Iwo Bialynicki-Birula and Iwona Bialynicka-Birula
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780198531005
- eISBN:
- 9780191713033
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198531005.001.0001
- Subject:
- Physics, Theoretical, Computational, and Statistical Physics
This book covers a wide range of subjects concerning the use of computer modeling to solve a diverse set of problems. The book covers some advanced topics (cellular automata, Shannon measure of ...
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This book covers a wide range of subjects concerning the use of computer modeling to solve a diverse set of problems. The book covers some advanced topics (cellular automata, Shannon measure of information content, dynamical systems, deterministic chaos, fractals, statistical linguistics, game theory, neural networks, genetic algorithms, Turing machines, and artificial intelligence). These advanced subjects are explained in terms of well known simple concepts such as the Game of Life, probability and statistics, Galton's board, Shannon's formula, game of twenty questions, game theory, and a format similar to a television quiz. Twenty-five programs written specifically for the book greatly enhance its pedagogical value and the enjoyment of learning. These can be found at http://www.modelingreality.net/.Less
This book covers a wide range of subjects concerning the use of computer modeling to solve a diverse set of problems. The book covers some advanced topics (cellular automata, Shannon measure of information content, dynamical systems, deterministic chaos, fractals, statistical linguistics, game theory, neural networks, genetic algorithms, Turing machines, and artificial intelligence). These advanced subjects are explained in terms of well known simple concepts such as the Game of Life, probability and statistics, Galton's board, Shannon's formula, game of twenty questions, game theory, and a format similar to a television quiz. Twenty-five programs written specifically for the book greatly enhance its pedagogical value and the enjoyment of learning. These can be found at http://www.modelingreality.net/.
Hugh Denard
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197262962
- eISBN:
- 9780191734533
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197262962.003.0008
- Subject:
- Archaeology, Methodology and Techniques
This chapter discusses the emergence of virtual reality (VR) technologies which have advanced the understanding of ancient structures. In 1998, through the funding of the British Academy and the ...
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This chapter discusses the emergence of virtual reality (VR) technologies which have advanced the understanding of ancient structures. In 1998, through the funding of the British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust, a project on determining the structure of Rome's theatre Theatrum Lapideum was started. This Pompey Project benefited as well as contributed to a wider programme of digital research through the application of virtual reality. The VR-enhanced research project contributed to the understanding of the parts of the structure and the aspects of the post-antique history of the Roman theatre. Through VR technology, a graphic reconstruction of the site, 3and D computer models, the digital modelling of the structure and its artefacts were attained. In addition to developing research processes, virtual reality technology has revolutionized the ways in which knowledge is produced. It enables the formation of new knowledge and information by making the knowledge visible.Less
This chapter discusses the emergence of virtual reality (VR) technologies which have advanced the understanding of ancient structures. In 1998, through the funding of the British Academy and the Leverhulme Trust, a project on determining the structure of Rome's theatre Theatrum Lapideum was started. This Pompey Project benefited as well as contributed to a wider programme of digital research through the application of virtual reality. The VR-enhanced research project contributed to the understanding of the parts of the structure and the aspects of the post-antique history of the Roman theatre. Through VR technology, a graphic reconstruction of the site, 3and D computer models, the digital modelling of the structure and its artefacts were attained. In addition to developing research processes, virtual reality technology has revolutionized the ways in which knowledge is produced. It enables the formation of new knowledge and information by making the knowledge visible.
Inge Hinterwaldner
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- September 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780262035040
- eISBN:
- 9780262335546
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262035040.003.0004
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Technology and Society
Informed with how modelling practices take place, positions in model theory have revised too simplistic syntactic or semantic views. Analogously, it is now necessary to recognize that also the ...
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Informed with how modelling practices take place, positions in model theory have revised too simplistic syntactic or semantic views. Analogously, it is now necessary to recognize that also the relationship between the data from the computational models and their sensualization is non-trivial either. ‘Visualization’ is often praised, but naturalized and thus overlooked in its structuring or creative potential. The present approach reveals the complex situation in ‘visualized’ simulations; there is no such thing as a simple equivalent between the calculated data and its depiction. Especially for the scenic rendering of the process it is necessary to develop relationships between the dynamics and the form in the first instance. The reason why the form is needed lies in the simple fact that dynamics have to be embodied in order to be perceivable. On a very basic level we can say that time and space enter into negotiations.Less
Informed with how modelling practices take place, positions in model theory have revised too simplistic syntactic or semantic views. Analogously, it is now necessary to recognize that also the relationship between the data from the computational models and their sensualization is non-trivial either. ‘Visualization’ is often praised, but naturalized and thus overlooked in its structuring or creative potential. The present approach reveals the complex situation in ‘visualized’ simulations; there is no such thing as a simple equivalent between the calculated data and its depiction. Especially for the scenic rendering of the process it is necessary to develop relationships between the dynamics and the form in the first instance. The reason why the form is needed lies in the simple fact that dynamics have to be embodied in order to be perceivable. On a very basic level we can say that time and space enter into negotiations.
