Optimizing the Learning Order of Chinese Characters Using a Novel Topological Sort Algorithm

We present a novel algorithm for optimizing the order in which Chinese characters are learned, one that incorporates the benefits of learning them in order of usage frequency and in order of their hierarchal structural relationships. We show that our work outperforms previously published orders and algorithms. Our algorithm is applicable to any scheduling task where nodes have intrinsic differences in importance and must be visited in topological order

A Survey of Monte Carlo Tree Search Methods

Monte Carlo tree search (MCTS) is a recently proposed search method that combines the precision of tree search with the generality of random sampling. It has received considerable interest due to its spectacular success in the difficult problem of computer Go, but has also proved beneficial in a range of other domains. This paper is a survey of the literature to date, intended to provide a snapshot of the state of the art after the first five years of MCTS research. We outline the core algorithm's derivation, impart some structure on the many variations and enhancements that have been proposed, and summarize the results from the key game and nongame domains to which MCTS methods have been applied. A number of open research questions indicate that the field is ripe for future work

The Computational Intelligence of MoGo Revealed in Taiwan's Computer Go Tournaments

International audienceTHE AUTHORS ARE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO GRID5000 for helping in designing and experimenting around Monte-Carlo Tree Search. In order to promote computer Go and stimulate further development and research in the field, the event activities, "Computational Intelligence Forum" and "World 99 Computer Go Championship," were held in Taiwan. This study focuses on the invited games played in the tournament, "Taiwanese Go players versus the computer program MoGo," held at National University of Tainan (NUTN). Several Taiwanese Go players, including one 9-Dan professional Go player and eight amateur Go players, were invited by NUTN to play against MoGo from August 26 to October 4, 2008. The MoGo program combines All Moves As First (AMAF)/Rapid Action Value Estimation (RAVE) values, online "UCT-like" values, offline values extracted from databases, and expert rules. Additionally, four properties of MoGo are analyzed including: (1) the weakness in corners, (2) the scaling over time, (3) the behavior in handicap games, and (4) the main strength of MoGo in contact fights. The results reveal that MoGo can reach the level of 3 Dan with, (1) good skills for fights, (2) weaknesses in corners, in particular for "semeai" situations, and (3) weaknesses in favorable situations such as handicap games. It is hoped that the advances in artificial intelligence and computational power will enable considerable progress in the field of computer Go, with the aim of achieving the same levels as computer chess or Chinese chess in the future

Redesigning Historic Districts: A Study of Preservation Plans for Historic Districts of Jingzhou Ancient City in Hubei, China

Designation of historic districts is becoming a more commonly seen strategy for protecting larger environment and historic urban fabrics in China. Jingzhou, which is one of the first 24 “Historic Cultural Cities” in China, designated three historic districts in 2014. However, there are many issues with the existing preservation plans. Before the completed implementation of the plans, this thesis hopes to provide better solutions for creating more equitable and resilient historic districts through criticizing the existing plans, researching on case studies, as well as re-programming and redesigning the historic districts. The criticisms mainly focus on lacking sufficient considerations of large-scale demolition on local community, planning for superfluous amount of land use for tourism that brings negative impact on local residents’ life, and the improper designs of new buildings that mismatch the scales and form of existing buildings and erase the traces of history. Revitalization of Hutong in Beijing through “micro-circulation” and “organic-renew”, as well as the transformation from residential to commercial streets of Kuanzhai Alley in Chengdu are two case studies that are mainly researched on. The strategies of reprogram require participation of all three stakeholders that are government, residents, and developers, and propose to introduce microcirculation, community development commission, as well as transferable development rights into preservation and development of historic districts. The strategies of redesign reiterate the goal of creating an equitable and resilient neighborhood through revising demolition plan, designating distinctive spaces in neighborhood, and creating new site plan

The horizontal mechanism initiative in the WTO: the proceduralist turn and its discontents

No abstract available

Differences in Cognitive Flexibility Within the Primate Lineage and Across Human Cultures: When Learned Strategies Block Better Alternatives

By applying learned rules, humans are able to accurately solve many problems with minimal cognitive effort; yet, this sort of habit-based problem solving may readily foster a type of cognitive inflexibility termed ‘cognitive set’. Cognitive set occurs when an alternative – even more efficient – strategy is masked by a known, familiar solution. In this research, I explored how cognitive set differs between primate species and across human cultures, using a nonverbal computerized ‘LS-DS’ task, which measures subjects’ ability to depart from a three-step, learned strategy (LS) in order to adopt a more efficient, one-step, direct strategy (DS or ‘the shortcut’). First, I compared baboons’, chimpanzees’, and humans’ abilities to break cognitive set and found that all baboon and chimpanzee subjects used the DS shortcut when it became available; yet, humans exhibited a remarkable preference for the LS. Next, in an effort to elucidate how cognitive set occludes alternative strategies, I tracked human participants’ eye movements to identify whether better solutions are a) visually overlooked or b) seen but disregarded. Although human subjects saw the shortcut, they did not use it until their conceptualization of the problem constraints were altered. Lastly, to further distinguish between perceptual and conceptual influences on cognitive set, I compared shortcut-use between Westerners and the semi-nomadic Himba of northern Namibia. This study found that susceptibility to cognitive set varied across human cultures and presented further evidence that problem conceptualization, and not perceptual processing, influences individuals’ ability to break set and use the alternative. Overall, this research provides a novel comparison of cognitive flexibility within the primate lineage and across human cultures. The implications for set-promoting influences, including the potentially mechanizing problem-solving methods typical of Western education, are discussed

Lasting reductions in illegal moves following increasing their cost: Evidence from river-crossing problems

Improving problem solving requires understanding what difficulties people have when they approach novel problems. Some of the known difficulties include identifying and understanding the operators (Kotovsky & Simon, 1990) or having implicit but wrong constraints on move selection (Richard, Poitrenaud, & Tijus, 1993), memory load imposed by the task or external circumstances (Kotovsky, Hayes, & Simon, 1985), whether the rules agree with real-world knowledge (Griggs & Cox, 1983; Kotovsky & Simon, 1990), difficulties in planning ahead (Atwood, Masson, & Polson, 1980; Atwood & Polson, 1976; Delaney, Ericsson, & Knowles, 2004), failures to sufficiently reflect on move selection (Davies, 2000), and heuristic biases that may lead problem solvers to select the wrong move at any given time (e.g., Atwood et al., 1980; Atwood & Polson, 1976)