Cognitive Computation sans Representation

The Computational Theory of Mind (CTM) holds that cognitive processes are essentially computational, and hence computation provides the scientific key to explaining mentality. The Representational Theory of Mind (RTM) holds that representational content is the key feature in distinguishing mental from non-mental systems. I argue that there is a deep incompatibility between these two theoretical frameworks, and that the acceptance of CTM provides strong grounds for rejecting RTM. The focal point of the incompatibility is the fact that representational content is extrinsic to formal procedures as such, and the intended interpretation of syntax makes no difference to the execution of an algorithm. So the unique 'content' postulated by RTM is superfluous to the formal procedures of CTM. And once these procedures are implemented in a physical mechanism, it is exclusively the causal properties of the physical mechanism that are responsible for all aspects of the system's behaviour. So once again, postulated content is rendered superfluous. To the extent that semantic content may appear to play a role in behaviour, it must be syntactically encoded within the system, and just as in a standard computational artefact, so too with the human mind/brain - it's pure syntax all the way down to the level of physical implementation. Hence 'content' is at most a convenient meta-level gloss, projected from the outside by human theorists, which itself can play no role in cognitive processing

Supporting adaptiveness of cyber-physical processes through action-based formalisms

Cyber Physical Processes (CPPs) refer to a new generation of business processes enacted in many application environments (e.g., emergency management, smart manufacturing, etc.), in which the presence of Internet-of-Things devices and embedded ICT systems (e.g., smartphones, sensors, actuators) strongly influences the coordination of the real-world entities (e.g., humans, robots, etc.) inhabitating such environments. A Process Management System (PMS) employed for executing CPPs is required to automatically adapt its running processes to anomalous situations and exogenous events by minimising any human intervention. In this paper, we tackle this issue by introducing an approach and an adaptive Cognitive PMS, called SmartPM, which combines process execution monitoring, unanticipated exception detection and automated resolution strategies leveraging on three well-established action-based formalisms developed for reasoning about actions in Artificial Intelligence (AI), including the situation calculus, IndiGolog and automated planning. Interestingly, the use of SmartPM does not require any expertise of the internal working of the AI tools involved in the system

Theories of Meaning for the Internet of Things

In this chapter, we consider the theoretical foundations for representing knowledge in the Internet of Things context. Specifically, we consider (1) the model-theoretic semantics (i.e., extensional semantics), (2) the possible-world semantics (i.e., intensional semantics), (3) the situation semantics, and (4) the cognitive/distributional semantics. Given the peculiarities of the Internet of Things, we pay particular attention to (a) perception (i.e., how to establish a connection to the world), (b) intersubjectivity (i.e., how to align world representations), and (c) the dynamics of world knowledge (i.e., how to model events). We come to the conclusion that each of the semantic theories helps in modeling specific aspects, but does not sufficiently address all three aspects simultaneously

Adaptive Process Management in Cyber-Physical Domains

The increasing application of process-oriented approaches in new challenging cyber-physical domains beyond business computing (e.g., personalized healthcare, emergency management, factories of the future, home automation, etc.) has led to reconsider the level of flexibility and support required to manage complex processes in such domains. A cyber-physical domain is characterized by the presence of a cyber-physical system coordinating heterogeneous ICT components (PCs, smartphones, sensors, actuators) and involving real world entities (humans, machines, agents, robots, etc.) that perform complex tasks in the “physical” real world to achieve a common goal. The physical world, however, is not entirely predictable, and processes enacted in cyber-physical domains must be robust to unexpected conditions and adaptable to unanticipated exceptions. This demands a more flexible approach in process design and enactment, recognizing that in real-world environments it is not adequate to assume that all possible recovery activities can be predefined for dealing with the exceptions that can ensue. In this chapter, we tackle the above issue and we propose a general approach, a concrete framework and a process management system implementation, called SmartPM, for automatically adapting processes enacted in cyber-physical domains in case of unanticipated exceptions and exogenous events. The adaptation mechanism provided by SmartPM is based on declarative task specifications, execution monitoring for detecting failures and context changes at run-time, and automated planning techniques to self-repair the running process, without requiring to predefine any specific adaptation policy or exception handler at design-time

