title: Has the deceived businessman been deceiving philosophers?

authors: Weijers, Dan M.

abstract: In the deceived businessman thought experiment, we are asked to imagine the lives of two businessmen, equal in net pleasant experiences, but unequal in the amount of deception. Both lives are experienced as equally happy from the inside, but one is deceived about many important things, while the other isn’t. When comparing these two lives, people usually report that the non-deceived life is preferable to the deceived life. Philosophers working on wellbeing have used this result to discredit experiential accounts of wellbeing, especially prudential hedonism. I argue that two structural problems with the thought experiment preclude it from being a reliable source of evidence for drawing conclusions about wellbeing, including discrediting prudential hedonism. If I’m right that these structural problems mean the deceived businessman thought experiment should not be used when arguing about wellbeing, then several other influential thought experiments with the same structural problem might also be under threat.

text: Has the deceived businessman been deceiving philosophers? In the deceived businessman thought experiment, we are asked to imagine the lives of two businessmen, equal in net pleasant experiences, but unequal in the amount of deception. Both lives are experienced as equally happy from the inside, but one is deceived about many important things, while the other isn’t. When comparing these two lives, people usually report that the non-deceived life is preferable to the deceived life. Philosophers working on wellbeing have used this result to discredit experiential accounts of wellbeing, especially prudential hedonism. I argue that two structural problems with the thought experiment preclude it from being a reliable source of evidence for drawing conclusions about wellbeing, including discrediting prudential hedonism. If I’m right that these structural problems mean the deceived businessman thought experiment should not be used when arguing about wellbeing, then several other influential thought experiments with the same structural problem might also be under threat.

year: 2017

title: Nitrogen leaching from effluent irrigated pasture

authors: Treweek, Glen

subjects: sewage

abstract: The surface waters of the Taupo region are of high quality and are sensitive to inputs of nitrogen. To reduce the amount of nitrogen discharged to surface water, the Taupo District Council (TDC) has employed a land treatment scheme (LTS), where treated municipal wastewater is irrigated onto ryegrass pasture. To limit the possibility of nitrogen pollution, regulations govern the amount of effluent that TDC may irrigate. This study reports the results from the first year of a five year trial where nitrogen leaching from the Taupo LTS was measured.
To measure nitrogen leaching from the Taupo LTS, 48 intact monolith lysimeters were installed beneath effluent irrigation from two centre pivot irrigators. Four treatments based on nitrogen loading rates were trialled, nominally no-N (0 kg N ha-¹yr-¹), low-N (350 kg N ha-¹yr-¹ or less), mid-N (between 350 and 450 kg N ha-¹yr-¹), and high-N (greater than 450 kg N ha-¹yr-¹). Leachate was collected at least monthly and analysed for total nitrogen (TN), nitrate/nitrite nitrogen (NO₃-N), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN). The pasture was removed from the lysimeters to determine dry-matter production and pasture nitrogen concentration to calculate nitrogen uptake.
Effluent irrigation significantly increased pasture growth and nitrogen leaching compared to the un-irrigated treatments (P<0.001). The mean rate of pasture growth from the irrigated treatments was 15,800 ± 1,700 kg DM ha-¹yr-¹, but there were no significant difference between the rate of pasture growth between the irrigated treatments. The pasture of the high-N treatments had a significantly higher nitrogen concentration than the low-N treatments (P<0.001), consequently the high-N treatment removed 390 kg N ha-¹, compared to 310 kg N ha-¹ removed from the mid-N and low-N treatments. On average, the pasture removed 84 % of the nitrogen that was irrigated.
After 12 months, the no-N treatments leached 5 ± 3 kg TN ha-¹, the low-N treatment leached 15 ± 1 kg TN ha-¹, the mid-N treatment leached 17 ± 8 kg TN ha-¹, and the high-N treatment leached 26 ± 4 kg TN ha-¹. The high-N treatments leached significantly more TN than the low-N (P<0.005), but there was no significant difference in TN leached between the high-N and mid-N, or the mid-N and low-N treatments. The TN leached was poorly correlated with the rate of effluent irrigation. TN leached was positively correlated with the volume of water that drained through the soil (R2=0.7). The nitrogen in the leachate of the irrigated treatments comprised on average, 53 % NO₃-N, and 45 % DON, while the leachate of the un-irrigated treatments comprised, on average, 26 % NO₃-N and 72 % DON. NH₄-N accounted for approximately 2% of all nitrogen leached. Most of the NO₃-N leached throughout the year was leached after rain during summer and autumn. The mean concentration of NO₃-N leached from the irrigated treatments was 1.3 g N m-³. The concentration of NO₃-N in the leachate never exceeded Ministry of Health guidelines (11.3 g N m-³). The mean concentration of DON leached from the irrigated treatments was 1.2 g N m-³.
Removing nitrogen in the pasture is the solution to avoid excess nitrogen leaching from the Taupo LTS. There is potential to recover more nitrogen in the pasture by improving the pasture cover and frequency of harvest.

