Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Intellectual Age'

This paper sets out a particular concept of intellectual history for discussion and debate concerning the guidelines for our project for the International Dictionary of Intellectual Historians. First let me advance the idea that intellectual history is written everywhere, not only in West European countries, where it emerged, but in East European countries, too, and second that it really is a concept that applies not just to Europe alone but to the whole world, although this suggestion will vastly complicate our notions of intellectual history.

This research examines British intellectual debates on warfare throughout the mid-20th century. The thesis identifies different discourses that emerged as a result of the changes in international relations and military technology at this time. It posits that intellectual contribution on the whole had a more significant impact than many historians have previously accredited. The thesis examines the work of specific intellectuals that made significant and detailed input into these debates and identifies their role in framing these discourses, as individuals and as part of a larger intellectual community. It also highlights the involvement of these intellectuals within the state apparatus and links their intellectual contribution to their role in government. The subject of war and its perception by intellectuals is conspicuously absent in the historiography on British intellectuals. Some of the most important studies of British intellectuals, including Stefan Collini’s Absent Minds, have engaged only slightly or not at all with the intellectual discourse surrounding international relations and warfare. This thesis attempts to fill this gap for the middle of the 20th century and demonstrates that warfare became a prolific and highly visible part of the contribution of intellectuals to British life. Recent literature has attempted to discuss the British state as a warfare state, rejecting arguments on British declinism. The thesis engages with this debate, and while it focuses on Britain’s approach to warfare, it also challenges the interpretation of Britain as either a welfare or a warfare state. The study of intellectuals does not feature heavily within this historiography on British warfare. While historians, such as David Edgerton, engage with specific intellectuals and their writings, a discussion of intellectual discourse does not appear within these analyses. This thesis argues that intellectuals as a group developed ideas and arguments on warfare and the British state in conjunction with one another, creating an intellectual discourse which influenced political decision making and public opinion. The thesis also examines a more modern understanding of the intellectual: the expert. Using both scientific and military thinkers, the thesis explores how experts became intellectuals in response to the growing threat of warfare and the rise of a military-industrial complex. Using intellectuals that conform to the classic definition alongside expert intellectuals, the thesis highlights the importance of analysing both groups as part of the larger whole, and discusses the similarities and differences between the works generated by these intellectuals. The thesis spans the years from 1932 to 1963 and discusses the continuities between intellectual debates across this period. The post-war years and the nuclear conflict feature heavily within this analysis, but the thesis highlights the importance of the 1930s in influencing later intellectual perceptions of the nuclear age and the fight against communism. The majority of this research resulted from sources published within the public domain including monographs, newspaper and periodical articles, public speeches and radio broadcasts. The research also uses the personal archives of the individual intellectuals and political documents from the time, including papers from the Ministry of Defence located in the National Archives, Defence White Papers and the Hansard House of Commons official reports.

It is widely appreciated by the medical community that subtle deficits in intellect, academic skills and executive functioning exist in early treated phenylketonuria (PKU). In this study, we described the relationship between intellectual outcome and concentration/variation in blood phenylalanine (Phe) during specific developmental periods (0-5 years, 6-10 years, >10 years). We also examined the association between mean number of blood Phe samples and maintenance of Phe within treatment range (120-360 ìmol/L) and within one standard deviation (SD) of index of dietary control, defined as the mean of 12-month median Phe. Retrospective data was collected from 55 patients receiving treatment at the University of Utah Metabolic Clinic. Index of dietary control (IDC) and SD blood Phe steadily increased and mean number of samples decreased during each developmental period. The correlation between IDC during 6-10 years of life and perceptual reasoning was -.370 (p = 0.006). Using multivariate linear regression, IDC during 0-5 years and 6-10 years were associated with a 0.5-point decrease and 0.3-point decrease in perceptual reasoning scores for every 100 ìmol/L increase in blood Phe, though associations were nonsignificant (p = 0.067; 0.082). SD of Phe was not associated with any measure of intelligence. The likelihood of IDC >360 ìmol/L in those 6-10 years was 32.3% lower for each additional blood Phe sample per year (p = 0.001). The present study suggests frequent blood Phe monitoring during ages 6-10 years may reduce blood Phe and prevent deficits in perceptual reasoning later in life.

