1,007 research outputs found
The Network-Extended Mind
No full textWhereas the traditional view in cognitive science has been to view mind and cognition as something that is the result of essentially inner, neural processes, the extended cognition perspective claims that at least some human mental states and processes stem from complex webs of causal influence involving extra-neural resources, most notably the resources of our social and technological environments. In this chapter, we explore the possibility that contemporary and near-future network systems are poised to extend and perhaps transform our human cognitive potential. We also examine the extent to which the information and network sciences are relevant to our understanding of various forms of cognitive extension, particularly with respect to the formation, maintenance and functioning of extended cognitive systems in network-enabled environments. Our claim is that the information and network sciences are relevant on two counts: firstly, they support an understanding of the mechanisms underpinning socially- and technologically-mediated forms of cognitive extension; secondly, they serve to guide and inform engineering efforts that strive to enhance and expand our cognitive capabilities. We discuss the relevance and applicability of these conclusions to current and future research exploring the contribution of network technologies to military coalition operations
An Analysis of the Origins of Ontology Mismatches on the Semantic Web
No full textDespite the potential of domain ontologies to provide consensual representations of domain-relevant knowledge, the open, distributed and decentralized nature of the Semantic Web means that individuals will rarely, if ever, countenance a common set of terminological and representational commitments during the ontology design process. More often than not, differences between ontologies are likely to occur, and this is the case even when the ontologies describe identical or overlapping domains of interest. Differences between ontologies are often referred to as ontology mismatches and there is an extensive research literature geared towards the technology-mediated reconciliation of such mismatches. Our approach in the current paper is not to comment on the relative merits or demerits of the various technological solutions that could be used to resolve ontological differences; rather, we aim to explore the reasons why such differences may arise in the first place. In addition to a review of the various factors that contribute to ontology mismatches on the Semantic Web, we also discuss a number of focus areas for future research in this area. An improved understanding of the origins of ontology mismatches will, we argue, complement existing research into semantic integration techniques. In particular, by understanding more about the complex cognitive, epistemic and socio-cultural factors associated with the ontology development process, we may be able to develop knowledge acquisition and modeling tools/techniques that attenuate the impact of ontology mismatches for large-scale information sharing and data integration on the Semantic Web
Cognitive Extension and the Web
No full textThere has been a growing interest in recent years regarding the relationship between social interaction processes, technological artefacts and human cognition. Human cognition, it is argued, is often dependent on features of our social and technological environments, and changes to these environments can exert a profound influence on the kind of cognitive processing that we are capable of. Given this assertion, our attempts to understand a technology as pervasive as the Web assumes a new significance; for inasmuch as Web resources and technologies are apt for potent forms of cognitive extension and incorporation, we may fully expect such resources and technologies to fundamentally transfigure the space of human thought and reason. Our aim in this paper is to evaluate the legitimacy of this claim. We assess whether the current properties of the Web enable it to meet the criteria for cognitive extension that have been proposed in the philosophical and cognitive scientific literature. Our analysis suggests that the Web is capable of participating in the external realization of (at least some) human mental states, but that further work is required to leverage its full potential. Relevant capability targets for future research and technology development include (but are not limited to) a move from resource-centric to data-centric modes of information representation, enhanced mechanisms for information quality assessment, and improved opportunities for the active (re-)structuring and personalization of information content. We conclude that the Web does constitute a potentially important element of the bio-technological matrix associated with mind and cognition; however, we suggest that further technological innovation is required to enable it to participate in the external realization of human mental states and processes. The notions of distributed and extended cognition seem to be highly relevant in understanding the transformative potential of the Web in relation to human cognition, and the continued study of the psycho-cognitive effects of the Web should, we argue, be key elements of a mature web science discipline
The Extended Mind and Network-Enabled Cognition
No full textIn thinking about the transformative potential of network technologies with respect to human cognition, it is common to see network resources as playing a largely assistive or augmentative role. In this paper we propose a somewhat more radical vision. We suggest that the informational and technological elements of a network system can, at times, constitute part of the material supervenience base for a human agent’s mental states and processes. This thesis (called the thesis of network-enabled cognition) draws its inspiration from the notion of the extended mind that has been propounded in the philosophical and cognitive science literature. Our basic claim is that network systems can do more than just augment cognition; they can also constitute part of the physical machinery that makes mind and cognition mechanistically possible. In evaluating this hypothesis, we identify a number of issues that seem to undermine the extent to which contemporary network systems, most notably the World Wide Web, can legitimately feature as part of an environmentally-extended cognitive system. Specific problems include the reliability and resilience of network-enabled devices, the accessibility of online information content, and the extent to which network-derived information is treated in the same way as information retrieved from biological memory. We argue that these apparent shortfalls do not necessarily merit the wholesale rejection of the network-enabled cognition thesis; rather, they point to the limits of the current state-of-the-art and identify the targets of many ongoing research initiatives in the network and information sciences. In addition to highlighting the importance of current research and technology development efforts, the thesis of network-enabled cognition also suggests a number of areas for future research. These include the formation and maintenance of online trust relationships, the subjective assessment of information credibility and the long-term impact of network access on human psychological and cognitive functioning. The nascent discipline of web science is, we suggest, suitably placed to begin an exploration of these issues
