African Philosophy: A Key To African Innovation And Development, George Middendorf
Sep 2014
African Philosophy: A Key To African Innovation And Development, George Middendorf
George Middendorf
This essay demonstrates how African philosophy can be a key to African innovation and development. Its first section illustrates how philosophy as a discipline drives innovation in science and technology. The second part proposes a new discipline linking science, engineering and technology to sustainable, ethical development. The third section proposes an ethics core derived from ancient Egyptian and Ethiopian thought. It addresses the fact that non-African principles and personnel have in some measure directed African development, resulting in unsustainable and sometimes destructive outcomes. The conclusion argues that the primary instrument for African development must be a Pan-African curriculum developed through …
Diversity At 100: Women And Underrepresented Minorities In The Esa: Peer-Reviewed Letter, George Middendorf
Aug 2014
Diversity At 100: Women And Underrepresented Minorities In The Esa: Peer-Reviewed Letter, George Middendorf
George Middendorf
No abstract provided.
Ecological Literacy: The Educational Foundation Necessary For Informed Public Decision Making, Catherine Cardelús, George Middendorf
Jul 2013
Ecological Literacy: The Educational Foundation Necessary For Informed Public Decision Making, Catherine Cardelús, George Middendorf
George Middendorf
In this introduction to the new Frontiers series on Ecoliteracy, Guest Editors Catherine Cardelús and George
Middendorf discuss the impetus behind the series for which innovative ecological educators were invited to discuss ways to teach ecological concepts to diverse groups in a variety of settings, with the aim of facilitating better informed decision making for environmental policy.
Survival Ethics In The Real World: The Research University And Sustainable Development, George Middendorf
Mar 2013
Survival Ethics In The Real World: The Research University And Sustainable Development, George Middendorf
George Middendorf
We discuss how academically-based interdisciplinary teams can address the extreme challenges of the world's poorest by increasing access to the basic necessities of life. The essay's first part illustrates the evolving commitment of research universities to develop ethical solutions for populations whose survival is at risk and whose quality of life is deeply impaired. The second part proposes a rationale for university responsibility to solve the problems of impoverished populations at a geographical remove. It also presents a framework for integrating science, engineering and ethics in the efforts of multidisciplinary teams dedicated to this task. The essay's third part illustrates …
Ecologists Engaging With Communities And Regional Decision-Makers: Organized Oral Session 14 At The 2011 Esa Annual Meeting In Austin, Texas, Nadine Lymn, George Middendorf
Nov 2012
Ecologists Engaging With Communities And Regional Decision-Makers: Organized Oral Session 14 At The 2011 Esa Annual Meeting In Austin, Texas, Nadine Lymn, George Middendorf
George Middendorf
No abstract provided.
Add Ecology To The Pre-Medical Curriculum, George Middendorf
Feb 2012
Add Ecology To The Pre-Medical Curriculum, George Middendorf
George Middendorf
No abstract provided.
Multiple Paths To Encephalization And Technical Civilizations, David Schwartzman, George Middendorf
Nov 2011
Multiple Paths To Encephalization And Technical Civilizations, David Schwartzman, George Middendorf
George Middendorf
We propose consideration of at least two possible evolutionary paths for the emergence of intelligent life with the potential for technical civilization. The first is the path via encephalization of homeothermic animals; the second is the path to swarm intelligence of so-called superorganisms, in particular the social insects. The path to each appears to be facilitated by environmental change: homeothermic animals by decreased climatic temperature and for swarm intelligence by increased oxygen levels.
Science As A Human Right: Esa And The Aaas Science And Human Rights Coalition, Clifford S. Duke, George Middendorf, Jessica Wyndham
Nov 2010
Science As A Human Right: Esa And The Aaas Science And Human Rights Coalition, Clifford S. Duke, George Middendorf, Jessica Wyndham
George Middendorf
No abstract provided.
Was Climate The Prime Releaser For Encephalization? An Editorial Comment, David Schwartzman, George Middendorf, Miranda Armour-Chelu
Jun 2009
Was Climate The Prime Releaser For Encephalization? An Editorial Comment, David Schwartzman, George Middendorf, Miranda Armour-Chelu
George Middendorf
Kleidon (2009) concludes that warm climates impose important constraints on the evolution of large brains relative to body size, confirming our previous hypothesis (Schwartzman and Middendorf 2000). Here we update the case for our hypothesis and present a first approximation estimate of the cooling required for hominin brain size increase using a simple model of heat loss. We conclude that Pleistocene glacial episodes were likely sufficient to serve as prime releasers for emergence of Homo habilis and Homo erectus. In addition, we propose that atmospheric oxygen levels may been an analogous constraint on insect encephalization.