Kathleen V. Wilkes
- Published in print:
- 1993
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198240808
- eISBN:
- 9780191680281
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198240808.003.0007
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Philosophy of Mind, Metaphysics/Epistemology
This chapter offers a self-indulgent account of the different views of the person by Homer, Aristotle, the post-Cartesians, and contemporary cognitive science with its ‘computer model of mind’. It ...
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This chapter offers a self-indulgent account of the different views of the person by Homer, Aristotle, the post-Cartesians, and contemporary cognitive science with its ‘computer model of mind’. It suggests that people are returning to the Aristotelian model of the individual, knowingly or not; and that they are right in doing so. The models discussed provide a background in which scientific and philosophical theories and conjectures about human motivation can be built.Less
This chapter offers a self-indulgent account of the different views of the person by Homer, Aristotle, the post-Cartesians, and contemporary cognitive science with its ‘computer model of mind’. It suggests that people are returning to the Aristotelian model of the individual, knowingly or not; and that they are right in doing so. The models discussed provide a background in which scientific and philosophical theories and conjectures about human motivation can be built.
Eglė Rindzevičiūtė
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9781501703188
- eISBN:
- 9781501706257
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501703188.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, Russian Politics
This chapter focuses on computer-based global modeling, a new technology of knowledge production that emerged in the early 1970s and played an important, transformative role in Soviet governance by ...
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This chapter focuses on computer-based global modeling, a new technology of knowledge production that emerged in the early 1970s and played an important, transformative role in Soviet governance by opening it up to East-West cooperation. Global modelers conceptualized the planet as a complex, interconnected system, the understanding of which required transnational scientific cooperation, enabling both scientists and data to cross national boundaries and Cold War divides. Moreover, Soviet scientists forged and used models of possible long-term futures of the world to reveal and criticize problems being experienced, but not always acknowledged, in the Soviet Union. Therefore, a history of computer-based global modeling is a history of East-West transfer, the transformation of the late state socialism and globalization.Less
This chapter focuses on computer-based global modeling, a new technology of knowledge production that emerged in the early 1970s and played an important, transformative role in Soviet governance by opening it up to East-West cooperation. Global modelers conceptualized the planet as a complex, interconnected system, the understanding of which required transnational scientific cooperation, enabling both scientists and data to cross national boundaries and Cold War divides. Moreover, Soviet scientists forged and used models of possible long-term futures of the world to reveal and criticize problems being experienced, but not always acknowledged, in the Soviet Union. Therefore, a history of computer-based global modeling is a history of East-West transfer, the transformation of the late state socialism and globalization.
Alain Berthoz (ed.)
- Published in print:
- 1993
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198547853
- eISBN:
- 9780191724268
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198547853.001.0001
- Subject:
- Neuroscience, Sensory and Motor Systems
Truly international, this extensive text combines the efforts of eight laboratories from seven countries in investigating the study of problems of manipulation, orienting, and navigating in humans ...
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Truly international, this extensive text combines the efforts of eight laboratories from seven countries in investigating the study of problems of manipulation, orienting, and navigating in humans and animals. The multidisciplinary approach places the study of multisensory control of movement in a three-dimensional frame, with reference to computer models and neuronal mechanisms.Less
Truly international, this extensive text combines the efforts of eight laboratories from seven countries in investigating the study of problems of manipulation, orienting, and navigating in humans and animals. The multidisciplinary approach places the study of multisensory control of movement in a three-dimensional frame, with reference to computer models and neuronal mechanisms.
Ruth Etzioni, Larry Kessler, and Dante Dl Tommaso
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195146493
- eISBN:
- 9780199864928
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195146493.003.0006
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health, Epidemiology
This chapter describes the use of computer modeling to quantify the link between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and prostate cancer incidence and mortality. Data resources for both cancer ...
