733 research outputs found
Principles of ontophylogenetic development of artificial general intelligence systems based on multi-agent neurocognitive architectures
The purpose of the study is to study the possibilities of multigenerational optimization of behavior control systems for agents of general artificial intelligence capable of independently solving a universal range of tasks in a real environment. The main principles of ontophylogenetic synthesis of control systems for agents of general artificial intelligence based on multi-agent neurocognitive architectures have been developed. Methods and algorithms for synthesizing the phenotypes of control systems of intelligent agents according to their genotypes are proposed. A software package for simulating the processes of ontophylogenetic synthesis of multi-agent neurocognitive architectures has been developed and experiments have been carried out to create phenotypes of intelligent agents based on them. A complex genome of an intelligent agent has been developed, the features of a multichromosome genetic algorithm for organizing calculations in the paradigm of multigenerational optimization of multiagent neurocognitive architectures have been established and substantiated. It is shown that multigenerational optimization of the multi-agent neurocognitive architecture of intelligent agents can contribute to the achievement of adaptive resistance to the operating conditions of a general artificial intelligence agent, provide the synthesis of its suboptimal structural and functional scheme, accelerate learning and algorithms for finding solutions to a universal range of problems solved by this agent in its ecological niche
A study of unskilled migrant construction workers in developing countries
Over the past twenty years, migrants have become essential to the construction industry’s
workforce in developing countries. This thesis is a labour migration study and
investigates the involvement of migrant workers and their issues in the wider labour
market with a particular focus on the construction sector. Although there is research on
the living and working conditions of migrant workers and growing acknowledgement of
the construction industry being hazardous for low skilled workers in particular, there has
been little research on employment conditions given the new requirements that have put
considerable pressure on the industry.
This study takes a qualitative approach, with in-depth interviews with both employers and
employees in the construction industry. In-depth telephone interviews were conducted
with 12 managers from the UAE (n=5), and the KSA (n=7). In addition, data was
collected from the fieldwork in Thailand, which includes face-to face in-depth interviews
with managers (n=10) and with migrant workers (n=22). The experiences of the 44
participants in this study provide the basis for understanding the situation of migrant
construction workers. The aim is to find ways for improving the conditions of migrant
construction workers in developing countries.
Based on the experiences of the participants, this study positions migrant workers within
the construction industry by examining the factors that have the greatest impact on the
lived reality of work. It considers how they could enjoy positive migration and work
experiences in the sector that would allow them to both contribute to and benefit from the
new developments within the construction industry. The conceptual models were
designed based on the fundamentals of system thinking for a system of several elements
under the key catalysers migration and employment. It is vital that knowledge be gathered
about factors acting as force to changes within the construction industry to ensure that
policies and practices relating to migration, employment, Occupational Health and
Safety, and wellbeing are well evidenced. This thesis contributes to existing knowledge
by shaping the linkages that reveal the opinions, requirements, and experiences of migrant
construction workers. The study outlines recommendations for improving conditions for
migrant workers in construction sector
A Philosophy for the Science of Animal Consciousness
This book attempts to advance Donald Griffin's vision of the "final, crowning chapter of the Darwinian revolution" by developing a philosophy for the science of animal consciousness. It advocates a Darwinian bottom-up approach that treats consciousness as a complex, evolved, and multidimensional phenomenon in nature rather than a mysterious all-or-nothing property immune to the tools of science and restricted to a single species.
The so-called emergence of a science of consciousness in the 1990s has at best been a science of human consciousness. This book aims to advance a true Darwinian science of consciousness in which its evolutionary origin, function, and phylogenetic diversity are moved from the field’s periphery to its very centre, thus enabling us to integrate consciousness into an evolutionary view of life. Accordingly, this book has two objectives: (i) to argue for the need and possibility of an evolutionary bottom-up approach that addresses the problem of consciousness in terms of the evolutionary origins of a new ecological lifestyle that made consciousness worth having and (ii) to articulate a thesis and beginnings of a theory of the place of consciousness as a complex evolved phenomenon in nature that can help us to answer the question of what it is like to be a bat, an octopus, or a crow.
