title: The hardness of the iconic must: Can Peirce’s existential graphs assist modal epistemology?

authors: Legg, Catherine

subjects: modal epistemology

abstract: The current of development in 20th century logic bypassed Peirce’s existential graphs, but recently much good work has been done by formal logicians excavating the graphs from Peirce’s manuscripts, regularizing them and demonstrating the soundness and completeness of the alpha and beta systems (e.g. Roberts 1973, Hammer 1998, Shin 2002). However, given that Peirce himself considered the graphs to be his ‘chef d’oeuvre’ in logic, and explored the distinction between icons, indices and symbols in detail within the context of a much larger theory of signs, much about the graphs arguably remains to be thought through from the perspective of philosophical logic. For instance, are the graphs always merely of heuristic value or can they convey an ‘essential icon’ (analogous to the now standardly accepted ‘essential indexical’)? This paper claims they can and do, and suggests important consequences follow from this for the epistemology of modality. It is boldly suggested that structural articulation, which is characteristic of icons alone, is the source of all necessity. In other words, recognizing a statement as necessarily true consists only in an unavoidable recognition that a structure has the particular structure that it in fact has. (What else could it consist in?)

text: The hardness of the iconic must: Can Peirce’s existential graphs assist modal epistemology? The current of development in 20th century logic bypassed Peirce’s existential graphs, but recently much good work has been done by formal logicians excavating the graphs from Peirce’s manuscripts, regularizing them and demonstrating the soundness and completeness of the alpha and beta systems (e.g. Roberts 1973, Hammer 1998, Shin 2002). However, given that Peirce himself considered the graphs to be his ‘chef d’oeuvre’ in logic, and explored the distinction between icons, indices and symbols in detail within the context of a much larger theory of signs, much about the graphs arguably remains to be thought through from the perspective of philosophical logic. For instance, are the graphs always merely of heuristic value or can they convey an ‘essential icon’ (analogous to the now standardly accepted ‘essential indexical’)? This paper claims they can and do, and suggests important consequences follow from this for the epistemology of modality. It is boldly suggested that structural articulation, which is characteristic of icons alone, is the source of all necessity. In other words, recognizing a statement as necessarily true consists only in an unavoidable recognition that a structure has the particular structure that it in fact has. (What else could it consist in?)

year: 2009-12

title: Foraging on café sugar packets by the house sparrow (Passer domesticus): Learning mechanisms, distribution, and human perception

authors: Davy, Michael Ambrose

subjects: urban ecology

abstract: People in cities interact with house sparrows (Passer domesticus) on a daily basis. Sparrows have previously been observed foraging on sugar packets at a single café in Hamilton City, New Zealand. The aim of this thesis was to explore aspects of this novel foraging innovation by sparrows and to investigate people’s perceptions of sparrows being present at cafés. 

Sparrows’ preferences for different grain sizes of raw sugar and artificial sweetener were assessed at a single café, which demonstrated that sparrows have a strong preference for raw sugar over artificial sweetener, but no clear preference between granulated raw sugar and powdered raw sugar. Sparrows’ responses to novel sugar packet colours were also investigated at the same café. The sparrows did not start foraging on the novel-coloured sugar packets within 10 experimental sessions, but did interact with the novel sugar packets, which demonstrated neophilia in the sparrows and is an important step in the process of learning.

The distribution of sugar packet foraging by sparrows across 174 cafés in Hamilton City was determined, and staff from 15 cafés had observed sparrows taking sugar packets. A short survey was also used to assess the attitudes of café staff members towards the presence of sparrows at their cafés, which showed that café staff had mixed views on the local sparrows. A different survey was used to investigate the attitudes of 249 members of the general public towards sparrows being at cafés. These participants tended to like sparrows being present as part of their café experience. 

This thesis demonstrates the value of sparrows being present in the urban environment, and is the first study to comprehensively describe sugar packet foraging in sparrows: a fascinating behavioural innovation.

text: Foraging on café sugar packets by the house sparrow (Passer domesticus): Learning mechanisms, distribution, and human perception People in cities interact with house sparrows (Passer domesticus) on a daily basis. Sparrows have previously been observed foraging on sugar packets at a single café in Hamilton City, New Zealand. The aim of this thesis was to explore aspects of this novel foraging innovation by sparrows and to investigate people’s perceptions of sparrows being present at cafés. 

Sparrows’ preferences for different grain sizes of raw sugar and artificial sweetener were assessed at a single café, which demonstrated that sparrows have a strong preference for raw sugar over artificial sweetener, but no clear preference between granulated raw sugar and powdered raw sugar. Sparrows’ responses to novel sugar packet colours were also investigated at the same café. The sparrows did not start foraging on the novel-coloured sugar packets within 10 experimental sessions, but did interact with the novel sugar packets, which demonstrated neophilia in the sparrows and is an important step in the process of learning.

The distribution of sugar packet foraging by sparrows across 174 cafés in Hamilton City was determined, and staff from 15 cafés had observed sparrows taking sugar packets. A short survey was also used to assess the attitudes of café staff members towards the presence of sparrows at their cafés, which showed that café staff had mixed views on the local sparrows. A different survey was used to investigate the attitudes of 249 members of the general public towards sparrows being at cafés. These participants tended to like sparrows being present as part of their café experience. 

This thesis demonstrates the value of sparrows being present in the urban environment, and is the first study to comprehensively describe sugar packet foraging in sparrows: a fascinating behavioural innovation.

year: 2019

title: Book review:  Ikawai: freshwater fishes in Māori culture and economy

authors: Hicks, Brendan J.

abstract: This article reviews the book : “Ikawai: freshwater fishes in Māori culture and economy”, by RM McDowall.

text: Book review:  Ikawai: freshwater fishes in Māori culture and economy This article reviews the book : “Ikawai: freshwater fishes in Māori culture and economy”, by RM McDowall.

year: 2012