Automated Validation of State-Based Client-Centric Isolation with TLA ⁺

Clear consistency guarantees on data are paramount for the design and implementation of distributed systems. When implementing distributed applications, developers require approaches to verify the data consistency guarantees of an implementation choice. Crooks et al. define a state-based and client-centric model of database isolation. This paper formalizes this state-based model in, reproduces their examples and shows how to model check runtime traces and algorithms with this formalization. The formalized model in enables semi-automatic model checking for different implementation alternatives for transactional operations and allows checking of conformance to isolation levels. We reproduce examples of the original paper and confirm the isolation guarantees of the combination of the well-known 2-phase locking and 2-phase commit algorithms. Using model checking this formalization can also help finding bugs in incorrect specifications. This improves feasibility of automated checking of isolation guarantees in synthesized synchronization implementations and it provides an environment for experimenting with new designs.</p

Dispositions in Evolutionary Biology: A Metaphysically Realist Account

In the last several decades, philosophers of biology have published countless books and articles on the causal mechanisms underlying evolutionary change. There has been scant effort devoted, however, to detailed analysis of what these mechanisms mean for the relationship between our best interpretations of evolutionary change and our metaphysical picture of the world. This thesis addresses some key aspects of that metaphysical picture. I argue for a metaphysically realist interpretation of dispositions as causally active in evolutionary biology. I address fitness and evolvability in particular, as they present two of the best possible case studies for a metaphysically realist interpretation of dispositions. I claim that dispositional realism is justified in part based on its empirical warrant. That is, as a metaphysics of science, it gives us all the metaphysics we need for making sense of the empirical success of science (especially biology), and no more. I present Ontic Structural Realism as an opposing view. Ontic Structural Realism argues for the dismissal of objects and dispositions on the basis of a certain interpretation of fundamental physics. I present some arguments against this view and in favor of my own

Categorical Ontology of Complex Systems, Meta-Systems and Theory of Levels: The Emergence of Life, Human Consciousness and Society

Single cell interactomics in simpler organisms, as well as somatic cell interactomics in multicellular organisms, involve biomolecular interactions in complex signalling pathways that were recently represented in modular terms by quantum automata with ‘reversible behavior’ representing normal cell cycling and division. Other implications of such quantum automata, modular modeling of signaling pathways and cell differentiation during development are in the fields of neural plasticity and brain development leading to quantum-weave dynamic patterns and specific molecular processes underlying extensive memory, learning, anticipation mechanisms and the emergence of human consciousness during the early brain development in children. Cell interactomics is here represented for the first time as a mixture of ‘classical’ states that determine molecular dynamics subject to Boltzmann statistics and ‘steady-state’, metabolic (multi-stable) manifolds, together with ‘configuration’ spaces of metastable quantum states emerging from complex quantum dynamics of interacting networks of biomolecules, such as proteins and nucleic acids that are now collectively defined as quantum interactomics. On the other hand, the time dependent evolution over several generations of cancer cells --that are generally known to undergo frequent and extensive genetic mutations and, indeed, suffer genomic transformations at the chromosome level (such as extensive chromosomal aberrations found in many colon cancers)-- cannot be correctly represented in the ‘standard’ terms of quantum automaton modules, as the normal somatic cells can. This significant difference at the cancer cell genomic level is therefore reflected in major changes in cancer cell interactomics often from one cancer cell ‘cycle’ to the next, and thus it requires substantial changes in the modeling strategies, mathematical tools and experimental designs aimed at understanding cancer mechanisms. Novel solutions to this important problem in carcinogenesis are proposed and experimental validation procedures are suggested. From a medical research and clinical standpoint, this approach has important consequences for addressing and preventing the development of cancer resistance to medical therapy in ongoing clinical trials involving stage III cancer patients, as well as improving the designs of future clinical trials for cancer treatments.\ud \ud \ud KEYWORDS: Emergence of Life and Human Consciousness;\ud Proteomics; Artificial Intelligence; Complex Systems Dynamics; Quantum Automata models and Quantum Interactomics; quantum-weave dynamic patterns underlying human consciousness; specific molecular processes underlying extensive memory, learning, anticipation mechanisms and human consciousness; emergence of human consciousness during the early brain development in children; Cancer cell ‘cycling’; interacting networks of proteins and nucleic acids; genetic mutations and chromosomal aberrations in cancers, such as colon cancer; development of cancer resistance to therapy; ongoing clinical trials involving stage III cancer patients’ possible improvements of the designs for future clinical trials and cancer treatments. \ud \u

