Illusionist theories, such as the attention schema theory (AST) and the sensorimotor theory of phenomenal consciousness (SMT), are radically different from the above theories by proposing that consciousness is an illusion and, hence, the only thing to explain is why people believe that consciousness entails something inherently ineffable and mysterious. We discuss whether the challenges presented in previous chapters also apply to this category of theories.

Drawing on my research on assisted reproductive technologies in India and the US over the past fifteen years, this chapter explores the relationship between race and reproduction, calling attention to the ways in which histories of race, notions of identity, and ideas of human difference influence reproductive practices in the context of science and reproductive medicine. I emphasize how racialization processes in the context of assisted reproduction serve to bolster understandings of race that reinforce biogenetic underpinnings and exacerbate social hierarchies. Reproductive technologies are thus deeply influenced by broader systems of racial formation and capitalism, which construct different futures for racialized minorities and have long been central to xenophobia and racial discrimination in the United States and around the globe.

The first clause of the law upon which stands the foundation of human civilization is that human life and blood are sacred. The first civil [tamaddunī] right of mankind is the right to live, while the first and foremost civil duty is to allow others to live. The moral principle of honour of self has definitely existed in all the sharias and civilized laws in the world. A religion or a law that does not recognize this right can neither be declared the law or religion of civilized people nor enable any human population to live a peaceful life under it, and thus it cannot flourish. Every person’s intellect is aware that if human life does not carry any value, lacks respect and has no arrangement for its security, then how can people live together, engage in mutual trade, attain a sense of peace and security, or attain the state of collectivity devoid of fear which is necessary for trade, manufacturing, agriculture, money-making, building homes, travelling and living a civilized life? In addition, if we disregard needs and consider this from a purely humanist [insāniyyat] perspective, killing another human life, even if it is for personal gains or enmity, symbolizes the worst form of tyranny and hard-heartedness, the existence of which not only fail to support moral development but also make it impossible for an individual to retain the status of a human being.

In this concluding chapter, we offer some final thoughts on best practices for the conduct of time series analysis. The tools discussed in this text should be applied with as much precision as the data allow and the results from these analyses should be presented with maximum transparency. An honest presentation of your data, models, and decisions is crucial to effectively convey the results and contribute to knowledge production. After a brief synopsis of the book, we highlight various points of uncertainty in the modeling process and present some guidelines for transparency. The final section provides a brief overview of time series analysis topics not covered in this book. For each of these additional topics, we provide key references to serve as starting points for further exploration.

This chapter describes the history and development of English in Nigeria. Starting from first contacts with English-speaking traders in the sixteenth century, English was firmly implanted in Nigeria with the establishment of schools and British colonial rule during the nineteenth century. By 1960, Nigeria gained independence from Britain, but due to the multilingual nature of the country and the prestige accorded to English by many speakers, English continues to function until today as the preferred language for official and formal contexts. In Nigeria, English co-occurs with Nigerian Pidgin and about five hundred indigenous Nigerian languages, which all have been shown to influence its use. This has resulted into the domestication and acculturation of English in Nigeria, leading to a distinctive variety of English called Nigerian English, which has characteristic lexical, phonological, morphosyntactic and discourse-pragmatic features and which can be divided into several sub-varieties based on speakers’ ethnicity and educational status.

Following World War I, the regulation of submarines was manifested in several signature developments that are discussed in this chapter. Following disarmament requirements in the Treaty of Versailles, the major powers further sought to limit armaments, especially submarines, through the negotiation of the 1922 Submarine Treaty and the 1930 London Naval Treaty. These agreements purported to restrict the number of submarines and other naval vessels held by any one State, but were ultimately unsuccessful. Also in the inter-war period, agreement was sought on the regulation of the Turkish Straits, with restrictions imposed on Turkey’s control over these waters and stipulating what vessels were allowed passage and under what conditions. Finally, the 1930 Hague Codification Conference entailed detailed discussions over the rights of warships, submarines and other vessels in the territorial sea. While this conference did not lead to the adoption of a treaty, the work achieved influenced subsequent codification efforts.

Australia has a comparatively recent history of European settlement and English language development. Yet, it is already quite distinct. The different mixes of original dialects that came in during the early years, as well as the physical separation from other English-speaking regions, have allowed this distinctiveness to flourish. Regional variation within Australian English is still minor compared to other varieties, although local differences have been increasing. Contact with languages other than English has also been adding to the complex multilinguistic reality that is modern-day Australia. Recent years mark the rise of new multicultural identities for Australian English speakers in the form of migrant ethnolects and varieties of Aboriginal English. Such ethnically marked ways of speaking are no longer the consequence of second language learning but relate to attitudes around identity and cultural heritage.

Before engaging in this analysis, it is imperative to explain a few terms for the convenience and benefit of general readers.

In political science, the word ‘state’, whose counterpart in our language is riyāsat, is applied to the system that controls, through its ‘coercive power’ [English term in text; Urdu qāhirānah ṭāqat], a people living in a defined geographical boundary. On the one hand, there exists a coercive power and, on the other, obedience to it. When the two coincide, the organizational arrangement that is called the state or riyāsat emerges.

There were two basic types of aircraft engines during the interwar years: the inline water/liquid-cooled type, and the radial air-cooled type. The two types were developed independently and successfully, usually by different companies. This rivalry saw one type or the other in competition for funds and research interest, which tended to retard developmental growth. In addition, two key technologies were crucial to engine development – supercharging and high-octane gasoline – but both of these were developed separately from the engine builders themselves. This resulted in development not being overly responsive to the parent concerns. The position of the commercial aviation industry – which placed emphasis on durability, reliability, and cost effectiveness – was important because its goals were not the same as those of the Air Corps that sought high performance.

Let us try first to understand what ribā, or ‘interest’, is, according to the Quran and the Sunnah. What are its parameters? What are the specific cases on which the injunctions regarding its prohibition apply? What are the alternatives that Islam offers for the economic well-being of man, and how would it like to resolve economic problems?