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This chapter describes the use of computer modeling to quantify the link between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and prostate cancer incidence and mortality. Data resources for both cancer surveillance and PSA screening are outlined and an approach to modeling both prostate cancer mortality and incidence is presented. The models can be formalized as a statistical framework for inference by developing a likelihood function for the key variables that link PSA screening and prostate cancer incidence. The chapter also reviews alternative modeling approaches and other methods that have been used to address the link between PSA screening and population trends in prostate cancer mortality.Less
This chapter describes the use of computer modeling to quantify the link between prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and prostate cancer incidence and mortality. Data resources for both cancer surveillance and PSA screening are outlined and an approach to modeling both prostate cancer mortality and incidence is presented. The models can be formalized as a statistical framework for inference by developing a likelihood function for the key variables that link PSA screening and prostate cancer incidence. The chapter also reviews alternative modeling approaches and other methods that have been used to address the link between PSA screening and population trends in prostate cancer mortality.
Eglė Rindzevičiūtė
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9781501703188
- eISBN:
- 9781501706257
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501703188.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Russian Politics
This chapter looks at the nuclear winter project, an outcome of global modeling. The idea that the Earth could be plunged into a “nuclear winter” as the catastrophic outcome of a nuclear war was ...
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This chapter looks at the nuclear winter project, an outcome of global modeling. The idea that the Earth could be plunged into a “nuclear winter” as the catastrophic outcome of a nuclear war was announced by a group of leading climate and environment scientists from the United States, Western Europe, and the Soviet Union shortly after Ronald Reagan delivered his “Star Wars” speech in March 1983. Drawing on experiments with data-based computer models, these scholars claimed that a nuclear war, unlike the two world wars, would be not simply a regional, but a truly global disaster. Nuclear missiles, detonated over urban areas, would ignite massive fire storms, which in turn would propel soot particles and aerosols into high levels of the atmosphere. As a result, the computer models predicted, a dust shield would emerge that would be transported by air currents to both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.Less
This chapter looks at the nuclear winter project, an outcome of global modeling. The idea that the Earth could be plunged into a “nuclear winter” as the catastrophic outcome of a nuclear war was announced by a group of leading climate and environment scientists from the United States, Western Europe, and the Soviet Union shortly after Ronald Reagan delivered his “Star Wars” speech in March 1983. Drawing on experiments with data-based computer models, these scholars claimed that a nuclear war, unlike the two world wars, would be not simply a regional, but a truly global disaster. Nuclear missiles, detonated over urban areas, would ignite massive fire storms, which in turn would propel soot particles and aerosols into high levels of the atmosphere. As a result, the computer models predicted, a dust shield would emerge that would be transported by air currents to both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
Patricia S. Churchland and Terrence J. Sejnowski
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2018
- ISBN:
- 9780262533393
- eISBN:
- 9780262339650
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262533393.003.0006
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience
This chapter examines the mechanisms underlying sensorimotor integration by discussing three cases where anatomical and physiological studies of circuits are co-evolving with computer models of the ...
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This chapter examines the mechanisms underlying sensorimotor integration by discussing three cases where anatomical and physiological studies of circuits are co-evolving with computer models of the circuit: the first focuses on the dorsal bending reflex in the leech, the second deals with the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in mammals, and the third is concerned with rhythmic behaviors generated by the spinal cord. The chapter explains each case in detail, beginning with the computational model for the local bending reflex in the leech and proceeding with a discussion of a model network incorporating known pathways, connections, and physiology of the VOR. It also considers how time is represented in nervous systems and describes the segmental swimming oscillator before concluding with an overview of modeling of neurons.Less
This chapter examines the mechanisms underlying sensorimotor integration by discussing three cases where anatomical and physiological studies of circuits are co-evolving with computer models of the circuit: the first focuses on the dorsal bending reflex in the leech, the second deals with the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in mammals, and the third is concerned with rhythmic behaviors generated by the spinal cord. The chapter explains each case in detail, beginning with the computational model for the local bending reflex in the leech and proceeding with a discussion of a model network incorporating known pathways, connections, and physiology of the VOR. It also considers how time is represented in nervous systems and describes the segmental swimming oscillator before concluding with an overview of modeling of neurons.
