101 research outputs found
Author Response [to "Commentary" by Daniel E. Fleming, Virginia R. Herrmann, Marina Pucci and Valérie Matoïan, JNES 80/2:401-406]
No full textThis is a critical response to the "Commentary" by Daniel Fleming, Georgina Herrmann, Marina Pucci and Valerie Matoian (JNES 80/2:401-406), attached as a discussion forum to the article "Urban Squares in Late Bronze Age Ugarit". The response addresses in particular three debated questions concerning the Syrian city of Ugarit at the end of the Late Bronze Age: the economic and social differences within Ugarit’s urban population (moderate); the long-term existence and changing political meaning of urban squares - including their relationship to the political discourse of Ugarit’s ruling elite in the 13th century; and the possibility that squares may have had multiple functions (it was likely so)
Large Angle Beamstrahlung Monitor
No full textThe Large Angle Beamstrahlung Monitor (LABM) is an important piece of equipment developed primarily at Wayne State University, its purpose is to monitor the beam parameters in a particle accelerator at the interaction point in order to have more control over the accelerator. The LABM collects visible radiation emitted during or just before beam collisions. The LABM has provided results so far, in the paper “A Neural Network approach to reconstructing SuperKEKB beam parameters from beamstrahlung.” LABM data was used to successfully predict beam parameters. In this thesis we will produce results that are important for upgrading the LABM system, discuss the upgrade itself, and future prospects
Naturalizing institutions: Evolutionary principles and application on the case of money
No full textIn recent extensions of the Darwinian paradigm into economics, the replicator-interactor duality looms large. I propose a strictly naturalistic approach to this duality in the context of the theory of institutions, which means that its use is seen as being always and necessarily dependent on identifying a physical realization. I introduce a general framework for the analysis of institutions, which synthesizes Searle's and Aoki's theories, especially with regard to the role of public representations (signs) in the coordination of actions, and the function of cognitive processes that underly rule-following as a behavioral disposition. This allows to conceive institutions as causal circuits that connect the population-level dynamics of interactions with cognitive phenomena on the individual level. Those cognitive phenomena ultimately root in neuronal structures. So, I draw on a critical restatement of the concept of the meme by Aunger to propose a new conceptualization of the replicator in the context of institutions, namely, the replicator is a causal conjunction between signs and neuronal structures which undergirds the dispositions that generate rule-following actions. Signs, in turn, are outcomes of population-level interactions. I apply this framework on the case of money, analyzing the emotions that go along with the use of money, and presenting a stylized account of the emergence of money in terms of the naturalized Searle-Aoki model. In this view, money is a neuronally anchored metaphor for emotions relating with social exchange and reciprocity. Money as a meme is physically realized in a replicator which is a causal conjunction of money artefacts and money emotions. --Generalized Darwinism,institutions,replicator/interactor,Searle,Aoki,naturalism,memes,emotions,money
A 'third culture' in economics? An essay on Smith, Confucius and the rise of China
No full textChina's rise drives a growing impact of China on economics. So far, this mainly works via the force of example, but there is also an emerging role of Chinese thinking in economics. This paper raises the question how far Chinese perspectives can affect certain foundational principles in economics, such as the assumptions on individualism and self-interest allegedly originating in Adam Smith. I embark on sketching a 'third culture' in economics, employing a notion from cross-cultural communication theory, which starts out from the observation that the Chinese model was already influential during the European enlightenment, especially on physiocracy, suggesting a particular conceptualization of the relation between good government and a liberal market economy. I relate this observation with the current revisionist view on China's economic history which has revealed the strong role of markets in the context of informal institutions, and thereby explains the strong performance of the Chinese economy in pre-industrial times. I sketch the cultural legacy of this pattern for traditional Chinese conceptions of social interaction and behavior, which are still strong in rural society until today. These different strands of argument are woven together in a comparison between Confucian thinking and Adam Smith, especially with regard to the 'Theory of Moral Sentiments', which ends up in identifying a number of conceptual family resemblances between the two. I conclude with sketching a 'third culture' in economics in which moral aspects of economic action loom large, as well as contextualized thinking in economic policies. --Confucianism,Adam Smith,physiocracy,collectivism and individualism,social relations in China,morality,economy of Imperial China
