Standard presentations of the fine-tuning argument for theism require that we have a priori insight, on the basis of moral considerations, into what God is likely to do. Standard versions of the sceptical theist response to the evidential problem of evil deny that we have such insight (at least to any significant extent). These facts call into question whether sceptical theists can consistently endorse the fine-tuning argument. In this paper, I present a version of the fine-tuning argument that sceptical theists may consistently endorse, as it does not rely on our ability to make a priori judgements concerning divine intentions.

Do voters punish local politicians for raising taxes? In California, proposed tax increases must be approved via local ballot measures. Using a regression discontinuity design that exploits the narrow passage of local tax initiatives, we find that incumbents do not generally suffer a penalty when cities raise taxes, with the notable exception of business taxes. We explore several mechanisms behind this result and uncover suggestive evidence that business interests may be particularly likely to mobilize following a tax increase. These results suggest that interest groups likely play an important role in determining whether new taxes generate voter backlash.

A 10 m-thick and laterally extensive, mixed siliciclastic–carbonate heterolithic unit occurs between coastal quartz arenites (Banaganapalle Formation) and open marine outer-shelf carbonate platform (Narji Limestone) in the Mesoproterozoic Kurnool sea, India. While the dynamics of mixed siliciclastic–carbonate systems are well studied in the Phanerozoic, comparable Proterozoic examples remain poorly documented and are notably absent from the Indian subcontinent. High-resolution stratigraphic, facies, and petrographic analyses of this heterolithic unit reveal a progressive transition from outer-shelf to storm-dominated middle-to inner-shelf settings, periodically disrupted by episodic high-energy depositional events. Two distinct mixing modes are identified: (i) lithofacies to microscopic-scale strata mixing (Punctuated Mixing), linked to high-frequency sea-level oscillations, and (ii) bed-scale compositional mixing (In-Situ Mixing) of nearshore siliciclastics and subtidal carbonate mud. These findings demonstrate that repeated siliciclastic influx did not inhibit contemporaneous carbonate precipitation, documenting previously unrecognized mixed sedimentation between the Banaganapalle siliciclastics and the Narji carbonates, and advancing understanding of mixed-system dynamics in Proterozoic sedimentary rocks. The widespread occurrence of mixed heteroliths in the Kurnool sub-basin is interpreted to have formed during a phase of rapid subsidence that drove marine transgression, plausibly associated with a rise in sea-level, linked to post-Columbia breakup. Lithostratigraphically correlative heterolithic intervals in the intracratonic Bhima, Pranhita–Godavari and Kurnool basins suggest a regionally extensive, basin-wide Mesoproterozoic transgressive event across the Southern Indian Block. This heterolithic deposit may provide a key stratigraphic marker for regional correlation and yield new insights about the resilience of a Proterozoic non-skeletal carbonate factory and its interaction with episodic siliciclastic input.

This study conducts a historical analysis tracing the evolution of climate change narratives from the late 1960s to the present. The analysis produces a comprehensive map of these narratives and identifies three key shortcomings that still need to be addressed in academic literature. First, there are inherent limitations to each narrative, which operate within the confines of their respective theoretical frameworks, shaped by their unique perspectives. Second, climate narratives are not isolated but interconnected; new narratives often emerge from earlier ones, forming a continuum that evolves over time. This dynamic corresponds closely to the three structural dimensions of narrative analysis. Third, existing climate narratives insufficiently incorporate perspectives from territories and cultural contexts beyond dominant Western geographies, thereby marginalising non-Western voices and experiences. As a result, many cultural and political factors that influence responses to climate change remain underrepresented, narrowing how we understand this global issue.

Inattentive survey respondents are a growing concern for social scientists who rely on online surveys for their research. While inattentiveness has been well documented in lower quality sample sources, there is less understanding of how common the phenomenon is in high-quality surveys. We document the presence of a small percentage of respondents in Cooperative Election Study surveys who pass quality control measures but still exhibit inattentive behavior. We show that these respondents may affect public opinion estimates for small subgroups. Finally, we present the results from an experiment testing whether inattentive respondents can be encouraged to pay more attention, but we find that such an intervention fails.