Lawrence Badash
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- August 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780262012720
- eISBN:
- 9780262258531
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262012720.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
The nuclear winter phenomenon burst upon the public’s consciousness in 1983. Added to the horror of a nuclear war’s immediate effects was the fear that the smoke from fires ignited by the explosions ...
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The nuclear winter phenomenon burst upon the public’s consciousness in 1983. Added to the horror of a nuclear war’s immediate effects was the fear that the smoke from fires ignited by the explosions would block the sun, creating an extended “winter” that might kill more people worldwide than the initial nuclear strikes. This book maps the rise and fall of the science of nuclear winter, examining research activity, the popularization of the concept, and the Reagan-era politics that combined to influence policy and public opinion. It traces the several sciences (including studies of volcanic eruptions, ozone depletion, and dinosaur extinction) that merged to allow computer modeling of nuclear winter and its development as a scientific specialty. It places this in the political context of the Reagan years, discussing congressional interest, media attention, the administration’s plans for a research program, and the Department of Defense’s claims that the arms buildup underway would prevent nuclear war, and thus nuclear winter. The book provides an illustration of the complex relationship between science and society. It examines the behavior of scientists in the public arena and in the scientific community, and raises questions about the problems faced by scientific Cassandras, the implications when scientists go public with worst-case scenarios, and the timing of government reaction to startling scientific findings.Less
The nuclear winter phenomenon burst upon the public’s consciousness in 1983. Added to the horror of a nuclear war’s immediate effects was the fear that the smoke from fires ignited by the explosions would block the sun, creating an extended “winter” that might kill more people worldwide than the initial nuclear strikes. This book maps the rise and fall of the science of nuclear winter, examining research activity, the popularization of the concept, and the Reagan-era politics that combined to influence policy and public opinion. It traces the several sciences (including studies of volcanic eruptions, ozone depletion, and dinosaur extinction) that merged to allow computer modeling of nuclear winter and its development as a scientific specialty. It places this in the political context of the Reagan years, discussing congressional interest, media attention, the administration’s plans for a research program, and the Department of Defense’s claims that the arms buildup underway would prevent nuclear war, and thus nuclear winter. The book provides an illustration of the complex relationship between science and society. It examines the behavior of scientists in the public arena and in the scientific community, and raises questions about the problems faced by scientific Cassandras, the implications when scientists go public with worst-case scenarios, and the timing of government reaction to startling scientific findings.
Heiner Grosskurth and Lilani Kumaranayake
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780198508496
- eISBN:
- 9780191723797
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198508496.003.0011
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health, Epidemiology
This chapter considers a wide range of issues relating to the generalizability of effective interventions. It begins by looking at factors that determine the extent to which the observed effects in a ...
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This chapter considers a wide range of issues relating to the generalizability of effective interventions. It begins by looking at factors that determine the extent to which the observed effects in a randomized trial can be generalized to other populations. It proposes suggestions to increase generalizability at the design stage. Because populations are heterogeneous, repeat trials in different environments are often required. However, as trials are expensive, the use of computer modelling has been suggested as an alternative to explore likely intervention effects in other populations. The options and limitations of this strategy are discussed. Translating research results into policy and practice is not straightforward. Various strategies towards achieving this objective are considered, including cost-effectiveness analysis. The last two sections of the chapter are concerned with the practicalities of scaling up an intervention and with aspects of sustainability.Less
This chapter considers a wide range of issues relating to the generalizability of effective interventions. It begins by looking at factors that determine the extent to which the observed effects in a randomized trial can be generalized to other populations. It proposes suggestions to increase generalizability at the design stage. Because populations are heterogeneous, repeat trials in different environments are often required. However, as trials are expensive, the use of computer modelling has been suggested as an alternative to explore likely intervention effects in other populations. The options and limitations of this strategy are discussed. Translating research results into policy and practice is not straightforward. Various strategies towards achieving this objective are considered, including cost-effectiveness analysis. The last two sections of the chapter are concerned with the practicalities of scaling up an intervention and with aspects of sustainability.
Eglė Rindzevičiūtė
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- May 2017
- ISBN:
- 9781501703188
- eISBN:
- 9781501706257
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9781501703188.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, Russian Politics
This chapter details the development of the regional air pollution information and simulation model (RAINS) in 1984, a project which has been retrospectively described as one of the highest ...