text: Nitrogen leaching from effluent irrigated pasture The surface waters of the Taupo region are of high quality and are sensitive to inputs of nitrogen. To reduce the amount of nitrogen discharged to surface water, the Taupo District Council (TDC) has employed a land treatment scheme (LTS), where treated municipal wastewater is irrigated onto ryegrass pasture. To limit the possibility of nitrogen pollution, regulations govern the amount of effluent that TDC may irrigate. This study reports the results from the first year of a five year trial where nitrogen leaching from the Taupo LTS was measured.
To measure nitrogen leaching from the Taupo LTS, 48 intact monolith lysimeters were installed beneath effluent irrigation from two centre pivot irrigators. Four treatments based on nitrogen loading rates were trialled, nominally no-N (0 kg N ha-¹yr-¹), low-N (350 kg N ha-¹yr-¹ or less), mid-N (between 350 and 450 kg N ha-¹yr-¹), and high-N (greater than 450 kg N ha-¹yr-¹). Leachate was collected at least monthly and analysed for total nitrogen (TN), nitrate/nitrite nitrogen (NO₃-N), ammoniacal nitrogen (NH₄-N), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN). The pasture was removed from the lysimeters to determine dry-matter production and pasture nitrogen concentration to calculate nitrogen uptake.
Effluent irrigation significantly increased pasture growth and nitrogen leaching compared to the un-irrigated treatments (P<0.001). The mean rate of pasture growth from the irrigated treatments was 15,800 ± 1,700 kg DM ha-¹yr-¹, but there were no significant difference between the rate of pasture growth between the irrigated treatments. The pasture of the high-N treatments had a significantly higher nitrogen concentration than the low-N treatments (P<0.001), consequently the high-N treatment removed 390 kg N ha-¹, compared to 310 kg N ha-¹ removed from the mid-N and low-N treatments. On average, the pasture removed 84 % of the nitrogen that was irrigated.
After 12 months, the no-N treatments leached 5 ± 3 kg TN ha-¹, the low-N treatment leached 15 ± 1 kg TN ha-¹, the mid-N treatment leached 17 ± 8 kg TN ha-¹, and the high-N treatment leached 26 ± 4 kg TN ha-¹. The high-N treatments leached significantly more TN than the low-N (P<0.005), but there was no significant difference in TN leached between the high-N and mid-N, or the mid-N and low-N treatments. The TN leached was poorly correlated with the rate of effluent irrigation. TN leached was positively correlated with the volume of water that drained through the soil (R2=0.7). The nitrogen in the leachate of the irrigated treatments comprised on average, 53 % NO₃-N, and 45 % DON, while the leachate of the un-irrigated treatments comprised, on average, 26 % NO₃-N and 72 % DON. NH₄-N accounted for approximately 2% of all nitrogen leached. Most of the NO₃-N leached throughout the year was leached after rain during summer and autumn. The mean concentration of NO₃-N leached from the irrigated treatments was 1.3 g N m-³. The concentration of NO₃-N in the leachate never exceeded Ministry of Health guidelines (11.3 g N m-³). The mean concentration of DON leached from the irrigated treatments was 1.2 g N m-³.
Removing nitrogen in the pasture is the solution to avoid excess nitrogen leaching from the Taupo LTS. There is potential to recover more nitrogen in the pasture by improving the pasture cover and frequency of harvest.

