I.M. Sechenov (1829 - 1905) and the scientific self-understanding for medical sciences

There is no discussion about the historic relevance of I. Sechenov for physiology and neurosciences as the "father of Russian modern physiology". But he is relevant for modern natural science too because of his basic epistemological and ontological work. He did not accept the up to now basic paradigm of "Ignorabimus" which can be seen as the reason to exclude even the generalizable aspects of individuality, creativity and spontaneity from natural science. He developed techniques for empirical based science to deal with materialistic and idealistic aspects of the comprehensive person the "ignoramus" according to the actual stay of knowledge and the acceptable ontologies. He demonstrated that ontologies ("paradigms") can be used as tools according to the given problem which should be solved. So Sechenov can be seen as a precursor of the so efficient philosophical positions of Einstein and Th. Kuhn. The stay of the art in physiology and neurosciences changed since the time of Sechenov dramatically. Therefore the philosophical positions of the 19th century should be discussed. Maybe this is indispensable for the needed linkage between materialistic and idealistic aspects of a person. For this the proposals of Sechenov are helpful up to now but nearly unknown. There is no discussion about the historic relevance of I. Sechenov as the "father of Russian physiology." But he is relevant for modern natural science too because of his epistemological and ontological work. He did not accept the up to now basic paradigm of "Ignorabimus" that can be seen as the reason to exclude even the generalizable aspects of individuality, creativity, and spontaneity from natural science. He demonstrated that ontologies ("paradigms") and epistemology can be used as tools according to the given problem. So Sechenov can be seen as a precursor of the so efficient philosophical positions of Einstein and Th. Kuhn. The state of the art changed dramatically. Therefore, the philosophical positions of the nineteenth century should be questioned. Maybe this is indispensable for the needed link between materialistic and idealistic aspects of a person as a whole. In this respect the proposals of Sechenov are helpful for medical science in the twenty-first century too but nearly unknown.     

Status of geoinformatics education and training in Sub-Saharan Africa: initiatives taken and challenges

This paper presents an update on some of the activities that have taken place since a World Bank report; “Guidelines for Education and Training in Environmental Information Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa: Some Key Issues” was published and provides details on the current situation. It shows how organizations such as the African Association on Remote Sensing of Environment, International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, European Association of Remote Sensing Companies, Group on Earth Observation, and several others have helped to increase manpower resources in the region and strengthened institutional capacity in the field of geoinformatics, through capacity building, technology transfer, international cooperation and the provision of internal African resources. After reviewing what has happened in the field of geoinformatics education and training, we focused on current initiatives taken and challenges in five Sub-Saharan countries: Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. We reviewed GIS education and training in the private sector, government, information communications technology in higher education institutions, GIS application areas and challenges facing GIS education and training. Findings show that; change should involve education stakeholders in all levels of education and curriculum quality, regional and international cooperation through exchange programs, should be a priority for Sub-Saharan Africa countries.     

The Scotch Fisher Child

AN EGG AT EASTER, A FOLKLORE STUDY. By VENETIA NEWALL. Routledge and Kegan Paul. £6. Reviewed by K. M. Briggs.

MYTH, LEGEND AND CUSTOM IN THE OLD TESTAMENT. A Comparative Study with Chapters from Sir James G. Frazer's Folklore in the Old Testament. By THEODOR H. GASTER. Harper &; Row, New York, 1969. Pp. 899. $20.00. Reviewed by E. O. James.

OUR LIVING TRADITIONS. An Introduction to American Folklore. Edited by TRISTRAM POTTER COFFIN. Basic Books, Inc. 1968. Pp. 301. $6.50. Reviewed by Theo Brown.

THE BALLAD AS SONG. By BERTRAND HARRIS BRONSON. University of California Press. Berkeley &; Los Angeles, 1969. Pp. 344. $7.95. Reviewed by Maud Karpeles.

THE PLEASANT LAND OF IRELAND. By K. DANAHER. Cork (Mercier Press) 1970. Pp. 88. 55 ills., 1 map. Reviewed by Ellen Ettlinger.

CAMBRIDGESHIRE CUSTOMS AND FOLKLORE. By ENID PORTER. With Fenland Material provided by W. H. Barrett. Routledge &; Kegan Paul, 1969. Pp. 419. Plates 78 and Map. £5.25. Reviewed by Theo Brown.

GREEN HILLS OF MAGIC. WEST VIRGINIA FOLKTALES FROM EUROPE. By RUTH ANN MUSICK. The University Press of Kentucky. $7.50. Reviewed by K. M. Briggs.

THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF EXMOOR. Bideford Bay to Bridgwater. By L. V. GRINSELL. David &; Charles, 1970. With 23 plates, 5 drawings in text, and 8 maps in two colours. Pp. 242. £3. Reviewed by Theo Brown.

SACHGÜTER UND LEBENSFORMEN. Einführung in die materielle Kulturgeschichte des Mittelalters und der Neuzeit. Grundlagen der Germanistik vol. n. By D. W. H. SCHWARZ. Berlin (Erich Schmidt Verlag) 1970. Pp. 244; 7 illustrations.Reviewed by Ellen Ettlinger.

JAHRBUCH FÜR VOLKSLIED-FORSCHUNG. Vol. XV. Edited by R. W. BREDNICH. Berlin (Erich Schmidt Verlag) 1970. Pp. 225, 2 plates, 6 tunes and 4 maps. Reviewed by Ellen Ettlinger.

TRADITIONS AND HEARTHSIDE STORIES OF WEST CORNWALL. By William Bottrell. 2nd Edition published by Frank Graham, 1970. Pp. 275 and Index. £2.50. Reviewed by Theo Brown.

STORIES TOLD BY THE AZTECS BEFORE THE SPANIARDS CAME. By Carleton Beals. Abelard-Schuman. £1.40. Reviewed by K. M. Briggs.

STARS IS GOD'S LANTERNS. An Offering of Ozark Tellin' Stories. By Charles Moreau Wilson. University of Oklahoma Press. $4.95. Reviewed by K. M. Briggs.     

The Fordwich Stone and its Legend

Abstract

The ubiquitous use of the Latin word ‘sedilia’ to refer to the ritual seats to the south of an altar for the use of the celebrant priest and his assistants has led to the notion that it is an authentic medieval term. This paper shows the results of a survey of documentary references to seats of all kinds in medieval England, and demonstrates that in the medieval period the word sedilia was of no especial distinction, meaning merely ‘bench’, only gaining its current meaning in the late 18th century. The word was used along with a variety of others to refer to now lost seating in medieval churches, including benches and individual chairs in the chancel as well as seating in the nave. This piece will make some suggestions for the distinctions made in the terminology in medieval documents regarding the different types of seating in churches. To avoid confusion, the word ‘sedilia’ is italicised when it refers to medieval use of the Latin word, but not when it refers to the modern definition.