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This chapter details the development of the regional air pollution information and simulation model (RAINS) in 1984, a project which has been retrospectively described as one of the highest achievements of IIASA, substantiating East-West collaboration beyond scientific diplomacy. RAINS consisted of three blocs: pollution generation, atmospheric processes, and environmental impact, with further submodels to investigate emissions, long-range transport, and acidification. The model was interactive: a policy maker could select a particular national pathway of energy use, a strategy of pollution control, and environmental impact indicators. On the basis of this information, the computer model simulated the interaction of these three systems, enabling the user to examine the consequences of different alternatives to control acidification.Less
This chapter details the development of the regional air pollution information and simulation model (RAINS) in 1984, a project which has been retrospectively described as one of the highest achievements of IIASA, substantiating East-West collaboration beyond scientific diplomacy. RAINS consisted of three blocs: pollution generation, atmospheric processes, and environmental impact, with further submodels to investigate emissions, long-range transport, and acidification. The model was interactive: a policy maker could select a particular national pathway of energy use, a strategy of pollution control, and environmental impact indicators. On the basis of this information, the computer model simulated the interaction of these three systems, enabling the user to examine the consequences of different alternatives to control acidification.
Daniel B. Botkin
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199913916
- eISBN:
- 9780190267919
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Discontinued
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199913916.003.0008
- Subject:
- Biology, Ecology
This chapter examines how technology is revolutionizing our perception of nature by looking at the comparison of bacteria to computers. More specifically, it shows how computers are providing new ...
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This chapter examines how technology is revolutionizing our perception of nature by looking at the comparison of bacteria to computers. More specifically, it shows how computers are providing new metaphors not only for bacterial life but also for our entire perception of life on Earth, from the way that we view our relationship with nature and our ideas about managing nature. It also considers the use of steady-state computer models for simulating nature, including forests, as well as the idea of nature at the level perceived by trees and wolves. Furthermore, it describes a kind of uncertainty principle for ecology: since life and ecological systems that sustain it inherently involve chance, there is always going to be a limit on the accuracy with which we can predict anything about nature. Finally, it cites the case of the whooping crane to highlight the problems posed by the threatened extinction of endangered species and randomness in nature.Less
This chapter examines how technology is revolutionizing our perception of nature by looking at the comparison of bacteria to computers. More specifically, it shows how computers are providing new metaphors not only for bacterial life but also for our entire perception of life on Earth, from the way that we view our relationship with nature and our ideas about managing nature. It also considers the use of steady-state computer models for simulating nature, including forests, as well as the idea of nature at the level perceived by trees and wolves. Furthermore, it describes a kind of uncertainty principle for ecology: since life and ecological systems that sustain it inherently involve chance, there is always going to be a limit on the accuracy with which we can predict anything about nature. Finally, it cites the case of the whooping crane to highlight the problems posed by the threatened extinction of endangered species and randomness in nature.
Lawrence Badash
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- August 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780262012720
- eISBN:
- 9780262258531
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262012720.003.0013
- Subject:
- History, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
The fact that some of the computer models used in nuclear winter research were derived from others raised concern that many scientists were reaching the same conclusions. Those who studied the ...
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The fact that some of the computer models used in nuclear winter research were derived from others raised concern that many scientists were reaching the same conclusions. Those who studied the nuclear war scenarios, the physical and chemical effects, and the climatic consequences generally viewed their research as independent and were thus confident of its direction. Aside from the independence of models used in the research, another issue was their intrinsic value—that is, whether they were worth believing. In early 1985, better results were obtained from interactive models, which supplanted the one-dimensional representation used by the TTAPS team of Richard Turco, Owen Brian Toon, Thomas Ackerman, James Pollack, and Carl Sagan and the two- and three-dimensional models, which were unable to move smoke around. A number of fire studies were conducted to verify or challenge the TTAPS findings. New research on the biological and ecological implications of nuclear war also appeared.Less
The fact that some of the computer models used in nuclear winter research were derived from others raised concern that many scientists were reaching the same conclusions. Those who studied the nuclear war scenarios, the physical and chemical effects, and the climatic consequences generally viewed their research as independent and were thus confident of its direction. Aside from the independence of models used in the research, another issue was their intrinsic value—that is, whether they were worth believing. In early 1985, better results were obtained from interactive models, which supplanted the one-dimensional representation used by the TTAPS team of Richard Turco, Owen Brian Toon, Thomas Ackerman, James Pollack, and Carl Sagan and the two- and three-dimensional models, which were unable to move smoke around. A number of fire studies were conducted to verify or challenge the TTAPS findings. New research on the biological and ecological implications of nuclear war also appeared.