Dromochorus knisleyi Duran & Herrmann & Roman & Gwiazdowski & Drummond & Hood & Egan 2019
No full textDROMOCHORUS KNISLEYI DURAN, HERRMANN, ROMAN & EGAN SP.NOV. (FIGS 7C, 8A, 9C) Common name Juniper grove tiger beetle. Type locality Vi c i n i t y o f Pe d e r n a l e s Fa l l s, Te x a s. H o l o t y p e (USNM): 1 ♂, USA: Texas: Blanco Co. / Vicinity of Pedernales / 19-VI-2013 /leg D. Duran. Paratypes: 14 ♂♂, 19 ♀♀, USA: Texas: Blanco Co./Vicinity of Pedernales Falls St. Pk./19-VI-2013/leg D. Duran. 6 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀, USA: Texas: Blanco Co./Vicinity of Pedernales Falls St. Pk./08-VI-2015/leg S.J Roman. 5 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, USA: Texas: Blanco Co./Vicinity of Pedernales Falls St. Pk./01-VI-2014/leg D. Brzoska. 2 ♂, USA: Texas: Blanco Co./Park E. of Pedernales Falls S.P./20-VI-2014/ leg D. Duran. 2 ♀, USA: TEXAS: Bandera Co./3 miles W of Pipe Creek/22-VI-2013/leg D. Duran. Distribution This species is only known from the Edwards Plateau of central Texas, locally known as the Texas Hill Country. It comes in close geographic proximity to D. belfragei and D. minimus, where all three species distributions converge at the edge of the Balcones Escarpment in Bexar County. Analyses of mtDNA data indicate that hybridization occurs in this contact zone, and apparent hybrid D. knisleyi x belfragei individuals have been found in this area. Diagnosis Dromochorus knisleyi is most easily confused with the sister taxa D. belfragei. For differential diagnosis, see D. belfragei species account. Description Medium-sized Dromochorus. Body length 10.9– 14.4 mm, mean ♀ 13.0 mm, mean ♂ 12.2 mm. Head slightly wider than pronotum. Head predominantly charcoal black with blue reflections mostly concentrated near the anterior margin and edges of the supraorbital region. Fine rugosity often present on the frons and vertex. All head portions glabrous except for two supraorbital setae next to each eye. Frons concave in median area, especially in male, bulging towards slightly convex near anterior margin, clearly delimited from clypeus, gradually blending into vertex. Genae black or bright polished metallic violet to blue, with shallow longitudinal striae gradually ending at border of vertex. Clypeus bronze with green to blue reflections throughout. Male labrum tridentate with 6–8 setae, central area pale ochre-testaceous, with a thin dark-brown to black border posteriorly and sometimes anteriorly, dark-brown to black laterally; the pale central area of the labrum may exist as a small spot, up to one-third of the total labrum surface; female labrum tridentate with 6–8 setae, entirely dark-brown to black with polished metallic cupreous to green reflections. All segments of maxillary and labial palpi consistently dark-brown; apical segment is not darker than other segments. Antennae normal length, reaching back to humerus and basal third of elytron, slightly longer in male than female; scape dark testaceous to black with metallic reflections of violet, cupreous and green, with 2–3 apical setae; pedicel dark testaceous with metallic reflections of violet, cupreous and green, lacking any setae; flagellum dark testaceous, antennomeres 3–4 with metallic violet and green reflections, densely clothed in short white setae, antennomeres 5–11 dull-textured without metallic reflections and possessing erect setae in apical rings only, covered with fine pubescence throughout. Thorax: Pronotum 2.4–3.2 mm in length, mean ♀ 2.9 mm, mean ♂ 2.8 mm; width 2.5–3.2 mm, mean ♀ 3.0 mm, mean ♂ 2.9 mm. Pronotum charcoal black, with green to blue or violet reflections, especially along lateral margins, slightly wider than long, widest near anterior margin, width to length ratio 0.9 to 1.1, setae sparse to regularly spaced, mostly present along lateral third of dorsal surface; disc finely rugose, with thin but distinct median line, with well-defined shallow sulci present anteriorly and posteriorly; notopleural sutures clearly defined, not visible from dorsal view; proepisternum black with weak to strong iridescent blue to violet reflections, glabrous. Elytra elongate, 6.8–8.7 mm length, mean ♀ 7.9 mm, mean ♂ 7.7 mm, shape similar in both sexes, but slightly wider in female, especially toward apical third; sutural spine absent, microserrations not present on elytral apices; elytral dorsal surface convex; elytral texture dull, with regular small pits present throughout disk, elytral coloration charcoal black, often with blue reflections near humeral region; elytral maculations absent; two dark oblique infuscations present; subsutural foveae prominent, typically with metallic blue, green, or gold reflections. Legs: Pro-, meso-, and metacoxae dark testaceous to black with iridescent blue to violet and cupreous reflections, sparse setae on pro- and mesocoxae, fewer on metacoxae; pro- and mesotrochanters with a single erect seta, metatrochanter glabrous, trochanters dark brown-testaceous; femora black with metallic violet and green reflections, densely clothed in decumbent white setae; tibiae testaceous brown, clothed with setae of two types: sparser brown-testaceous long setae and dense short decumbent white setae; two tibial spines present; tarsi brown-testaceous, first three