Characterized by an IQ between one and two standard deviations below average (APA, 2000), and adaptive functioning problems, borderline intellectual functioning (BIF) is a clinical condition often associated with behavioral and psychiatric disorders, and with negative effects on daily life. Judging from the Gaussian distribution of intelligence, individuals with BIF would account for 13.6% of the population, but this is not always confirmed in the literature and the real prevalence of the condition is probably lower, as suggested by some authors (e.g. Ninivaggi, 2001). Even so, the prevalence of BIF and the problems often associated with it (e.g. cognitive and learning problems that may result in academic failure and early school dropout, behavioral and emotional problems, a higher risk for mental health problems and maladaptive behavior across the life-span) are far from negligible, but there is a paucity of research on BIF in the Italian and international literature. BIF thus remains a relatively unknown phenomenon, not only in research, but also in the clinical and educational settings. The aim of the present doctoral thesis was to explore BIF by focusing particularly on cognitive profiles and learning skills. The studies described were conducted on school-age children attending Italian primary and lower secondary schools. Data were collected by screening archival data made available by several Italian mental health services for children and adolescents, and referring to school-age children assessed for screening or diagnostic purposes. The study described in chapter 2 was conducted to examine the cognitive profile of BIF, exploring whether BIF is characterized by a specific WISC-IV profile, with peculiar strengths and weaknesses. The WISC-IV scores of 204 children who obtained a Full-Scale IQ between 70 and 85 were considered. The results showed a spiky profile, characterized by significant differences between the various indexes: the lowest scores were obtained for Working Memory, the highest for Perceptual Reasoning; Verbal Comprehension, Working Memory, and Processing Speed were in the borderline range, Perceptual Reasoning on the lower end of the normal range. Further analyses suggested that the BIF profile was relatively independent of the child’s age and general level of intellectual functioning, supporting the likelihood of BIF coinciding with a specific WISC-IV cognitive profile. A second study (chapter 3) was designed to explore inter-individual variability to identify any subgroups among children with BIF revealing similar patterns in their cognitive profiles. The data were analyzed using different cluster analyses. The results pointed to three different subgroups characterized by a similar Full-Scale IQ, but differences in their four-factor index profiles. One subgroup’s performance in Verbal Comprehension and Working Memory was in the borderline range, while Processing Speed was on the boundary between borderline and normal ranges (PSI = 86), and Perceptual Reasoning was in the normal range (PRI = 95.6). The second subgroup included children with borderline Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Reasoning, and Working Memory abilities, while their Processing Speed was not impaired (PSI = 92.4). The third subgroup revealed a borderline performance in terms of Working Memory and Processing Speed, and normal Verbal Comprehension and Perceptual Reasoning abilities (89.3, and 91.1, respectively). An exploratory analysis suggested that the clusters differed slightly in terms of the children’s socio-economic status and any comorbid disorders. A third study (chapter 4) was devised to analyze the learning skills of 133 school-age children with BIF, comparing them on reading and math measures with a group of 73 children matched for chronological age with learning disabilities and an IQ above 85. The results revealed both similarities and differences between the two groups. The BIF group’s performance was weaker in reading comprehension and written math operations, while no significant differences emerged between the groups in terms of reading accuracy and speed, or mental calculation and arithmetical facts retrieval. It is worth noting that the children with BIF who also had a clinically-diagnosed specific learning disorder (SLD) did not differ significantly from those with BIF who had not a diagnosis of SLD. These two BIF subgroups were similarly weak in reading comprehension and written math operations by comparison with a group with learning disorders but no BIF. Taken together, these studies provide some insight on BIF in school-age children, particularly as concerns their cognitive profiles and learning skills. While the clinical importance of BIF is still unclear and individuals with this condition often remain confined to a “grey area”, the present contribution supports the conviction that BIF is characterized by particular features that warrant specific attention and intervention, and an appropriate diagnostic and clinical acknowledgement.