István Czachesz
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- January 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780198779865
- eISBN:
- 9780191825880
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198779865.003.0010
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies, Religious Studies
This chapter examines the interface of cognitive and social factors in the spread of early Christianity. The first part of the chapter discusses how early Christian preferences for itinerancy, the ...
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This chapter examines the interface of cognitive and social factors in the spread of early Christianity. The first part of the chapter discusses how early Christian preferences for itinerancy, the inclusion of women and the practice of charity shaped the social networks of the movement and how the new network structures influenced the spread of ideas. The second part of the chapter addresses the philosophy of computer modeling and introduces the programming language NetLogo. The final part of the chapter presents a simple computer model of the growth of Christianity, and shows how experimentation with the model leads to interesting insights about the spread of the Christian movement, including the role of itinerancy and the significance of learning strategies.Less
This chapter examines the interface of cognitive and social factors in the spread of early Christianity. The first part of the chapter discusses how early Christian preferences for itinerancy, the inclusion of women and the practice of charity shaped the social networks of the movement and how the new network structures influenced the spread of ideas. The second part of the chapter addresses the philosophy of computer modeling and introduces the programming language NetLogo. The final part of the chapter presents a simple computer model of the growth of Christianity, and shows how experimentation with the model leads to interesting insights about the spread of the Christian movement, including the role of itinerancy and the significance of learning strategies.
Margaret A. Boden
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- June 2014
- ISBN:
- 9780199836963
- eISBN:
- 9780199362547
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199836963.003.0012
- Subject:
- Philosophy, General, Philosophy of Mind
This is a philosophical question, not a scientific one. There are many examples of AI systems whose products appear to be creative and whose processing fits the criteria of combination, exploration, ...
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This is a philosophical question, not a scientific one. There are many examples of AI systems whose products appear to be creative and whose processing fits the criteria of combination, exploration, or transformation. (Arguably, that’s strictly true of transformation only if the system is linked to contingencies external to the program.) But could any of them or any conceivable computer-based system “really” be creative? That raises queries about whether “real” creativity must involve autonomy, intentionality, valuation, emotion, and consciousness. The answer, in each case, is yes (sometimes with qualifications). However, these concepts are hugely controversial in themselves, quite apart from their relation to creativity—and/or to AI. It follows that no clear answer can be given to the title question. It remains open, until we have clear—and credible—accounts of all these matters.Less
This is a philosophical question, not a scientific one. There are many examples of AI systems whose products appear to be creative and whose processing fits the criteria of combination, exploration, or transformation. (Arguably, that’s strictly true of transformation only if the system is linked to contingencies external to the program.) But could any of them or any conceivable computer-based system “really” be creative? That raises queries about whether “real” creativity must involve autonomy, intentionality, valuation, emotion, and consciousness. The answer, in each case, is yes (sometimes with qualifications). However, these concepts are hugely controversial in themselves, quite apart from their relation to creativity—and/or to AI. It follows that no clear answer can be given to the title question. It remains open, until we have clear—and credible—accounts of all these matters.
Kristine C. Harper
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- August 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780262083782
- eISBN:
- 9780262274982
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262083782.001.0001
- Subject:
- Society and Culture, Technology and Society
For much of the first half of the twentieth century, meteorology was more art than science, dependent on an individual forecaster’s lifetime of local experience. This book tells the story of the ...
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For much of the first half of the twentieth century, meteorology was more art than science, dependent on an individual forecaster’s lifetime of local experience. This book tells the story of the transformation of meteorology from a “guessing science” into a sophisticated scientific discipline based on physics and mathematics. What made this possible was the development of the electronic digital computer; earlier attempts at numerical weather prediction had foundered on the human inability to solve nonlinear equations quickly enough for timely forecasting. After World War II, the combination of an expanded observation network developed for military purposes, newly trained meteorologists savvy about math and physics, and the nascent digital computer created a new way of approaching atmospheric theory and weather forecasting. This transformation of a discipline, the author writes, was the most important intellectual achievement of twentieth-century meteorology, and paved the way for the growth of computer-assisted modeling in all the sciences.Less
For much of the first half of the twentieth century, meteorology was more art than science, dependent on an individual forecaster’s lifetime of local experience. This book tells the story of the transformation of meteorology from a “guessing science” into a sophisticated scientific discipline based on physics and mathematics. What made this possible was the development of the electronic digital computer; earlier attempts at numerical weather prediction had foundered on the human inability to solve nonlinear equations quickly enough for timely forecasting. After World War II, the combination of an expanded observation network developed for military purposes, newly trained meteorologists savvy about math and physics, and the nascent digital computer created a new way of approaching atmospheric theory and weather forecasting. This transformation of a discipline, the author writes, was the most important intellectual achievement of twentieth-century meteorology, and paved the way for the growth of computer-assisted modeling in all the sciences.
