bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Values, Norms, and the Practical
Authors: Thomas Alan 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter rejects the view that Wiggins’s and McDowell’s theories of moral motivation postulate an objectionable form of inherent normativity in a moral agent’s recognition of value. Their position is no worse off in this regard than anyone else’s, specifically Korsgaard’s. McDowell’s position, and the conflation of different considerations in his metaphor of ‘silencing’ and Wiggins’s genealogy of categorical obligations are described.
Internal Reasons and Contractualist Impartiality
Authors: Thomas Alan 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter examines a proposal concerning the nature of practical reasons: that all such reasons are internal reasons. It is the first obstacle that was placed in the way of the Wittgensteinian cognitivists’ position by Bernard Williams. Williams’s arguments are presented in a different light from the way in which they are usually understood. The mention of Humeanism in his initial presentation of his ideas led to Williams being viewed as a representative of someone committed to the Humean theory of motivation, or to a Humean view of the self or of the psychological. Williams’s position is seen as a set of relatively neutral constraints on the very idea of a practical reason.
A Contextual Model of Moral Justification
Authors: Thomas Alan 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter develops an application of contextualism in the specific case of moral knowledge. The overall aim is the final vindication of a contextualist account of moral justification that supports a cognitivist interpretation of morality. It explains how contextualism compares and contrasts with the dominant coherentist model of moral epistemology in contemporary ethics, namely, an understanding of Rawlsian reflective equilibrium as a coherence theory of justification. It argues that contextualism can be seen as arising from Rawls’s methodological assumptions, if one retains the assumption that considered moral judgements retain a direct source of moral justification even when they derive further warrant from their embedding in a context of justification.
Tradition Based Moral Enquiry
Authors: Thomas Alan 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter explains how a contextualist can argue for rationality both within a tradition of moral enquiry and, equally importantly, across such traditions. An essential part of the latter task is reiterating why, in some cases, an apparent challenge to our ethical outlook does not constitute a challenge at all. The work of Alasdair MacIntyre and Charles Taylor are considered, in order to argue that in so far as their tradition-based models of moral reasoning are plausible, they instantiate contextualism.
Political Liberalism and Contextualism
Authors: Thomas Alan 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter puts contextualism to work in analyzing Rawlsian liberalism. Political Liberalism marked a shift in focus in Rawls’s project from the presentation of a conception of justice and its stability to the wider question of what constituted a legitimate conception of justice for a modern society marked by a certain kind of moral pluralism. Some commentators have erroneously taken this shift to represent a revision in Rawls’s initial presentation of his conception of justice. Others have accepted that this part of the view remains unchanged while nevertheless expressing reservations as to whether the issue of legitimacy needed to be raised in the way in which Rawls raised it. It is argued that focusing on the contextualist model of justification underpinning Rawls’s view can alleviate both sources of concern.
Shocks and Accommodation: The Dichotomy and Mechanics of High Inflation
Authors: Bruno Michael 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter examines the dynamics of high inflation under accommodation to price shocks. One simple approach to the budget as a source of the inflationary process is to consider the link of the form of finance, namely seigniorage revenue and the average rate of inflation, on the hypothetical assumption that one is observing fluctuations around steady states. This gives at least some lead on the possible long-run relationship between the monetization of deficits and the rate of inflation. A closer historical look at the changing trade-off between inflation, real GDP growth, and the current account leads to the detailed dynamics of the inflationary process without which the ‘shocks and accommodation’ nature of the process cannot be understood. Part of the reason for the progressive acceleration of inflation will be found in the connection between the budget deficit and the balance-of-payments deficit, and the government response in the form of devaluations and subsidy cuts.
The Fight over Stabilization and the Structural Adjustment Process, 1985–1991
Authors: Bruno Michael 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter analyzes the efforts to establish the credibility of both fiscal and nominal anchors in the aftermath of sharp stabilization as well as the ongoing structural reform process. It begins with an analysis of the initial stabilization phase, and then considers various alternative interpretations of the business-cycle phenomenon. It defends the real fundamentals, namely the establishment of credible fiscal discipline. This is followed by an analysis of the struggle led mainly by the Bank of Israel, over the defence of the nominal anchor, including the evolution of the exchange-rate regime in the aftermath of stabilization, and the gradual and costly learning process it entailed in wage and labour-market behaviour. The successful introduction and gradual phase-out of price controls, financial restructuring in ailing enterprises, financial market reform, and structural reform in the real economy are discussed.