This article has a two objectives. The first objective is to investigate the history of identity politics in Bangladesh from the British and Pakistani periods to the post-independence era. It argues that the syncretic culture that flourished during the Muslim rule was deliberately disrupted by the British divide-and-rule policy of partitioning Bengal in 1905 along religious lines, fomenting such communal hatred between Hindus and Muslims that resulted in the partition of 1947, with East Bengal joining Pakistan. This also sowed the seeds of identity politics and a “pendulum syndrome” in future Bangladeshi politics, marked by a perpetual strife between advocates of ethnolinguistic nationalism on one side and religious nationalism on the other, which has become a perennial source of violence and volatility for the nation, hindering its growth and progress. The second objective is to explore how Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore has been drawn into this strife, facing accusations of being an Islamophobe and a Hindu chauvinist, and why there have been recurrent attempts to replace his song as the country’s national anthem. The article concludes with a rebuttal to such accusations based on evidence highlighting the song’s historical contributions to the nation despite the ongoing campaigns against it.

Lexical knowledge varies by modality, grammatical class, and, in Arabic diglossia, by the lexical distance between Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Spoken Arabic (SpA). We tested the effects of modality, grammatical class, and MSA–SpA distance on lexical knowledge, and interdependence between SpA and MSA. Palestinian Arabic (PA) speaking kindergarteners (N=30; mean age 5:9) completed picture naming tasks manipulating modality (comprehension and production), grammatical class (nouns and verbs), and lexical distance (identical, cognate, and unique). Scores were higher for nouns than verbs and for comprehension than production in both varieties. A graded distance effect was found (identical > cognate >unique). PA lexical knowledge predicted MSA lexical knowledge across conditions in production. These findings highlight the importance of the spoken variety in acquiring MSA vocabulary and show that linguistic distance constrains lexical acquisition in Arabic diglossia. We argue that models of vocabulary acquisition should incorporate linguistic distance and interdependence between varieties.

The European Union (EU) is implementing unilateral trade restrictions on imports that contain residues of pesticides banned for use within its borders. Several Latin American (LA) countries, among other EU trading partners, have criticized these measures, leading to a contentious debate that could escalate into a trade dispute before the World Trade Organization (WTO). This article aims to unpack this seemingly polarized debate by re-evaluating the trade concerns raised by LA WTO delegates through a human rights lens. It highlights the disconnect between trade policy positions and human rights commitments concerning pesticides, revealing a bias among WTO delegates in favour of commercial interests, often at the expense of broader societal and ecological concerns raised by human rights-holders in both LA and the EU. The article suggests procedural innovations at both the national and WTO levels that could broaden the trade policy discussion on pesticides, aligning it with human rights standards and urgent collective action for biodiversity stewardship.

This article discusses the concepts of public order and good morals in the Chinese Civil Code. Under Article 153 of the Civil Code, a civil juristic act is rendered void if it violates these concepts. This article examines their substance, functions, and practical significance in determining the invalidity of civil juristic acts in Chinese civil law. Public order refers to interests relating to national security and matters fundamental to the social public order, and good morals refers to virtuous customs representing social morality, family ethics, and personal dignity. It is argued that the nuances of the concepts are purposeful, but they must be wielded by the judiciary with objectivity and precision. It shows, comparatively, that in Chinese jurisprudence, the concepts of public order and good morals are intended to be applied flexibly and are widely accepted as capable of addressing areas where the law remains underdeveloped. Chinese courts are therefore tasked with achieving justice for litigants in each case and social justice at the same time without compromising private autonomy. In the final analysis, these concepts can be viewed as part of a broader commitment to ensuring the law operates in line with social changes and continues to garner public support for the judicial system.