This is a modest endeavour written from an engineering perspective by a nonphilosopher to set things straight if somewhat roughly: What does artificial intelligence boil down to? What are its merits and why some dangers may stem from its development in this time of confusion when, to quote Rémi Brague: “From the point of view of technology, man appears as outdated, or at least superfluous”?

This paper presents an outline of the relationship between the categories of living individual, organism and life. I argue that although these categories are related with each other and often treated as the same, we should strive for their separation. The main argument for the distinction between the individual and life is of a methodological character: the definitions of life are mainly interested for astrobiologists and scientists working in the field of origin of life or artificial life, while the individual is important, among others, in standard evolutionary biology and ecology. Among the concepts of living individual various forms of evolutionary definition (individual as a unit of selection) currently dominate. The living individual understood in this way is not identical with a structurally limited and functionally integrated self-sustained entity, which is usually called “organism.” Moreover, the explanatory success of the evolutionary concept of individual, in my opinion, implies the adoption of some version of the evolutionary definition of life. In the last part of this paper I propose a process-evolutionary definition of life, which also indicates a relationship between the three aforementioned categories.

Methane explosions are among the greatest hazards in the Polish coal mining industry and unfortunately continue to cause many catastrophes. The constant growth of the depth of coal exploitation in the conditions of the high concentration of mining causes the increase of absolute methane content and methane seam pressure from the mined seams. This situation directly affects the increase in the level of methane hazard in the underground work environment. It is therefore obvious to undertake intensive research that will allow for the development of appropriate solutions that help to exclude the risk of mining catastrophes resulting from the ignition and/or methane explosion. In addition to the development of methane hazard prevention methods, an indispensable element of this approach is a very accurate identification of the mechanisms of the combustion and explosion of this gas. The article presents the method of investigation and examples of results of methane explosions carried out in the 400 m experimental gallery of the Experimental Mine “Barbara” of the Central Mining Institute – the only large scale underground experimental facility in Europe. A n analysis has been performed of the influence of the methane release into mining workings on the distribution of the gas concentration and on the course of its explosion or combustion. The data collected characterizes thermodynamic phenomena that form the basis for determining the level of the explosion hazard. Large scale studies have also allowed to assess the risk of conditions that are sufficient for the development of a coal dust explosion initiated by methane explosions. The large scale of the experiments and the system of continuous recording of the course of the experiments allowed the specific characteristics of the methane explosion and burning in underground mining workings to be identified and isolated. For the first time, the course of experiments was recorded via a camera system deployed along the gallery.

Consumer experiences as a driver of contemporary brand and marketing management are taken up nowadays by many researchers and academics. It’s merely compelled by bored with generic products and services consumers who much more than ever look for intensive, personalized experiences. However, there is a significant gap in knowledge how to transfer these global changes to the needs of effective tourist product management. The article presents a brand-new approach called ‘the experience key’ for discovering, grouping and converting common, dedicated to a certain destination customers experiences into clear and desirable tourist offer with meaningful competitive impact. One of most important advantages of the methodology is its simplicity and ease-of-use for any professionals involved in destination product management by using well-know research methods and apparent applicability into the process of building and selling tourist offer of a place. The Experience Key can be regarded as a missing link between theoretical considerations led by academics and expectations of tourism industry representatives in the context of applying customer experience to place brand and product management.

The problem of regional diversity is the subject of a broad scientific discourse. The dynamics of territory development is connected with many factors. Among them, the so-called spaces for development opportunities of individual units and resiliance issues for external factors of regions. The author discusses the diversity of individuals from the point of view of these two factors. It indicates future directions of regional research, which will show why regions at the start with potentially the same structure are developing completely differently and why in most cases resistance is associated with innovation and in the case of Polish regions it is not.