year: 2011

title: Indigenous Psychology in Aotearoa: Realising Māori Aspirations

authors: Levy, Michelle Patricia

subjects: Maori

abstract: Indigenous psychology in Aotearoa positions the aspirations of Māori as central.  The aim of this thesis is to describe and contribute to the development of a psychological discipline which is relevant and of benefit for Māori communities.  Part One sets the scene in Aotearoa, examining the relationship between Māori development and psychology.  Part Two explores the indigenous psychology literature base, identifying strategies which may be relevant to Aotearoa.  The key themes of context, critical mass, and mechanisms to support indigenous psychology development are identified as being relevant to Aotearoa.  Part Three explores indigenous psychology development in Aotearoa.  Data from a range of sources is qualitatively analysed to develop five themes which describe the current status of Māori development in psychology, the importance of the critical mass and the notion of collective responsibility.  Part Four, drawing from the analysis in Parts One, Two and Three, identifies 'reaching the point of irreversible change' as the next phase of indigenous psychology development in Aotearoa.  This is the point at which indigenous psychology development becomes self-sustaining.  

The point at which irreversible change occurs is when: Māori knowledge bases are a legitimate part of psychology in Aotearoa; resistance to the legitimacy of Māori knowledge bases in psychology is not a characteristic of our landscape; environments supportive of indigenous psychology development are commonplace; and responsibility for contributing to indigenous psychology development is shared among and sustained by the collective capacity of the Leaders and Producers.  Consolidation, the process by which multiple and interrelated pathways are connected to form a unified whole, is fundamental to reaching the point of irreversible change.  An original interactional framework for consolidation is proposed.  This framework is based on two key consolidating mechanisms: a working description of Kaupapa Māori Psychologies; and a Kaupapa Māori Psychologies Research and Training Centre.  Psychologies relevant and of benefit to Māori communities which contribute to the realisation of Māori aspirations are the cornerstones, with all elements of the framework leading back into this fundamental foundation.

text: Indigenous Psychology in Aotearoa: Realising Māori Aspirations Indigenous psychology in Aotearoa positions the aspirations of Māori as central.  The aim of this thesis is to describe and contribute to the development of a psychological discipline which is relevant and of benefit for Māori communities.  Part One sets the scene in Aotearoa, examining the relationship between Māori development and psychology.  Part Two explores the indigenous psychology literature base, identifying strategies which may be relevant to Aotearoa.  The key themes of context, critical mass, and mechanisms to support indigenous psychology development are identified as being relevant to Aotearoa.  Part Three explores indigenous psychology development in Aotearoa.  Data from a range of sources is qualitatively analysed to develop five themes which describe the current status of Māori development in psychology, the importance of the critical mass and the notion of collective responsibility.  Part Four, drawing from the analysis in Parts One, Two and Three, identifies 'reaching the point of irreversible change' as the next phase of indigenous psychology development in Aotearoa.  This is the point at which indigenous psychology development becomes self-sustaining.  

The point at which irreversible change occurs is when: Māori knowledge bases are a legitimate part of psychology in Aotearoa; resistance to the legitimacy of Māori knowledge bases in psychology is not a characteristic of our landscape; environments supportive of indigenous psychology development are commonplace; and responsibility for contributing to indigenous psychology development is shared among and sustained by the collective capacity of the Leaders and Producers.  Consolidation, the process by which multiple and interrelated pathways are connected to form a unified whole, is fundamental to reaching the point of irreversible change.  An original interactional framework for consolidation is proposed.  This framework is based on two key consolidating mechanisms: a working description of Kaupapa Māori Psychologies; and a Kaupapa Māori Psychologies Research and Training Centre.  Psychologies relevant and of benefit to Māori communities which contribute to the realisation of Māori aspirations are the cornerstones, with all elements of the framework leading back into this fundamental foundation.

year: 2007