dilated protarsomeres in male with dense greyishwhite setal pad. Abdomen: Venter mostly black with occasional metallic green to violet reflections. Decumbent white setae present on ventrite 1. Ventrites 2–6 have sparse short brown erect setae present throughout, but often abraded. Etymology Named for Dr C. Barry Knisley, one of the leading authorities on North American tiger beetle conservation and ecology. D.P. Duran and R.A. Gwiazdowski are greatly indebted to Barry for his mentorship and friendship. Ecology/natural history Dromochorus knisleyi adults have been found from mid-May to late June, but it is likely that they could be active outside of this window. Dromochorus knisleyi is found in upland juniperoak woodlands in the Edwards Plateau, and does not appear to be strongly associated with riparian areas. The preferred habitat is late succession stands of juniper and, as such, it can be difficult for a collector to easily walk through these areas. Adult beetles are active throughout the day and are present in semiopen grassy areas under the cover of juniper trees. The first author observed dozens of beetles over a span of two days, and all adult activity was restricted to these forested areas. Beetles foraged and mated exclusively near or under juniper boughs. Moreover, even during cloudy periods and late in the afternoon, none were observed moving into more open grassy areas outside of the juniper stands. Moreover, beetles were not present in woodlands dominated by oaks. In mixed juniper–oak woodlands, beetles were found exclusively near junipers. This species may be the most ecologically specialized of all Dromochorus. More observations are needed for this rarely collected species. Many aspects of the biology are currently unknown.Published as part of Duran, Daniel P., Herrmann, David P., Roman, Stephen J., Gwiazdowski, Rodger A., Drummond, Jennifer A., Hood, Glen R. & Egan, Scott P., 2019, Cryptic diversity in the North American Dromochorus tiger beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Cicindelinae): a congruence-based method for species discovery, pp. 250-285 in Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 186 on pages 271-272, DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zly035, http://zenodo.org/record/308923
The evolutionary approach to entropy: Reconciling Georgescu-Roegen's natural philosophy with the maximum entropy framework
No full textIn Georgescu-Roegen's classical, though controversial discussion of entropy in relation to economics, the dualism of mechanical and subjective time plays a pivotal role. I argue that this fundamental distinction also inheres modern approaches to maximum entropy. Following Searle, I introduce the ontological dualism of observer independent and observer relative facts, and show that the notion of entropy also manifests this dualism, in the sense of the contextuality of measurements in experimental settings. Extending on the notion of observer relativity, I argue that the MaxEnt principle can be generalized into a framework of analyzing the evolution of (biological, technological etc.) functions under natural selection, if functions are equated with inference devices. Then, observer relativity is function relativity. In hierarchical evolutionary systems, this corresponds to the Maximum Entropy Production Principle, in the sense that functional evolution approximates gradients of maximum dissipation of energy. Against this background, the Georgescu-Roegen dualism of time translates into the dualism of observer independent entropy, which is the object of MEPP, and observer relative entropy, which is the object of MaxEnt. Both are two aspects under which evolution in general and economic evolution in particular can be analyzed. --Georgescu-Roegen,maximum entropy,observer relativity,time,hierarchical evolutionary systems,natural selection,physical concepts of information
Rethinking evolution, entropy and economics: A triadic conceptual framework for the maximum entropy principle as applied to the growth of knowledge
No full textRecently, the maximum entropy principle has been applied to explain the evolution of complex non-equilibrium systems, such as the Earth system. I argue that it can also be fruitfully deployed to reconsider the classical treatment of entropy in economics by Georgescu-Roegen, if the growth of knowledge is seen as a physical process. Relying on central categories of Peirce's theory of signs, I follow the lines of a naturalistic evolutionary epistemology. In this framework, the three principles of Maximum Entropy (Jaynes), Maximum Power (Lotka) and Maximum Entropy Production can be arranged in a way such that evolution can be conceived as a process that manifests the physical tendency to maximize information generation and information capacity. This implies that the growth of knowledge is the dual of the process of entropy production. This theory matches with recent empirical research showing that economic growth can be tracked by measures of the throughput of useful work, mediated by the thermodynamic efficiency of the conversion of exergy into useful work. --Peirce,Georgescu-Roegen,maximum entropy,maximum power,natural selection,semeiosis,physical inference devices,economic growth,useful work