Esa And Environmental Justice, George Middendorf, Charles Nilon
Feb 2007
Esa And Environmental Justice, George Middendorf, Charles Nilon
George Middendorf
No abstract provided.
Problem Solving: A Foundation For Modeling, Janet Hodder, George Middendorf, D. Ebert-May
Sep 2005
Problem Solving: A Foundation For Modeling, Janet Hodder, George Middendorf, D. Ebert-May
George Middendorf
No abstract provided.
Is There An Antipredator Blood-Squirting Defense In The Bull Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma Taurus?, George Middendorf
Oct 2004
Is There An Antipredator Blood-Squirting Defense In The Bull Horned Lizard, Phrynosoma Taurus?, George Middendorf
George Middendorf
No abstract provided.
Responses Of Kit Foxes (Vulpes Macrotis) To Antipredator Blood-Squirting And Blood Of Texas Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma Cornutum), Wade Sherbrooke, George Middendorf, M E. Douglas
Jun 2004
Responses Of Kit Foxes (Vulpes Macrotis) To Antipredator Blood-Squirting And Blood Of Texas Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma Cornutum), Wade Sherbrooke, George Middendorf, M E. Douglas
George Middendorf
Six related studies were conducted with four captive juvenile Kit Foxes (Vulpes macrotis) to test the hypothesis that blood-squirting from eye-socket tissues by Texas Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma cornutum) is a canid antipredator defense. In 16 trials, naive “hungry” foxes killed and ate adult Yarrow's Spiny Lizards (Sceloporus jarrovii; eight of eight trials) slightly more frequently than adult P. cornutum (six of eight trials). Adverse responses by foxes (head shaking) were seen in five of six trials in which Phrynosoma squirted blood. Later these experienced foxes, fed ad libitum, killed and ate mice (eight of eight trials) while largely ignoring P. …
Blood-Squirting Variability In Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma), Wade Sherbrooke, George Middendorf, C. Guyer
Oct 2001
Blood-Squirting Variability In Horned Lizards (Phrynosoma), Wade Sherbrooke, George Middendorf, C. Guyer
George Middendorf
Variability within the genus Phrynosoma in the occurrence of ocular-sinus blood-squirting, reportedly a defense used in canid encounters, is reviewed from the literature. Six species have been reported to squirt blood, and seven species remain unreported. Five of the latter species were tested in dog trials; one exhibited blood-squirting (Phrynosoma hernandesi), one exhibited precursor behaviors but failed to squirt blood (Phrynosoma ditmarsi), and three yielded negative results (Phrynosoma mcallii, Phrynosoma modestum, and Phrynosoma platyrhinos). Instances of blood-squirting in response to human encounters were collected and largely support the negative results for the three species P. mcallii, P. modestum, and P. …
Biospheric Cooling And The Emergence Of Intelligence, David Schwartzman, George Middendorf
Dec 1999
Biospheric Cooling And The Emergence Of Intelligence, David Schwartzman, George Middendorf
George Middendorf
The long-term cooling history of the Earth's biosphere implies a temperature constraint on the timing of major events in biologic evolution, e.g., emergence of cyanobacteria, eucaryotes and Metazoa apparently occurred at times when temperatures were near their upper growth limits. Could biospheric cooling also have been a necessary condition for the emergence of veterbrates and their encephalization? The upper temperature limit for vertebrate growth is about 10 degrees below the limit for Metazoa (50 degrees C). Heterothermy followed by full homeothermy was likely a necessary condition for greater encephalization because of the energy requirement of larger brains. The temperature differential …
Canid Elicitation Of Blood-Squirting In A Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma Cornutum), George Middendorf, Wade Sherbrooke
Mar 1992
Canid Elicitation Of Blood-Squirting In A Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma Cornutum), George Middendorf, Wade Sherbrooke
George Middendorf
No abstract provided.
Responses To Snake Odors By Laboratory Mice, Paul Weldon, Frances M. Divita, George Middendorf
Feb 1987
Responses To Snake Odors By Laboratory Mice, Paul Weldon, Frances M. Divita, George Middendorf
George Middendorf
Male and female laboratory mice (; Harlan Sprague Dawley) were tested for reactions to snake odors. In the first experiment, mice were presented with untreated paper on the floor of one side of a test tank and snake-scented or control (water misted) paper on the other side. The scented papers were obtained from rough earth snakes (), which were fed earthworms, and a rat snake (), which ate mice. Male mice exhibited no differences in response to the three conditions. Female mice showed no response to the control or earth snake odor, but they deposited significantly more fecal boli on …