The aim of the article is to present international economic integration as one of the mega trends that infl uence on the redefi nition of the factors of socio-economic development. The research procedure includes three stages. In the fi rst stage, the most important modern mega trends of socio-economic changes are organized in a synthetic way. In the second step, the genesis and changes of the process of international economic integration are elaborated. In the third stage, the infl uence of international economic integration on the changes of factors of socio-economic development is systematized. This study is being carried out as part of the FORSED research project (http://www.forsed.amu.edu.pl) fi nanced by the National Science Center as part of OPUS competition 10 – 2015/19/B/HS5/00012: New challenges of regional policy in shaping the socio-economic development factors of less developed regions.

The article is an attempt to analyze the spatio-pedagogical discourse of the German social pedagogy. It represents only a fragment of reflection on the turns in paradigm of place/ space (spatial turn), as pedagogical terms. & e authors seek to answer the question what is the space and place, and what concepts in the field of reflection on the place/space run in the German social pedagogy. The text introduces, inter alia, the relational concept of space developed by Martina Löw, duality of space and the concept of spacing. Active creation of urban space, the spatial dimension of the relationship and its dynamics are subjected to discussion. The article presents critical approach to the notion of transdisciplinary space, and space-oriented social work. Finally, it provides the incentive for in-depth, international analyzes of spatio-pedagogical theories.

This paper is an attempt to explain the concept of emergence of spatial systems. It indicates basic features of this concept, such as: coevolution, selforganization, patterns, sudden changes, hierarchy. The emergence of complex systems is very fruitful approach to the theoretical reconstruction of the processes of space economy. It should be included in the discussion on evolutionary economics and geography. Recently, in both disciplines creative research is carried out on this subject matter.

The aim of this paper is to examine the problem of existing seasonal volatility in total and disaggregated HICP for Baltic Region countries (Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Poland and Sweden). Using nonparametric tests, we found that in the case of m-o-m prices, including fruit, vegetables, and total HICP, the homogeneity of variance during seasons is rejected. Based on these findings, we propose an exponential smoothing model with periodic variance of error terms that capture the repetitive seasonal variation (in conditional or unconditional second moments). In a pseudo-real data experiment, the short-term forecasts (nowcasting) for the considered components of inflation were determined using different specifications of considered models. The forecasting performance of the models was measured using one of the scoring rules for probabilistic forecasts called logarithmic score. We found instead that while the periodic phenomenon in variance was statistically significant, the models with a periodic phenomenon in variance of error terms do not significantly improve forecasting performance in disaggregated cases and in the case of total HICP. The simpler models with constant variance of error term have comparative forecasting (nowcasting) performance over the alternative model.

Writing a critical analysis of European maritime policy is a challenge. Without taking into consideration past experience and observing present trends, this great undertaking may not produce the desired effects. The picture that presents itself today is one of a variety of different means that are striving to achieve ‘ fragmentary ” goals. The vision of maritime policy, however, must be characterized by cohesion. In her article, the author addresses the so-called Green Book of EU Marine Policy, and this is likely the first Polish publication on this topic. Effective integrated marine policy for the exploitation of marine resources based on maintaining equilibrium between the preservation of the values and goodness of the seas and oceans and meeting the economic needs of many communities must be developed in a timely manner. This is why European maritime policy must concur with the goals of the International Maritime Organization.

