In search of a spiritus: Francesco Patrizi on tides

ABSTRACT

This article analyzes two chapters of Francesco Patrizi’s Nova de universis philosophia that deal with a topic widely debated in European intellectual circles at the time: the origin of tides. By deconstructing Patrizi’s views on the phenomenon of ebb and flow, this paper places these chapters of Patrizi’s opus magnum into a larger context and shows how, with the use of novel philosophical arguments, he sought to replace what he considered an outdated theory of tides.     

The analysis of innovation processes

Methods are described for modelling both the speeds and the driving forces of innovation processes, namely Critical Path Schedules and Cash Flow Curves respectively. The differences between innovations in modern industrial conditions and simpler societies are discussed, and the models applied to early innovations, but the data are too fragmentary to make quantitative models, although they can be used qualitatively to show general trends. In early societies the speeds were very slow but benefit/cost ratios very high, whereas the reverse tends to be true on average for modern innovations. Long delay times are often found in early innovation processes and these are determined by a wide variety of cultural factors. Seldom has the progress of the technology itself been on the “Critical Path” of innovation processes. The “Critical Path” and “Cash Flow” methods can also be used to study other, non-innovative, complex processes.     

基于腾讯迁徙大数据的长三角城市群春运人口流动时空特征

开展城市群人口流动研究对促进区域人口有序流动和城市群协同发展具有重要的理论和实践指导意义。本文基于腾讯迁徙大数据，运用GIS空间统计和K-shell分解等方法，从人口流动总量、位序、时序和网络层级等方面，对我国长三角城市群2018年春运期间的人口流动特征进行系统研究。结果表明：①长三角城市群春运期间大规模的“返乡流”和“返城流”呈现明显的对称性，并分别于除夕和第一个工作日达到最高峰。②经济发展水平相对较高的上海、苏州、杭州等为劳动力输入型城市，而经济发展水平相对较低的盐城、安庆和滁州等为劳动力输出型城市。③长三角城市群内部人口流动网络具有明显的层级特征，其中上海和杭州是人口辐射核心城市，上海-合肥、上海-南京、上海-杭州等是人口流动的主体路径；空间上东部-西部横向人口流动最为频繁，大体呈现“Z”字形。