Ein Fixpunkt-Kalkül zur Charakterisierung interaktiven Verhaltens von Informationssystemen

The dynamics of an information system (IS) is characterized not only by its computational behavior, but also by its interactive behavior. Interactive dynamics forms an integral part of most information systems. Despite this, an understanding of the interactive nature of an IS is still low. Interaction impacts expressiveness of an IS at such fundamental levels that Wegner [Weg97, Weg99a] came with a contention saying interactive behavior cannot be modeled by Turing Machines (TMs). A TM is considered the foundational model of computation. It models computable functions that map between problem and solution domains. However, a TM models only non-interactive mappings. A mapping between a problem and a solution domain that is interactive in nature can change its direction of computation resulting from intermediate interactions. Based on this contention, Wegner proposes interaction (rather than computation) as the fundamental framework for IS modeling [Weg99]. In this thesis, we address Wegner's contention and the nature of interactive dynamics. An information system is modeled as a collection of semantic processes or Problem Solving Processes (PSPs). If these PSPs are interactive in nature, they are called open systems; and if they are non-interactive, such an IS is called a closed system. Intuitively, open system dynamics are known to be richer than closed system dynamics. We make this distinction precise in this thesis. Interaction is shown to be made up of three properties: computation, persistence of state across computations, and channel sensitivity. Persistence of state and channel sensitivity each contribute to richer behavioral semantics than just computation. This is shown by introducing a concept called the solution space of a semantic process. A solution space is the abstract domain characterized by the process dynamics. Interactive solution spaces are found to be richer than algorithmic solution spaces and also interactive solution spaces require at least a three-valued system of logic for their characterization. The earlier question of interactive behavior as applied to IS design is then revisited. Interactive dynamics of an IS characterize the IS functionality. We call the solution space of interactive IS behavior as its interaction space. The interaction space of an IS is contrasted with the object space of the IS which is concerned with the IS structure and state maintenance dynamics. The interaction space has a degree of autonomy with respect to the object space. This aspect is often not acknowledged in IS design, resulting in the intermixing of structural and functionality concerns. Separating these concerns can avoid certain conflicting problems in IS design, as well as provide better maintainability. We call this the "dual" nature of open systems. Based on this insight we propose an IS design paradigm called dualism, where an IS model is made up of an object schema, characterizing the IS structure and an interaction schema, characterizing the IS functionality. The interaction schema is characterized by a three-valued system of logic, representing a set of obligated (or liveness) behavior, permitted (or possible) behavior and forbidden behavior. The system should perform the obligated behavior to be termed functional; it may perform any of the permitted behavior and it may not perform forbidden behavior. An analysis of the dynamics of any real world system can make these three-valued characteristics apparent. Domain theory is used to propose solution space concept, and deontic logic is used to represent the three modalities of interactive IS behavior.Die Dynamik von Informationssystemen wird nicht nur durch das Verhalten der Berechnungen, sondern insbesondere durch das interaktive Verhalten charakterisiert. Demzufolge ist die Charakterisierung der Interaktion ein integraler Bestandteil der Modellierung von Informationssystemen. Obwohl dies allgemein anerkannt ist, wird die interaktive Natur von Informationsssytemen immer noch nicht verstanden. Die