.     

传承与超越:证据交换制度发展历程对我国的启示

从证据交换制度的理论源起和发展动向看,证据交换制度与对抗制之间实际上构成了合作与对抗的悖论关系,而证据交换的发展是以对抗制的弱化为条件的。因此,要完善我国的证据交换制度,关键是要走出将对抗制作为证据交换制度建设的前提条件这一误区,从而建构起真正符合我国国情的程序制度。