Stabilization and Reform in Eastern Europe
Authors: Bruno Michael 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter considers the most recent stabilization and reform experience in six Eastern European countries, starting with the earlier Yugoslav and Polish shock programmes of 1990 and followed by Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, and Romania in 1991. Hungary, which had a much longer and earlier reform experience, also carried out a successful and more conventional stabilization programme in 1991. The analysis of the dramatic developments in Eastern Europe focuses on the underlying similarities of the macro-economics of stabilization across countries and regions, and attempts to isolate the particular problems that are common to Eastern and Central Europe but substantially different from the earlier experience elsewhere.
Synthesis, Policy Lessons, and Open Questions
Authors: Bruno Michael 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter returns to a number of common issues that emerged from the cumulative experience reviewed in previous chapters, considers open theoretical questions, and discusses some of the policy lessons. It looks at some of the theoretical arguments that have been suggested to explain the long delays in the adoption of stabilization programmes. It asks whether a universal paradigm has emerged on the necessary basic components of stabilization and structural reform programmes. It then broadens the question by asking if any generalizable lessons can be learned on the optimal sequencing of the various components of reform and whether there exists a real choice between ‘big bang’ and gradualist stabilization and reform strategies.
The Influence of PBGC Insurance on Pension Fund Finances
Authors: Coronado Julia , Liang Nellie 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
It is sometimes argued that firms sponsoring defined benefit pensions are led to take higher risks because pension insurance premiums and funding requirements do not reflect the riskiness of the pension plan portfolio or sponsor bankruptcy risk. This perspective is tested by linking company data on expected default probabilities with newly-available information on pension plan assets. It is shown that moral hazard induced by the current pension insurance environment has influenced corporate pension plan sponsor funding outcomes, even controlling for cash availability. There is no evidence that the share of plan assets invested in equities is related to firm bankruptcy risk or the plan’s contingent claims on the pension insurance entity.
Risk‐Sharing in Retiree Medical Benefits
Authors: Wagoner George , Rappaport Anna , Fuller Brian , Yeager Frank 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
The increase in both retiree medical care expenditures and the retired fraction of the population has put pressure on retiree health care insurance providers. This chapter assesses future prospects for retiree health insurance, focusing on traditional approaches to retiree health benefits where the employer assumes most risk, and on defined contribution approaches where significant risk is shifted to the retiree. It also examines government benefits for retirees, including new Medicare prescription drug benefits. It models future retiree health care costs and opportunities to save before retiring, highlighting public policy obstacles and issues for employer-provided retiree health benefits.
Understanding and Allocating Investment Risks in a Hybrid Pension Plan
Authors: Albrecht Peter , Coche Joachim , Maurer Raimond , Rogalla Ralph 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
This chapter analyzes pension plan costs and investment strategies in the context of alternative hybrid pension plans, which are optimal either from the perspective of the plan sponsor or the beneficiaries. It evaluates the impact of minimum and maximum limits for pension benefits as well as minimum guarantees and caps on members’ investment returns. For low/medium risk portfolios, minimum benefit guarantees tend to be more expensive than minimum return guarantees, but for the latter, costs increase exponentially with investment risk. It is also shown that the sponsor’s portfolio choice differs from that of the participants, depending on plan design and risk aversion. One way to resolve these differences is to combine minimum return guarantees and caps on investment returns, which shares investment risks and returns more equally between sponsor and beneficiaries, and keeps pension plan costs under control.
Financial liberalization in Vietnam: impact on loans from informal, formal, and semi-formal providers
Authors: Lensink Robert , McGillivray Mark , Thi Thu Trà Pham 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
Since 1986, Vietnam has gone through a process of economic reforms — a so-called ‘doimoi’, which included the liberalization of the financial sector. The most profound financial sector reform came in 1995, when commercial banks were allowed to freely set deposit rates to enhance competition in raising funds. This paper commences with an overview of the Vietnamese financial sector and a survey of the main reforms to this sector implemented since the late 1980s. A descriptive analysis is then provided, which compares some key characteristics of pre- and post-financial reform borrowing and savings activities using the Vietnam Living Standard Surveys of 1992/93 and 1997/98. The paper then provides an econometric analysis of the determinants of loans from different types of lenders, examining the extent to which this was affected by the financial reforms.
