Behavior on a beer mat: Law, interdisciplinarity and expertise

In this paper we seek to offer an original theoretical platform for thinking about the nature of legal knowledge produced through ‘legal interdisciplinarity’. The context for our discussion is the emergence of a ‘behavioural boom’ in the field of law where researchers increasingly turn to fields like behavioural economics to encourage shifts in legal and social policy. Using a case study which explores the application of a sub-branch of psychology to civil law, we highlight serious concerns attending the capacity of lone legal researchers to meaningfully navigate non-legal domains. Central to our analysis, is the sociology of expertise and experience, and it is from this perspective that we explore the interdisciplinary process. Drawing attention to the extent to which largely “unwritten” practices and conventions inhabit disciplines and how these govern knowledge, we point to the insurmountable barriers confronting lone legal interdisciplinarians. We illustrate why that work, by contrast with genuine collaborative/interactional interdisciplinary research, should be regarded as lacking value from a policy/political perspective. This is not, however, to diminish the potential value of works of a non-collaborative nature. Noting the value of interdisciplinary work of a more provisional and creative character, and its critical importance to the legal project, we draw a critical distinction between interactional research and simulated research. This distinction we argue proves critical to identifying what interdisciplinary work can lend itself to policy application and that which cannot, as well as accommodating the fullest range of interdisciplinary research efforts to flourish

Organisational factors by sector

The WaterWatt project is an ambitious project aiming to help companies achieve greater energy efficiency in their industrial water circuits (IWC). From the outset, the WaterWatt project identified (i) low awareness of energy saving potential of industrial water circuits and (ii) uncertainty about positive economic effects as two important barriers to more investment to improve the energy efficiency of water circuits. The principal route to overcome this twin barrier is to develop an interactive online selfassessment tool, the Energy Efficiency Evaluation or E3 Platform. The two main capabilities of the planned E3 Platform are carefully designed to remove the investment barriers. On the one hand, the E3 Platform will allow industrial users to identify and calculate the unrealised energy saving potential of their water circuits. On the other hand, the E3 Platform will also be able to assist companies in working out the cost-effectiveness of any investment into water circuits, thereby indicating whether an investment in energy efficiency has positive or negative cost implications. To develop a useful and usable online tool, the WaterWatt project has relied on both technical and sociological research to gain a deep understanding of industrial water circuits in a variety of sectors and countries. This report summarises the findings of the sociological research on human and organisational challenges that companies wanting to increase the energy efficiency in their industrial water circuits face. The report identifies a range of organisational and contextual factors based on the case studies conducted at different plants and branches (see Deliverable report D3.2 and others for details): - A steelwork in Germany in June 2016 - A steel plant and a non-ferrous metal plant in Norway in October 2016 - A paper & cardboard and a sugar plant in Portugal in November 201

Energy management structure and behaviour and motivation analysis within each sector

The understanding of the organizational aspects of achieving increased energy efficiency in In-dustrial Water Circuits (IWC) over the course of the WaterWatt project has benefitted from two parallel processes. On the one hand, conducting case studies in a variety of countries and sec-tors has helped to identify and to distinguish what might be referred to as ‘universal’ and ‘local’ factors that influence the degree of energy efficiency in IWC. On the other hand, discussions within the WaterWatt consortium, partly informed by insights established during the case study research, about the direction and focus of the organizational aspects of the project have moved forward. The aim of conducting the case studies as part of WaterWatt Project is to understand how indus-trial water circuits work in practice and in particular contexts. For our technical colleagues, the case study approach has been important to help them in their efforts to incorporate the modelling of water circuits into the E3 Platform. From our sociological perspective, the case study ap-proach has proved to be an excellent method to develop our understanding of the organizational dimensions of achieving greater energy efficiency. The case studies have helped us to formulate organizational factors, as well as produce a list of relevant contextual factors, which essentially represent the conclusions of this work (see D3.3). The following sets of case studies have been conducted - A steelwork in Germany in June 2016 - A steel plant and a non-ferrous metal plant in Norway in October 2016 - A paper & cardboard and a sugar plant in Portugal in November 2016 - A steel plant in the United Kingdom in May 201

Modelling architecture in the world of expertise

Architecture and Studies of Expertise and Experienc

STS as science or politics

In a recent editorial for this journal, Sismondo makes two claims. First, he states that STS bears no responsibility for the emergence of post-truth politics. Second, he claims that debates about the nature of expertise that take place within STS are irrelevant in this context. In contrast, we argue that whether or not STS had a causal influence on the emergence of post-truth politics, there is a clear resonance between the two positions and that the current political climate makes empirically informed and scientific analyses of expertise and the form of life of science more important than ever. We argue that treating STS’s contribution to these matters as essentially political rather than scientific surrenders any special role we have as experts on the organisation and values of science and leaves STS as just one political actor among other

Inner Sound: Altered States of Consciousness in Electronic Music and Audio-Visual Media

Over the last century, developments in electronic music and art have enabled new possibilities for creating audio and audio-visual artworks. With this new potential has come the possibility for representing subjective internal conscious states, such as the experience of hallucinations, using digital technology. Combined with immersive technologies such as virtual reality goggles and high-quality loudspeakers, the potential for accurate simulations of conscious encounters such as Altered States of Consciousness (ASCs) is rapidly advancing. In Inner Sound, author Jonathan Weinel traverses the creative influence of ASCs, from Amazonian chicha festivals to the synaesthetic assaults of neon raves; and from an immersive outdoor electroacoustic performance on an Athenian hilltop to a mushroom trip on a tropical island in virtual reality. Beginning with a discussion of consciousness, the book explores how our subjective realities may change during states of dream, psychedelic experience, meditation, and trance. Taking a broad view across a wide range of genres, Inner Sound draws connections between shamanic art and music, and the modern technoshamanism of psychedelic rock, electronic dance music, and electroacoustic music. Going beyond the sonic into the visual, the book also examines the role of altered states in film, visual music, VJ performances, interactive video games, and virtual reality applications. Through the analysis of these examples, Weinel uncovers common mechanisms, and ultimately proposes a conceptual model for Altered States of Consciousness Simulations (ASCSs). This theoretical model describes how sound can be used to simulate various subjective states of consciousness from a first-person perspective, in an interactive context. Throughout the book, the ethical issues regarding altered states of consciousness in electronic music and audio-visual media are also examined, ultimately allowing the reader not only to consider the design of ASCSs, but also the implications of their use for digital society

Augmented Unreality: Synesthetic Artworks & Audio-Visual Hallucinations

During ‘altered states of consciousness’ (ASCs), such as those produced by psychedelic drugs, an individual may experience substantial changes to mood, thoughts and perception, and have subjective experiences of visual or auditory hallucinations. In Hobson’s (2003, 44–46) discussion of his AIM (Activation, Input, Modulation) model of consciousness he distinguishes the imagery of dreams and hallucinations as ‘internal’ sensory inputs, in contrast with the ‘external’ inputs that are received via the senses from the surrounding environment during normal waking consciousness. For the purposes of this chapter, external inputs correspond with physical ‘reality,’ while the internal inputs generated by the brain during dreams or hallucinations shall be considered as ‘unreality.’ Reproduced by permission of Oxford University Pres

Lamps for Homemakers

If you see a Betty lamp do you immediately think of Home Economics