Interaktion von Informationssystemen ist so komplex, dass Wegner [Weg97, Weg99a] zu der Schlussfolgerung kam, dass das interaktive Verhalten von Informationssystemen nicht durch Turing Maschinen (TM) charakterisiert werden kann. Die Turing Maschine wird als eines der grundlegenden Modelle der Berechnung angesehen. Turing Maschinen modellieren berechenbare Funktionen, die zwischen Problemen und Lösungsräumen Abbildungen herstellen. Doch modellieren Turing Maschinen nur nicht interaktive Abbildungen. Eine Abbildung zwischen einem Problem und einem Lösungsraum, der essentiell interaktiv ist, kann zur Laufzeit das Resultat der Abbildung und die Abbildung aufgrund von Interaktionen selbst ändern. Auf der Grundlage dieser Beobachtung schlug Wegner vor, die Interaktion als grundlegendes Paradigma von Informationssystemen anstelle von Berechnungen anzunehmen. In dieser Dissertation werden Wegners Vermutung und die Natur des Verhaltens von Interaktion untersucht. Ein Informationssystem wird als eine Kollektion von semantischen Prozessen bzw. Problemlösungsprozessen (PLPs) modelliert. Wenn PLPs essentiell interaktiv sind, werden Systeme dieser Art offene Systeme genannt. Wenn sie nicht interaktiv sind, werden Informationssysteme geschlossene Systeme genannt. Intuitiv kann angenommen werden, dass offene Systeme ein reicheres Verhalten haben als geschlossene Systeme. In dieser Dissertation wird diese Unterscheidung präzisiert. Interaktion basiert auf folgenden drei Eigenschaften: Berechnung, Persistenz von Zustandsveränderungen und Kanalabhängigkeit. Die Persistenz von Zustandsveränderungen und Kanalabhängigkeit ist von der Ausdruckskraft her stärker als die Berechnung. Das wird in der Dissertation durch die Einführung des Lösungsraumes von semantischen Prozessen gezeigt. Ein Lösungsraum ist eine abstrakte Domäne, die durch Prozessdynamik charakterisiert wird. Interaktive Lösungsräume sind demzufolge ausdrucksstärker als algorithmische Lösungsräume. Deshalb erfordert die Darstellung des interaktiven Lösungsraumes eine mindestens dreiwertige Logik. In der Arbeit werden sowohl Fragestellungen, die bereits für Informationssysteme ausreichend untersucht schienen, kritisch hinterfragt, als auch die interaktive Dynamik von Informationssystemen charakterisiert. Der Lösungsraum eines interaktiven Informationssystemes wird demzufolge um den Interaktionsraum erweitert. Dem Interaktionsraum steht der Objektraum des Informationssystemes gegenüber, der durch die Struktur und durch die Zustandsveränderungen des Informationssystemes beschrieben ist. Der Interaktionsraum ist bis zu einem gewissen Grad unabhängig vom Objektraum. Dieser Aspekt wurde bislang für den Entwurf von Informationssystemen nicht berücksichtigt, so dass strukturelle und funktionale Charakterisierungen vermischt wurden. Wenn man diese Charakteristiken separiert, kann man Konflikte, die üblicherweise beim Informationssystementwurf entstehen, vermeiden und dadurch eine bessere Pflege der Informationssysteme erreichen. Wir nennen diesen Zusammenhang den Dualismus von offenen Systemen. Basierend auf diesen Erkenntnissen schlagen wir als Paradigma für den Entwurf von Informationssystemen den Dualismus vor, der erfordert, dass ein Informationssystem durch ein Objektschema charakterisiert wird, das die Struktur darstellt und durch ein Interaktionsschema, das die Funktionaliät darstellt. Das Interaktionsschema wird durch eine dreiwertige Logik charakterisiert, die zum einen das obligatorische Verhalten, zum zweiten das erlaubte Verhalten und zum dritten das verbotene Verhalten charakterisiert. Ein System sollte dem obligatorischen Verhalten genügen, kann entsprechend dem erlaubten Verhalten Zustandsänderungen besitzen, darf allerdings keine Zustandsänderungen zulassen, die als verboten charakterisiert sind. Die Analysis der Dynamik von Systemen in realen Anwendungen zeigt die Sinnfältigkeit dieser dreiwertigen Charakterisierung. Die Domäntheorie ist benutzt worden, um den Lösungsraum zu charakterisieren. Mit deontischer Logik können die drei Modalitäten eines interaktiven Informationssystemes charakterisiert werden