Blocking human potential: how formal policies block the informal economy in the maputo corridor
Authors: Söderbaum Fredrik 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
This paper deals with one of the most interesting cross-border micro-regions in Africa: the Maputo corridor. In the mid-1990s, the governments of South Africa and Mozambique agreed to reconstruct the Maputo corridor through the implementation of the Maputo Development Corridor (MDC) and its gigantic portfolio of large-scale private investment projects. The analysis shows that the MDC is designed for the purpose of crowding-in external capital in order to build industrial and infrastructural mega-projects such as the USD 2 billion Mozal aluminium smelter, whereas the endogenous capacities and entrepreneurship of the people living in the corridor are largely neglected or even seen as problematic. Hence, the fundamental problem with the MDC lies in its bias towards a capital-intensive industrialization strategy, which fails to utilize and unlock the human potential of Mozambique’s population and its informal economy.
Microinsurance for the informal economy workers in India
Authors: Guha-Khasnobis Basudeb , Ahuja Rajeev 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
It has become mandatory for all formal insurance providers to service the low-income and disadvantaged segments of the population in India. Formal insurance providers have introduced a range of ‘micro insurance’ products targeting informal economy workers and their family members. At the institutional level, numerous civil society associations are playing an active role in extending the reach of insurance designed especially for the target segment. This paper analyses the early evidence available in this regard, highlighting the current debate on strengthening micro insurance activity in the country and suggesting ways to help promote insurance to the target segment.
2 Who Are the Members?
Authors: Whiteley Paul , Seyd Patrick , Billinghurst Antony 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter examines the social and demographic profiles as well as the political attitudes of Liberal Democrat party members, drawing upon an earlier study of Liberal Democrat party to identify changes in their profiles during the 1990s. Comparisons are made between the social backgrounds of party members and those of Liberal Democrat voters to determine what differences, if any, exist between the two types of party supporters. Activism within the party and whether there is any evidence of a decline in participation in recent years are analyzed. The evidence suggests that while many party members are active, there has been a decline in party activism over time and a weakening of the ties between the party and its members.
4 Why Join the Party?
Authors: Whiteley Paul , Seyd Patrick , Billinghurst Antony 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter examines the pathways to Liberal Democrat Party membership. The recruitment process is discussed, followed by what it means for the average respondent to be a party member. The key issue of why people join the party is then considered. In examining motives for joining, two theoretical models of political participation are utilized: the civic voluntarism model and the general incentives model. Both resources and choices are important in explaining why people join the party. Members have more resources in the sense of higher incomes, better educational attainments, and higher status class characteristics than voters, but incentives are also important for influencing the decision to join the party. Thus, both models appear to be relevant in explaining why people join.
6 Local Campaigning and the Liberal Democrat Vote
Authors: Whiteley Paul , Seyd Patrick , Billinghurst Antony 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter examines the role of the Liberal Democrat Party members in influencing voting behaviour in the 1997 general elections. Debates in literature about the importance of campaigns in elections are reviewed. To evaluate the impact of Liberal Democrat campaign activity on the election, it is important to take into account the campaign activities of its main rivals, Labour and the Conservatives. This is done using data from a survey of Labour party members conducted in 1997, together with local campaign spending data for all three parties. The results suggest that local campaigning plays a very important role in influencing the Liberal Democrat vote.
8 Conclusions
Authors: Whiteley Paul , Seyd Patrick , Billinghurst Antony 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
This chapter examines the political prospects of the Liberal Democrat Party. The big question is whether or not it can replace its rivals as the second, or even the first, party of British electoral politics. It begins with an analysis of the necessary conditions for the Liberal Democrats to replace one of the other parties as the second party of British politics. This leads into an examination of the likelihood that these conditions will be met in the foreseeable future. The evidence suggests that the party has a real opportunity to break the existing two-party hegemony at a general election in 2009 or 2010.
Ignorance of Language
Authors: Devitt Michael 
Published: September 2006

AbstractIs Chomsky right about the psychological reality of language? What is linguistics about? What role should linguistic intuitions play in constructing grammars? What is innate about language? Is there “a language faculty”? The book gives controversial answers to such questions: that linguistics is about linguistic reality and not part of psychology; that linguistic rules are not represented in the mind; that speakers are largely ignorant of their language; that speakers’ intuitions do not reflect information supplied by the language faculty and are not the main evidence for grammars; that thought is prior to language in various ways; that linguistics should be concerned with what idiolects share, not with idiolects; that language processing is a fairly brute-causal associationist matter; that the rules of “Universal Grammar” are largely, if not entirely, innate structure rules of thought; and that there is little or nothing to the language faculty.