Proper values of physical and mechanical properties and their homogeneity are one of major requirements deciding about technological suitability of the rocks quarried to manufacturing aggregates. These properties depend on the natural features of a rock, its mineral composition, texture and structure. The characteristic of aggregates and the technical requirements they must meet are normalized in adequate standards that describe the procedures of conducting particular determinations and the methods of interpreting their results. In the basaltoids (usually called basalts) of selected deposits of Lower Silesia that represent different intrusive forms, five textural varieties have been distinguished: aphanitic, aphanitic-porphyritic, porphyritic-aphanitic, porphyritic-nodular and nodular-porphyritic. The petrography and essential physical and mechanical properties of these varieties have been described in Tables 1 and 2, respectively. The highest technical parameters have the aphanitic and aphanitic-porphyritic rock varieties. They result mainly from the textures of these rocks and their insignificant weathering, and to a lesser degree from their mineral composition. The resistance to wear (micro-Deval) and the resistance to fragmentation (Los Angeles) of the aggregates that represent the grain fraction 10-14 mm of the five varieties of basaltoids and the rock composites were determined according to the standards PN-EN 12620: 2008 and PN-EN 13043: 2004. Of the aggregates produced from the five major varieties, only those made of the nodular-porphyritic basaltoids have the properties of lower categories, whereas the remaining four are the materials of very high quality. Additionally, it has been shown that by combining various basaltoid types it is possible to produce composite aggregates with the variable qualities belonging to the categories LA and MDE (Tab. 3). The effect of rock petrography on the differentiation of the parameters of aggregates depending on the grain fraction of the products (Fig. 1, Tab. 4) is the lowest in the case of the aggregates produced from the homogenous and not weathered rock. In contrast, the range of variability of the parameters is higher if the starting material to produce aggregates is composed of several textural varieties and shows signs of weathering as well. The possibility of delineation of the areas occupied in the deposit by basaltoids with specific textural varieties creates the conditions of determining the rock zones, from which the aggregates of the predicted quality may be produced. This quality may be controlled and partly changed to the user needs by producing aggregates from the specially prepared rock mixtures (i.e. the charge to crushers) with specified proportions of the basaltoid varieties.

Odpierając zarzuty polemistów, autor artykułu zwraca uwagę na dużą rolę jasności i precyzji pojęć w prowadzeniu polemik naukowych oraz wyjaśnia bronione przez siebie wcześniej stanowisko umiarkowanego konstruktywizmu w socjologii. W konkluzji przypisuje swym krytykom nie w pełni wyartykułowany irracjonalizm, który wynika, jego zdaniem, zarówno z fascynacji myślą społeczną Brunona Latoura, jak i z powierzchownej interpretacji Maksa Webera.

Research activities of Polish research groups in a period of 2015–2019 on reference frames and reference networks are reviewed and summarised in this paper. The summary contains the results concerning the implementation of latest resolutions on reference systems of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics and the International Union of Astronomy with special emphasis on the changes in the Astronomical Almanac of the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, Warsaw. It further presents the status of the implementation of the European Terrestrial Reference System 1989 (ETRS89) in Poland, monitoring the terrestrial reference frame, operational work of GNSS permanent IGS/EPN stations in Poland, operational work of the laser ranging station in Poland of the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS), active GNSS station network for the realization of ETRS89 in Poland, validation of recent ETRS89 realization, expressed in ETRF2000 in Poland, and maintenance of the vertical control in Poland (PL-KRON86-NH). Extensive research activities are observed in the field of maintenance and modernization of gravity control not only in Poland, but also in Sweden and in Denmark, as well as establishment of gravity control in Ireland based on absolute gravity survey. The magnetic control in Poland was also regularly maintained. The bibliography of the related works is given in references.

The partial solution for the growing contamination of the environment is the implementation of new technologies. The most of the currently operated systems for surface and groundwaters treatment as well as for wastewater treatment characterize with complex technological arrangements based on a number of unit operations. In water-wastewater management membrane processes are more often applied, especially those in which the difference of pressure at both membrane sites is used as a driving force. As an example of such application is the use of nanofi ltration for groundwaters treatment at Water Treatment Plant Zawada near Dębica or the treatment of municipal landfi ll leachate and industrial wastewater at Eko Dolina Waste Utilization Plant in Łężyce near Gdynia (reverse osmosis unit capacity of 120 m /d). Municipal wastewater treatment based on membrane technologies has already been implemented at domestic wastewater treatment plant. It is especially profi table, when the load of contaminant present in a wastewater varies within a year. In the case of membrane systems use, this issue can be neglected. As an example of membrane based system may serve WWTP in Rowy n/Ustka started up in 2013 and modernized in 2017. The latest trends and developments of selected suppliers of membrane systems are also presented.