A Philosophy for the Science of Animal Consciousness will appeal to researchers and advanced students interested in advancing our understanding of animal minds as well as anyone with a keen interest in how we can develop a science of animal consciousness
A systems approach to the process dynamics of interpersonal selling in the financial services industry
The Financial Services Industry (FSI) in South Africa is currently under severe criticism for the quality of service it provides to its customer base. Customer dissatisfaction expressed through individuals, (See Appendix A) consumer bodies and members of parliament has resulted in the draft and approval of three new bills in parliament, which will protect the rights of customer
Social impact assessment monitoring the Huntly monitoring project in retrospect
The emerging field of Social Impact Assessment Monitoring is critically examined through a review of the Huntly Monitoring Project (HMP). A summary of the HMP, which is both reflexive and critical, identifies practical issues and criticisms arising from that research experience, as well as describing its research method and results. Criticisms of the application of Positivism to Social Science published during the six years of the HMP provide a framework for an SIA Monitoring critique. Alternative philosophical and theoretical positions advanced by Albrow, Giddens, Hagerstrand and Pred are examined. Ideas pertinent to SIA Monitoring are brought together in a discussion of Albrow’s Dialectical Paradigm, Giddens’ Theory of Action, and Hagerstrand’s Time-Geography. The implications for SIA Monitoring of two opposing philosophical positions within Social Science are examined through a comparison of eight SIA Monitoring options, with only three found to be compatible with the non-positivistic position. SIA Monitoring as a Study of Structuration is one of these three options, and a coherent methodology is provided for it by Time-Geography. Finally, it is concluded that designing another Huntly Monitoring Project to include non-positivistic ideas is possible but politically difficult
Preview of A Philosophy for the Science of Animal Consciousness
The goal of this chapter is to make the case that any biological approach to consciousness must address the teleonomic question of what consciousness in all of its gradations and varieties does for healthy agents within their normal ecological lifestyles and the natural environments in which they have evolved. An evolutionary bottom-up approach to consciousness, this chapter argues, is both possible and necessary to advance a true Darwinian science of consciousness. But to advance such an approach, the chapter will also present a new thesis on the function of consciousness: the pathological complexity thesis. The pathological complexity thesis elaborates the idea that the origin and function of consciousness lie in enabling organisms to efficiently deal with their species-specific trade-offs of their life histories. To understand health as a natural phenomenon is simply to measure how well an organism succeeds at dealing with their pathological complexity trade-offs, with fitness providing the common currency for biological design. And the origins of consciousness can be understood as the evolution of hedonic valence as a proximate common currency to enable organisms to efficiently calculate these trade-offs in their own actions
Human–agent team dynamics: a review and future research opportunities
Humans teaming with intelligent autonomous agents is becoming indispensable in work environments. However, human–agent teams pose significant challenges, as team dynamics are complex arising from the task and social aspects of human–agent interactions. To improve our understanding of human–agent team dynamics, in this article, we conduct a systematic literature review. Drawing on Mathieu et al.’s (2019) teamwork model developed for all-human teams, we map the landscape of research to human–agent team dynamics, including structural features, compositional features, mediating mechanisms, and the interplay of the above features and mechanisms. We reveal that the development of human–agent team dynamics is still nascent, with a particular focus on information sharing, trust development, agents’ human likeness behaviors, shared cognitions, situation awareness, and function allocation. Gaps remain in many areas of team dynamics, such as team processes, adaptability, shared leadership, and team diversity. We offer various interdisciplinary pathways to advance research on human–agent teams
Modelling land use using demographic forecasting and local optimisation: A case study of general education provision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Globally accepted guidelines for land use allocation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia have been
based on an outmoded practice that was created over a century ago. This approach is
based on a mix of predetermined population densities, walking distances, and per person
area ratios. The latter criterion is essentially based on a worldwide average for facility
areas and user numbers. The fundamental criticism levelled at such practices is their
insensitivity to population trends and limited land resources. In this context, this research
is aimed at updating common practice in the light of population growth and residential
mobility projections at the city and district levels. The models introduced aim to provide
comprehensive and adaptable simulation tools for optimising any type of land use
provision standard over a specified time period. The simulation environment makes use
of an agent-based framework that adapts and integrates a number of well-known
methodologies, including Cohort Component Modelling (CCM) for population
projection, Spatial Interaction (SI) modelling for residential mobility, and
AutoRegressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) for various ratio extrapolation.
Additionally, new hybrid concepts and approaches have been evaluated, including a
household based CCM and the use of Neural Network algorithms (NN) to forecast
residential mobility. The case study focuses on Saudi populations in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia where the three general education stages at elementary, middle, and secondary
levels were optimised for both genders. Moreover, the optimisation time horizon spans
50 years, from 2020 to 2070 while the focus of research at the city level optimises the
conventional ratio of area per student based on the present stock of education allocated
land and a land consumption ratio defined for every five years. The district level
optimisation, on the other hand, balances the demand and supply of education over 50
years by utilising the Ministry of Education's (MOE) predesigned school prototypes. The
research findings demonstrate the feasibility of developing a tool for optimising land use
guidelines that is capable of producing acceptable outcomes while being sensitive to
demographic change and land resource availability
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