Lawrence Badash
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- August 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780262012720
- eISBN:
- 9780262258531
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262012720.003.0019
- Subject:
- History, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
Nuclear winter scientists not only attended meetings of the bodies that undertook studies on the phenomenon, but also participated in lectures and conferences. For example, Richard Turco and Owen ...
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Nuclear winter scientists not only attended meetings of the bodies that undertook studies on the phenomenon, but also participated in lectures and conferences. For example, Richard Turco and Owen Brian Toon were present during a Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment session in Tokyo in February 1985 and during a three-day conference sponsored by the Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) in Santa Barbara later that month. Although many scientists appeared to despise the federal government’s nuclear weapons policies, they felt obliged to attend such events in case something novel was announced and in order to showcase each laboratory’s accomplishments. This chapter focuses on the conferences held in the United States and abroad to discuss nuclear winter. It also discusses the controversies sparked by the nuclear winter issue, the use of computer models in nuclear winter research, fire studies, and biological and ecological research.Less
Nuclear winter scientists not only attended meetings of the bodies that undertook studies on the phenomenon, but also participated in lectures and conferences. For example, Richard Turco and Owen Brian Toon were present during a Scientific Committee on Problems of the Environment session in Tokyo in February 1985 and during a three-day conference sponsored by the Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA) in Santa Barbara later that month. Although many scientists appeared to despise the federal government’s nuclear weapons policies, they felt obliged to attend such events in case something novel was announced and in order to showcase each laboratory’s accomplishments. This chapter focuses on the conferences held in the United States and abroad to discuss nuclear winter. It also discusses the controversies sparked by the nuclear winter issue, the use of computer models in nuclear winter research, fire studies, and biological and ecological research.
E. Johanna Rode, Carrie J. Stengel, and K. Anne-Isola Nekaris
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- December 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199659449
- eISBN:
- 9780191774775
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199659449.003.0006
- Subject:
- Biology, Biodiversity / Conservation Biology, Ecology
This chapter presents an overview of classic habitat assessment techniques, how such studies can be carried out on various budgets, and with a range of equipment from traditional to modern. It also ...
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This chapter presents an overview of classic habitat assessment techniques, how such studies can be carried out on various budgets, and with a range of equipment from traditional to modern. It also addresses the important issue of how to decide where to look for these elusive species, and whether it is always worth going to the field at all through a discussion of the merits of species niche modelling (SNM) — computer-based models that predict potential species distributions, futures, and fates from existing distribution and habitat data. These models hold considerable promise and how they can be used with field data to enhance species research and conservation is discussed.Less
This chapter presents an overview of classic habitat assessment techniques, how such studies can be carried out on various budgets, and with a range of equipment from traditional to modern. It also addresses the important issue of how to decide where to look for these elusive species, and whether it is always worth going to the field at all through a discussion of the merits of species niche modelling (SNM) — computer-based models that predict potential species distributions, futures, and fates from existing distribution and habitat data. These models hold considerable promise and how they can be used with field data to enhance species research and conservation is discussed.
Glyn W. Humphreys
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199228768
- eISBN:
- 9780191696336
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199228768.003.0012
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology
This chapter looks at changes and developments in the study of object recognition during the past thirty years. It discusses the Marrian revolution attributed to David Marr, who took ideas and ...
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This chapter looks at changes and developments in the study of object recognition during the past thirty years. It discusses the Marrian revolution attributed to David Marr, who took ideas and concepts from psychophysics with the aim of translating them into working computer models. Another major development during this period was the recognition and serious research on the neural basis of visual perception and object recognition.Less
This chapter looks at changes and developments in the study of object recognition during the past thirty years. It discusses the Marrian revolution attributed to David Marr, who took ideas and concepts from psychophysics with the aim of translating them into working computer models. Another major development during this period was the recognition and serious research on the neural basis of visual perception and object recognition.