Making sense of institutional change in China: The cultural dimension of economic growth and modernization
No full textBuilding on a new model of institutions proposed by Aoki and the systemic approach to economic civilizations outlined by Kuran, this paper attempts an analysis of the cultural foundations of recent Chinese economic development. I argue that the cultural impact needs to be conceived as a creative process that involves linguistic entities and other public social items in order to provide integrative meaning to economic interactions and identities to different agents involved. I focus on three phenomena that stand at the center of economic culture in China, networks, localism and modernism. I eschew the standard dualism of individualism vs. collectivism in favour of a more detailed view on the self in social relationships. The Chinese pattern of social relations, guanxi, is also a constituent of localism, i.e. a peculiar arrangement and resulting dynamics of central-local interactions in governing the economy. Localism is balanced by culturalist controls of the center, which in contemporary China builds on the worldview of modernism. Thus, economic modernization is a cultural phenomenon on its own sake. I summarize these interactions in a process analysis based on Aoki's framework. --Aoki,culture and the economy,emics/etics,guanxi,relational collectivism,central/local government relations,culturalism,population quality,consumerism
A neurolinguistic approach to performativity in economics
No full textIn recent sociological studies of markets, especially financial markets, researchers have argued that economics is performative (MacKenzie, Callon et al.). By this they refer to the observation that theories such as the Black-Scholes formula do not simply describe reality, but contributed to the regulatory creation of financial markets in which the agents started to adopt behavioral patterns that correspond to the theory, also relying on artefacts that have been created by the originators of the theory. This notion of performativity fits also other recent uses of language theory in economics, such as the theory of organizational forms in organizational ecology (Carroll and Hannan) or John Searle's theory of institutions. The paper builds on this, especially Searle's approach, and explores the underlying cognitive operations. It is argued that performativity builds on the human capacity to generate new meanings from existing concepts. This is elaborated in the theory of conceptual blending that has been developed by Fauconnier and Turner. For example, blends are a typical phenomenon in the emergence of new business models, such as in the dotcom bubble. The theory of conceptual blending can be based on neuroscientific insights into the operations of the human brain, corresponding to Searle's proposal to ground institutions in neurophysiological dispositions. --Searle's theory of institutions,financial markets,emergence of novelty,conceptual blending,neural theory of metaphor
Revisiting the Gaia hypothesis: Maximum Entropy, Kauffman's 'Fourth Law' and physiosemeiosis
No full textRecently, Kleidon suggested a restatement of the Gaia hypothesis based on Maximum Entropy approaches to the Earth system. Refuting conceptions of Gaia as a homeostatic system, Gaia is seen as a non-equilibrium thermodynamic system which continuously moves away from equilibrium, driven by maximum entropy production which materializes in hierarchically coupled mechanisms of energetic flows via dissipation and physical work. I propose to relate this view with Kauffman's 'Fourth Law of Thermodynamics', which I interprete as a proposition about the accumulation of information in evolutionary processes. Then, beyond its use in the Kleidon model, the concept of physical work is expanded to including work directed at the capacity to work: I offer a twofold specification of Kauffman's concept of an 'autonomous agent', one as a 'self-referential heat engine', and the other in terms of physiosemeiosis, which is a naturalized application of Peirce's theory of signs emerging from recent biosemiotic research. I argue that the conjunction of these three theoretical sources, Maximum Entropy, Kauffman's Fourth Law, and physiosemeiosis, allows to show that the Kleidon restatement of the Gaia hypothesis is equivalent to the proposition that the biosphere is a system of generating, processing and storing information, thus directly treating information as a physical phenomenon. I substantiate this argument by proposing a more detailed analysis of the notion of hierarchy in the Kleidon model. In this view, there is a fundamental ontological continuity between the biological processes and the human economy, as both are seen as information processing and entropy producing systems. As with other previous transitions in evolution, the human economy leverages the mechanisms by which Gaia moves further away from equilibrium. This implies that information and natural resources or energy are not substitutes, i.e. the knowledge economy continues to build on the same physical principles as the biosphere, with energy and information being two aspects of the same underlying physical process. --Gaia,non-equilibrium systems,Fourth Law,work,Peirce,triadism,hierarchy,economic growth
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