It is not worth learning if it is not remembered: designing e-learning to increase memory
No full textThe collation, storage and retrieval of information are essential components of successful learning. Whether information is retained depends on a variety of factors, including how the information fits with an individual’s existing knowledge, the way in which information is presented, and its complexity. Some of these factors are under the direct control of the e-learning designers and developers. Investigating these factors and how they impact on memory is important and can enhance the quality of e-learning. Evidence from cognitive neuroscience suggests that information is stored in a semantically meaningful manner. It follows that e-learning technologies, which either mimic how knowledge is structured in the mind or which allow individuals to organise their own exploration of the information space, should facilitate learning and memory. However, the ability to freely explore an information space is also more taxing on an individual’s cognitive resources. Learners would need to expend cognitive resources remembering where they have been, as well as on deciding where to go next. These additional demands may impede learning, especially for more complex information. Most critical to investigate is the trade-off between the ability to build knowledge according to the learners’ cognitive structures and style (which is also more engaging), on the one hand; and the extra cognitive load associated with giving learners more control and information, on the other hand.In this study we investigated the relationship between information layout, complexity of information content, and memory. Seventy-six participants took part in the study. A third of them were presented with information that was laid out in a linear fashion: learners encountered the items of information in a fixed and constrained sequence. This layout provided a structure for remembering the presented information and minimised cognitive load. Another third of the participants were given full control; they could select the order in which they learned the different topics and could freely navigate between them. This layout increased cognitive load and eliminated context structure, but was also potentially more engaging and allowed for individual differences. The remaining third of participants received an intermediate version, giving some, but not total, control. All the participants studied eight topics, half of them were given relatively simple information on each topic, whereas the other half where given more complex information.The acquisition and retention of the learned material was assessed in all the experimental conditions. We found that constraining both the amount of information presented to the learners and the degree of navigational freedom they are given enhances information acquisition and retention. These factors are further discussed in terms of Cognitive Load Theory (CLT). Finally, the implication and application to e-learning design is considered
Measurement of the ratio of prompt χ c to J / ψ production in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV
No full textThe prompt production of charmonium χ c and J / ψ states is studied in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7 TeV at the Large Hadron Collider. The χ c and J / ψ mesons are identified through their decays χ c → J / ψ γ and J / ψ → μ + μ - using 36 pb - 1 of data collected by the LHCb detector in 2010. The ratio of the prompt production cross-sections for χ c and J / ψ, σ (χ c → J / ψ γ) / σ (J / ψ), is determined as a function of the J / ψ transverse momentum in the range 2 < p T J / ψ < 15 GeV / c. The results are in excellent agreement with next-to-leading order non-relativistic expectations and show a significant discrepancy compared with the colour singlet model prediction at leading order, especially in the low p T J / ψ region
Moo
No full textmoo is a collection of calling poems. To those long gone and those not yet born. To those in hard places around the globe. To those lost and struggling. To those who must fend for themselves. To hope. Always. To hope. Paula C. Lowe roots the poetry of moo in a rural earth of gritty survival, says author Molly Best Tinsley. These are poems of extraordinary focus, from the \u27neck of a kitten\u27 to the \u27spit of a warlord\u27s speech.\u27 Minnesota poet Sharon Chmielarz says, From Pipestone to Wounded Knee, from Midwest to Middle East, from Afghanistan to the lobotomized in an American hospital, in Paula C. Lowe\u27s moo poems ...every window (is) unlocked (to) let wind inside. It\u27s a pleasure to read muscled, rhythmic, disciplined yet flowing stanzas and lines. O! Lest I forget, Slim Moon is one of the best moon poems in a decade. And, at last, a new take on Danny Boy : o dani. Got milk? Get moo. Rosi Loval of Oslo says, Lowe captures ancestry in our cells. Selected poems are translated into Norwegian to honor immigrants in the 1800\u27s. And Missouri poet James O. Ferrugia says, this is storytelling born of the country. In moo, you will find yourself and your people and your times and your past and your earth and your nature and your hope. Whether you read a lot or a little, these poems will make you laugh and cry and wonder who you are. Poet Paula C. Lowe lives out of town three hours north of LA. Her poems appear in dozens of literary journals, and several anthologies. She holds a graduate degree from the University of Washington and has authored half a dozen non-fiction books. An Iowa farmer\u27s daughter, she spent years in the Northwest, Bahama Islands and the central coast of California.https://aura.antioch.edu/stubooks/1025/thumbnail.jp
A look at the backlands of Pastos Bons from the memories of Francisco de Paula Ribeiro
No full textThis monograph aims to analyze the backwoods of the Pastos Bons in the nineteenth century
context, from the writings produced by the Portuguese military Francisco de Paula Ribeiro.