1 Introduction
Authors: Devitt Michael 
Published: September 2006

AbstractIn Chomsky’s view, linguistics is about a psychological state, the speaker’s knowledge of language which constitutes her linguistic competence. This knowledge is said to underlie her linguistic intuitions. The rules (principles) of the language are thought to be “psychologically real” in that they are represented — the Representational Thesis (RT) — or otherwise embodied in the language faculty. This book’s plan is described, which is to look critically at these views and propose others. The chapter concludes with some clarifications of the book’s relation to I-languages, to grammatical levels and to linguistic details; and of the importance of its conclusions.
2 A Grammar as a Theory of Linguistic Reality
Authors: Devitt Michael 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter argues against Chomsky’s view that linguistics is a branch of psychology, and hence concerns a psychological reality: the speaker’s linguistic competence. With the help of three quite general distinctions, including that between structure rules and processing rules, and between being a structure rule and “respecting” one, it is argued that there is something other than psychological reality for a grammar to be true of: it can be true of a linguistic reality. Given the weight of evidence, it is plausible that the grammar is indeed more or less true of that reality. The grammar might also be true of a psychological reality, but to show that it is so requires further psychological assumption. It will prove hard to establish a psychological assumption that will do the trick.
3 Some Possible Positions on Psychological Reality
Authors: Devitt Michael 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
This chapter describes possible positions on psychological reality, on linguistic competence, that vary according to whether or not the rules of the language are embodied in the mind; to whether or not some processing rules for language are represented in the mind; and to whether or not some processing rules operate on metalinguistic representations of syntactic and semantic properties of linguistic items. The uncontroversial minimal position — committed only to there being a psychological reality that “respects” the linguistic rules — is the most that can be sustained without some powerful psychological assumption that is independent of anything revealed by the grammar of a language.
11 Language Use
Authors: Devitt Michael 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter argues that language use does not provide persuasive evidence for the Representational Thesis (RT) view of linguistic competence, and that RT is implausible. RT is not supported by the apparently popular “only-theory-in-town” abduction, nor it is supported by the psychology of skills in general, an appropriate place to look because linguistic competence appears to be procedural (implicit) knowledge acquired by implicit learning. The chapter also argues for some tentative proposals: that language processing is not governed by the unrepresented structure rules of the language; that language processing does not involve metalinguistic representations of the syntactic and semantic properties of linguistic expressions, but rather is a fairly brute-causal associationist process; and that if the Language-of-Thought Hypothesis (LOTH) is false, then the rules of a language are not, in a robust way, psychologically real in a speaker.
12 Language Acquisition
Authors: Devitt Michael 
Published: September 2006

AbstractThis chapter takes the familiar arguments for nativism to establish the interesting nativist thesis that “the initial state” of linguistic competence is sufficiently rich that humans can naturally learn only languages that conform to the rules specified by “Universal Grammar” (the UG-rules). It rejects Fodor’s “only-theory-in-town” abduction for the very exciting “I-Representational Thesis”, the thesis that the UG-rules are represented in the initial state. It argues that this thesis lacks significant evidence and is implausible. The chapter also argues for some tentative proposals: that the UG-rules are, largely if not entirely, innate structure rules of thought, a proposal resting on the Language-of-Thought Hypothesis (LOTH); that if LOTH is false, then the UG-rules are not, in a robust way, innate in a speaker; and that there is little or nothing to the language faculty. The chapter concludes the book-long argument that there is no significant evidence for the Representational Thesis (RT) and that it is implausible.
1 Antiochus of Ascalon
Authors: Karamanolis George E. 
Published: September 2006

Abstract
This chapter begins with a discussion of Antiochus’ debate with Philo of Larissa. It then analyses Antiochus’ thesis on the philosophies of Plato, Aristotle, and the Stoics. According to Antiochus, the most essential part of philosophy, particularly Plato’s philosophy, is ethics, and his most crucial doctrine is about how to achieve a good life. Antiochus shares the Stoic view that virtue requires secure knowledge; without such knowledge, no ethical system can exist. He is convinced that Plato has coherent and systematic ethics, which he reconstructs from that of Aristotle and Polemo. Antiochus is neither an eclectic nor a syncretist, as has often been claimed. Antiochus did not muddle various doctrines from Plato and Platonists, Aristotle, and the Stoics. Rather, he had a certain conception of Plato’s philosophy which he tried to reconstruct as faithfully as he could through the testimonies of the early Academics, Aristotle, and the Stoics, according to the degree to which they were indebted to Plato.