<br>Caratterizzato da un QI tra una e due deviazioni standard sotto la media (APA, 2000) e difficoltà nel funzionamento adattivo, il Funzionamento Intellettivo Limite (FIL) è una condizione clinica spesso associata a disturbi di tipo psichiatrico e problemi comportamentali, accompagnata da effetti negativi nella vita quotidiana. Sulla base della curva normale di distribuzione dell’intelligenza, si può stimare una prevalenza del 13.6%, tuttavia tale dato non viene sempre confermato in letteratura e la prevalenza del FIL sembrerebbe essere inferiore (e.g. Ninivaggi, 2009). Nonostante la prevalenza del FIL, così come i problemi ad esso associati (per esempio le difficoltà cognitive e di apprendimento, che possono risultare in fallimenti e abbandono scolastico, i problemi emotivi e comportamentali, l’aumentato rischio di problemi psichiatrici o comportamenti disadattavi evidenti nell’intero arco di vita) siano tutt’altro che trascurabili, la ricerca sul FIL sia a livello nazionale che internazionale è ancora carente. Per questo motivo il FIL continua ad essere un fenomeno poco conosciuto, non solo in letteratura, ma anche nella pratica clinica ed educativa. L’obiettivo della presente tesi di dottorato è stato quello di esplorare il FIL, ponendo particolare attenzione sui profili cognitivi e le abilità scolastiche. Nello specifico, gli studi che verranno di seguito presentati hanno considerato bambini e ragazzi frequentanti la scuola primaria e secondaria di primo grado. I dati sono stati raccolti attraverso l’analisi di cartelle cliniche presso diversi Servizi e Strutture sanitarie per l’età evolutiva e si riferiscono a bambini e ragazzi valutati a fini di screening o diagnostici. Lo studio descritto nel capitolo 2 è stato condotto con l’obiettivo di indagare il profilo cognitivo del FIL e, in particolare, di verificare se tale condizione presenta un profilo specifico alla WISC-IV, con punti di forza e debolezza peculiari. Sono stati considerati i profili WISC-IV di 204 bambini e ragazzi che avevano ottenuto un QI totale tra 70 e 85. I risultati hanno evidenziato la presenza di un profilo “altalenante”, caratterizzato da differenze significative tra gli indici della WISC-IV (Comprensione Verbale, Ragionamento Percettivo, Memoria di Lavoro e Velocità di Elaborazione). L’indice di Memoria di Lavoro si caratterizza per i punteggi più bassi, mentre le prestazioni migliori sono relative all’indice di Ragionamento Percettivo. Gli indici di Comprensione Verbale, Memoria di Lavoro e Velocità di Elaborazione si collocano nel range borderline (tra una e due deviazioni standard sotto la media), mentre l’indice di Ragionamento Percettivo si caratterizza per un punteggio medio di 88. Ulteriori analisi hanno evidenziato come tale profilo sembri essere relativamente indipendente dall’età del bambino e dal livello di funzionamento intellettivo generale (ovvero, al confine tra la disabilità intellettiva – QI tra 70 e 75 - o più alto – QI tra 76 e 85), supportando l’ipotesi che il FIL sia caratterizzato da un profilo specifico alla WISC-IV. Un secondo studio (capitolo 3) è stato condotto con lo scopo di indagare la variabilità inter-individuale, in termini di possibili sottogruppi caratterizzati da profili cognitivi uniformi, all’interno della condizione di FIL. I dati sono stati analizzati mediante analisi dei cluster, che hanno evidenziato la presenza di tre diversi sottogruppi, differenti tra loro per profili WISC-IV, ma non per QI totale. Nello specifico, un sottogruppo risulta caratterizzato da punteggi nel range borderline negli indici di Comprensione Verbale e Memoria di Lavoro, mentre la Velocità di Elaborazione si colloca al confine tra il range borderline e la norma (IVE = 86), e le abilità di Ragionamento Percettivo risultano preservate (IRP = 95.6). Un secondo sottogruppo include i bambini caratterizzati da prestazioni nel range borderline negli indici di Comprensione Verbale, Ragionamento Percettivo e Memoria di Lavoro, mentre la Velocità di Elaborazione risulta preservata (IVE = 92.4). Il terzo sottogruppo, infine, si caratterizza per carenze negli indici di Memoria di Lavoro e Velocità di Elaborazione, che si collocano nel range borderline, ma prestazioni non borderline negli indici di Comprensione Verbale e di Ragionamento Percettivo (rispettivamente, 89.3 e 91.1). Ulteriori analisi di tipo esplorativo, hanno evidenziato alcune differenze tra i sottogruppi relative allo status socio-economico e alla presenza di disturbi in comorbidità. Un terzo studio (capitolo 4) ha avuto l’obiettivo di indagare le abilità scolastiche di 133 bambini e ragazzi con FIL, confrontando le loro prestazioni in lettura e calcolo con quelle di un gruppo, appaiato per età cronologica, di 73 bambini e ragazzi con difficoltà e disturbo degli apprendimenti e un QI superiore a 85. I risultati hanno messo in luce somiglianze e differenze tra i due gruppi. Il gruppo con FIL ha ottenuto prestazioni inferiori in compiti di comprensione del testo e nel calcolo scritto, mentre non sono emerse differenze statisticamente significative tra i due gruppi negli indici di accuratezza e velocità di lettura, nel calcolo a mente e nel recupero di fatti numerici. Va sottolineato che i bambini con FIL che presentavano una diagnosi clinica di disturbo specifico di apprendimento non differivano significativamente da quelli con FIL che non presentavano tale diagnosi. Entrambi i sottogruppi di FIL hanno evidenziato prestazioni inferiori nei compiti di comprensione del testo e calcolo scritto rispetto ai bambini con difficoltà e disturbi degli apprendimenti, ma QI superiore a 85. Globalmente, gli studi condotti forniscono alcune indicazioni sul FIL, con particolare riferimento ai profili cognitivi e alle abilità di apprendimento. Se da un lato l’importanza clinica del FIL è ancora poco chiara e gli individui con questa condizione rimangono confinati in un’“area grigia” o di limbo, il presente contributo supporta la convinzione che il FIL presenti, nella sua generalità, caratteristiche particolari che richiedono un’attenzione e interventi specifici, nonché, preliminarmente, un appropriato riconoscimento clinico e diagnostico.