The sources used were the memoirs produced by the said author, as follows: Road Map that
made Captain Francisco de Paula Ribeiro to the borders of the Captaincy of Maranhão and
Goiás in the year 1815 in the service of S. M. Fidelíssima. Rio de Janeiro, IHGB Magazine,
1848. Missing the magazine number and Description of the Territory of Pastos Bons;
Properties of their lands, their productions, character of their settlers, and current state of their
establishments. Paula Ribeiro gave a comprehensive description of several aspects of the
backwoods dos Pastos Bons, including physical geography, the historical aspects of the
conquest and occupation of the Maranhão backlands, as well as producing an anthropological
analysis, thus being a pioneer reporting life story of the inhabitants of the region. Paula
Ribeiro's vast knowledge of southern Maranhão, as expressed in his memoirs, came as a result
of the nearly twenty years he spent in the region rendering services to the Portuguese Crown.
It can be seen from his writings a clear favorability of natural aspects of the interior, which,
however, had not been reverted to a significant socioeconomic development for the region.A presente monografia tem por objetivo analisar o sertão dos Pastos Bons no contexto
oitocentista, a partir dos escritos produzidos pelo militar português Francisco de Paula Ribeiro.
As fontes utilizadas foram as memórias produzidas pelos referido autor, a saber: Roteiro da
Viagem que fez o Capitão Francisco de Paula Ribeiro às fronteiras da Capitania do
Maranhão e da de Goiás no ano de 1815 em serviço de S. M. Fidelíssima. Rio de Janeiro,
Revista do IHGB, 1848, e Descrição do Território dos Pastos Bons; Propriedades dos seus
terrenos, suas produções, caráter dos seus habitantes colonos, e estado atual dos seus
estabelecimentos. Rio de Janeiro, Revista do IHGB, nº 12, 1849. Paula Ribeiro fez uma
descrição abrangente sobre diversos aspectos do Sertão dos Pastos Bons, dentre eles, trata da
geografia física, dos aspectos históricos da conquista e ocupação do sertão maranhense, além
de produzir uma análise antropológica, sendo assim pioneiro no relato vida dos habitantes da
região. O vasto conhecimento de Paula Ribeiro sobre o sul maranhense, expresso em suas
memórias, se deu em decorrências dos quase vinte anos em que esteve na região prestando
serviços à Coroa portuguesa. Observa-se a partir de seus escritos uma nítida favorabilidade
dos aspectos naturais do sertão, que, contudo, não fora revertido em expressivo
desenvolvimento socioeconômico para a região
Colors 1981
No full textCONTENTS
Untitled, John I. C. Ramirez 2;
Love will fly, Tim Furness 3;
Untitled, Palmer Hoovestal 4;
The wave, Jerome Lightbourne 6;
The land*lord, R. Lea 7;
Song of the newborn, Heidi Muller 8;
Untitled, Mary Ostervold 9;
Good crops, Gina Larson 10;
Come, challenge the sea, Paula Schafer 12;
Untitled, Pat Dooris 14;
Untitled, Eric Peterson 16;
A flight of fancy, Tony Schaan 17;
Ode upon a london tube, Kit Warfield 18;
Sponge, Debbie Court 19;
Untitled, Debbie Court 20;
Untitled, John I. C. Ramirez 21;
Untitled, Joyce Lowry 21;
Untitled, Mary Taft 22;
Thank you, Lord [unidentified author] 23;
From generation to generation, Denise Marsh 24;
Untitled, S. M. 25;
Untitled, M. F. 26;
Brain Cramp, Francine Bergeron 27;
Untitled, Pat Dooris 28;
Untitled, Tom Mertes 30;
Untitled, John I. C. Ramirez 31;
Untitled, Dolores Bock 31;
Untitled, Christopher Perez 32;
Untitled, Pat Dooris 33;
Echoes of Innocence, Kelly Cosgrove 35;
Beloved, M. Bowen 36;
Untitled, Mary Ostervold 36
Conformational dependence of through-space tellurium-tellurium spin-spin coupling in peri-substituted bis(tellurides)
No full textThe work in this project was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). M.B. wishes to thank EaStCHEM and the University of St Andrews for support.Three related series of peri‐substituted bis(tellurides) bearing naphthalene, acenaphthene and acenaphthylene backbones (Nap/Acenap/Aceyl(TeY)2 (Nap=naphthalene‐1,8‐diyl N ; Acenap=acenaphthene‐5,6‐diyl A ; Aceyl=acenaphthylene‐5,6‐diyl Ay ; Y=Ph 1 ; Fp 2 ; Tol 3 ; An‐p 4 ; An‐o 5 ; Tp 6 ; Mes 7 ; Tip 8 ) have been synthesised and their solid‐state structures determined by X‐ray crystallography. Molecular conformations were classified as a function of the two C9‐C‐Te‐C(Y) dihedral angles (θ); in the solid all members adopt AB or CCt configurations, with larger Te(aryl) moieties exclusively imposing the CCt variant. Exceptionally large J(125Te,125Te) spin–spin coupling constants between 3289–3848 Hz were obtained for compounds substituted by bulky Te(aryl) groups, implying these species are locked in a CCt‐type conformation. In contrast, compounds incorporating smaller Te(aryl) moieties are predicted to be rather dynamic in solution and afford much smaller J values (2050–2676 Hz), characteristic of greater populations of AB conformers with lower couplings. This conformational dependence of through‐space coupling is supported by DFT calculations.Peer reviewe
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