مطالب

Avicenna’s floating man thought experiment has been examined and criticized for over a thousand years from various philosophical perspectives. While traditional and modern criticisms exist, the latter primarily focus on the confusion between epistemology and ontology. The ontological dimensions have received significant attention, but the epistemological aspects remain underexplored. I propose a modern critique suggesting that if valid, the thought experiment may not support substance dualism. However, some modest versions could bolster modest dualism, which posits that mental properties are distinct from physical ones, without adhering to Cartesian concepts. I present seven versions of the thought experiment. The first differs from Avicenna’s original and focuses on the individuation of self and body, but is vulnerable to modern critiques due to its conflation of ontological and epistemic aspects. The remaining six versions avoid this issue and do not assert that the mind is an immaterial substance. The second version examines epistemic differences between basic self-knowledge and knowledge of the body. The third addresses self-referential and self-verifying aspects of self-knowledge. The fourth explores modal properties, while the fifth highlights the self's necessary relationship to self-knowledge. The sixth emphasizes the environmental neutrality of basic self-knowledge, and the final version utilizes the self as a critical reasoner. I also support and revise these six versions with eleven general remarks.

INTRODUCTION: Urban air pollution, especially in densely populated metropolises such as Tehran, has become one of the most serious environmental and health challenges. Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), as one of the most important pollutants resulting from human activities, accumulates persistently in the surface layers of the atmosphere, especially in the cold seasons and under temperature inversion conditions. This study conducts an integrated hazard analysis of the spatiotemporal distribution of NO₂ in Tehran County over a seven-year period (2018–2024), with a focus on the interplay between anthropogenic and natural factors in shaping this hazard. METHODS: In this descriptive-analytical study with an integrated approach, daily NO2 concentration data were extracted from Sentinel-5P satellite images (TROPOMI sensor) during the winter seasons from 2018 to 2024 in Tehran. Using spatial extraction tools in the GIS environment, data were processed, seasonal averages were calculated, and raster-to-vector conversion was performed, and spatiotemporal distribution patterns of NO2 were plotted and analyzed. FINDINGS: The findings showed that the distribution pattern of NO2 has undergone significant spatial and temporal changes over the seven years. In 2018 and 2019, the highest concentrations were observed in central Tehran and the northeastern districts. A marked decline occurred in 2020 and 2021, coinciding with mobility restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, from 2022 onward, NO₂ levels began to rise again, with a notable increase in southern and eastern areas by 2024. These shifts reflect a transition in pollution hotspots—from the city center toward peripheral zones—followed by a partial return to a more centralized pattern, indicative of extensive urban expansion and intensified human activities in suburban areas. CONCLUSION: According to the research results, NO₂ pollution in Tehran constitutes a “compound hazard,” resulting from the complex interaction of anthropogenic drivers (e.g., traffic, industry, and urban development) and natural conditions (e.g., temperature inversions and topography). The observed changes in NO₂ spatial patterns mirror transformations in urban morphology, land use, and environmental management policies.

Knowledge Management (KM) is essential in various sectors, including vocational higher education. A literature review revealed that adopting KM can improve innovation and organizational performance in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). However, some HEIs in developing countries have yet to realize the benefits of KM, and its implementation still needs improvement. The KM process is affected by several issues, including organizational barriers, knowledge hoarding, a lack of a knowledge-sharing culture, ineffective KM mechanisms, and resistance to technology. Nevertheless, only a few researchers have investigated the antecedents of KM, particularly in vocational higher education institutions. This study aims to evaluate the influence of KM foundation factors on KM processes, innovation, and organizational performance in a vocational HEI, specifically the School of Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (STMKG) in Indonesia. It also examines the mediating effects of KM processes and innovation and provides recommendations for improving STMKG's KM foundation. An explanatory research approach was applied in this study, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative techniques. The results show that Organizational Structure (OS) and Technological Factors (IT) significantly influence KM processes. Innovation (IN) is also a significant mediator between KM processes and Organizational Performance (OP). The practical implication of this study is that it provides recommendations for crucial KM factors based on Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) for policymakers to improve the foundation of KM at STMKG. Additionally, the study contributes to the academic field by providing insights for further research on KM development in vocational higher education institutions.