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Biological and social predictors and correlates of human morality
Kopecký, Robin
In this dissertation, we delve into the multifaceted domains of biological and social factors influencing human morality. The connecting element of this collection of four studies is both an interest in human morality as a traditional philosophical topic and the use of methods from empirical sciences, particularly biology, behavioural, and cognitive sciences. The first study focuses on the moral algorithms in autonomous vehicles. We examined moral preferences regarding the choice between software types that differ in their built-in algorithms for dealing with lethal collisions. These are categorized into three specific types: selfish, altruistic, and conservative. Respondents exhibited a preference for the altruistic strategy, which is reinforced when signalled to others. The altruistic preference is the most pronounced when it applies to everybody else, weaker when it reflects only a personal choice, and the weakest when choosing for one's own child. We conclude that making a choice public significantly sways individuals towards a more socially beneficial solution. The second study investigates the relationship between parasite Toxoplasma gondii infection and its subsequent impact on human political beliefs and values. Infected participants exhibited a tendency towards heightened tribalism and...
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Biological and social predictors and correlates of human morality
Kopecký, Robin ; Flegr, Jaroslav (advisor) ; Špinka, Marek (referee) ; Houdek, Petr (referee)
In this dissertation, we delve into the multifaceted domains of biological and social factors influencing human morality. The connecting element of this collection of four studies is both an interest in human morality as a traditional philosophical topic and the use of methods from empirical sciences, particularly biology, behavioural, and cognitive sciences. The first study focuses on the moral algorithms in autonomous vehicles. We examined moral preferences regarding the choice between software types that differ in their built-in algorithms for dealing with lethal collisions. These are categorized into three specific types: selfish, altruistic, and conservative. Respondents exhibited a preference for the altruistic strategy, which is reinforced when signalled to others. The altruistic preference is the most pronounced when it applies to everybody else, weaker when it reflects only a personal choice, and the weakest when choosing for one's own child. We conclude that making a choice public significantly sways individuals towards a more socially beneficial solution. The second study investigates the relationship between parasite Toxoplasma gondii infection and its subsequent impact on human political beliefs and values. Infected participants exhibited a tendency towards heightened tribalism and...
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Knowledge of Pupils Secondary School in the Area of Selected Zoonoses
Svobodová, Barbora ; Pavlasová, Lenka (advisor) ; Říhová, Dagmar (referee)
The subject of the dissertation deals with the secondary school pupil's awareness of zoonoses. Zoonoses are the diseases transmited from animals to human beings. Those are one of the topics of biology study currently. The main aim of the dissertation is theoretical definition of the matter in the first place. For knowledge testing have been chosen these four illness: Toxoplasmosis, Lyme boreliossis, Rabies and Creuzfeldt-Jakobo disease. With these chosen illness the main research goal is to provide a comprehensive collection of information about the details such as disease transfer, spread of the disease, disease development, cure and avoidance. The research part of the dissertation tries to find out the extent of knowledge about the chosen kinds of zoonoses among the pupils at specialized secondary schools. As a tool of quantitative research has been used a pupil's didactic test. As based on the evaluated results we may say that the pupil's knowledge at explored schools is relatively satisfactory.
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Knowledge of Pupils Secondary School in the Area of Selected Zoonoses
Svobodová, Barbora ; Pavlasová, Lenka (advisor) ; Říhová, Dagmar (referee)
The subject of the dissertation deals with the secondary school pupil's awareness of zoonoses. Zoonoses are the diseases transmited from animals to human beings. Those are one of the topics of biology study currently. The main aim of the dissertation is theoretical definition of the matter in the first place. For knowledge testing have been chosen these four illness: Toxoplasmosis, Lyme boreliossis, Rabies and Creuzfeldt-Jakobo disease. With these chosen illness the main research goal is to provide a comprehensive collection of information about the details such as disease transfer, spread of the disease, disease development, cure and avoidance. The research part of the dissertation tries to find out the extent of knowledge about the chosen kinds of zoonoses among the pupils at specialized secondary schools. As a tool of quantitative research has been used a pupil's didactic test. As based on the evaluated results we may say that the pupil's knowledge at explored schools is relatively satisfactory.
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Serological diagnosis of toxoplasmosis
KAASOVÁ, Eliška
Toxoplasmosis caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma Gondii is one of the most widespread parasitic infection in the world, occurring in organism of both warm-blooded animals and humans. The majority of healthy individuals have no symptoms, in some cases there are slight clinical signs. However, serious heath complications or even death may be caused either by infection or reactivation of the latent form of infection among people with immunodeficiencies. Toxoplasmosis can inflict a severe fetal damage when a female is infected for the very first time in the first trimester of pregnancy. This can be prevented by the risk group screening and an early detection of the protozoan. Laboratory diagnostics use two basic methods in order to prove toxoplasmosis, a direct one and an indirect one. The direct methods such as a microscopic evidence of the protozoan or the isolation of Toxoplasma Gondii on laboratory animals are not usually used in practice. In recent years methods of molecular biology focused on the proof of the protozoan?s nuclear acid in the biological material come to the fore. The methods of indirect evidence are based on the detection of specific traces left by the infectious agent in human organism. Among them, serological methods are the most commonly used ones in the routine operation in the majority of laboratories in the Czech Republic. A basic principle is reaction between antigen and antibody. It is possible to determine whether the infection is in acute or chronic phase and what type of infection it is. This test was utilized for serological evidence of toxoplasmosis for the first time. Then other tests were made. That includes intradermal and imunofluorecent tests, complement fixation test, indirect hemaglutination, microprecipitation or imunoenzymatic methods. The mere evidence of the presence of antibodies is not usually sufficient for diagnosis. Determination of the phase of infection is essential, therefore it is needed to prove if the value of each class of immunoglobulins (or titers of all antibodies) increases, decreases or if they have a stable value. In some cases the avidity IgG may be crucial. The aim of this bachelor thesis is to detect antibodies against Toxoplasma Gondii and to evaluate their prevalence by using serological methods. And finally, these methods will be compared. The patient samples originate from the department of parasitology and serology of Fakultní nemocnice Plzeň, therefore there is an evaluation of the incidence of infection in Pilsen region. The complement fixation test is the most commonly used in routine operation for determination of the total level of antibodies or this test is supplemented by determination of levels of individual immunoglobulin classes by using the Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. If there is the evidence of infection of toxoplasma by using KFR and the antibody titer is 1:8, it is necessary to supplement the determination by ELSA method to ascertain the level of immunoglobulin classes. This diagnosis has gradually developed from demanding and complex procedures towards fast and fully automated diagnosis. In total, 68 samples of patients with suspicion of toxoplasmosis were determined. The monitored group includes men, women and children. After consideration of the factors which may influence the reaction and on the basis of KFR, the infection of 26 persons was eliminated (negative results). The remaining 43 patients had a positive reaction for the presence of antibodies. After comparing the positive results and low titers with the clinical state of the patient or with the values measured in the past, the determination by the method of ELISA was indicated among 41 persons. The final result for August 2012 was the detection of acute toxoplasma infection of 4 people.
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