A General Theory of (Identification in the) Limit and Convergence (to the Truth)

I propose a new definition of identification in the limit (also called convergence to the truth), as a new success criterion that is meant to complement, rather than replacing, the classic definition due to Gold (1967). The new definition is designed to explain how it is possible to have successful learning in a kind of scenario that Gold's classic account ignores---the kind of scenario in which the entire infinite data stream to be presented incrementally to the learner is not presupposed to completely determine the correct learning target. From a purely mathematical point of view, the new definition employs a convergence concept that generalizes net convergence and sits in between pointwise convergence and uniform convergence. Two results are proved to suggest that the new definition provides a success criterion that is by no means weak: (i) Between the new identification in the limit and Gold's classic one, neither implies the other. (ii) If a learning method identifies the correct target in the limit in the new sense, any U-shaped learning involved therein has to be redundant and can be removed while maintaining the new kind of identification in the limit. I conclude that we should have (at least) two success criteria that correspond to two senses of identification in the limit: the classic one and the one proposed here. They are complementary: meeting any one of the two is good; meeting both at the same time, if possible, is even better

Making the Local: Anthropology & the Suburban Citizen

Through anthropology at the edge, this thesis looks at how social projects form in dialogic relation to the ‘other’ as they meet and contest the meaning, values and forms of the material world. This PhD emerged between two social projects who aimed to make better suburbs. One, the Adaptable Suburbs Project (ASP) aimed to release the “untapped potential” of suburbs through a methodology of architectural analysis that combined different data sources. An online mapping platform aimed to collect oral testimonies from residents to reveal the “meaning, values, symbols” of the built environment. The location of a mountain, destroyed by a giant, was added by a group of local enthusiasts - the “Seething Villagers”. Playing with notions of history, myth and “fact”, Seethingers create events and “stupid” stories to create meaningful communities which “allow people to shine”. The story was refused by the ASP as the historical “fact” compromised the communicative ideal of deliberative democracy that underpinned the mapping project. Both social projects, one making better through academically informed planning policy at a national level, the other through forming “resilient” communities at a local level, met again in a council meeting. Here one social project, - Seethingers, as local citizens - articulated the values and meanings of the built environment through the framework of the other in order to object to planning application. It is here where the effects of the refusal were felt again. Producing efficacious knowledge and articulations about the world takes “work”. This thesis asks what sorts of subjectivities emerge at the edge of social projects, in moments of contestations, and what is lost in this process? Subjectivities emerge, not from the centre of a social project, but from the edge where it is always meeting the other. This thesis examines (and is) the material transfer of knowledge of ‘the other’ and its social, ethical and political implications

The portrayal of women in Mao Dun's early fiction 1927-1932

It is the prevailing critical assessment of Mao Dun's early creative writing that he displays a singular insight in his portrayal of women. This thesis seeks not only to challenge this assessment by a predominantly male body of criticism but also the assumptions on which it is based, namely that an intellectual sympathy for the women’s cause necessarily implies a transcendence of the patriarchal attitudes with which society is imbued. The major short stories and novellas written between 1927 and 1932 are analysed systematically to identify Mao Dun's underlying attitudes towards women. His portrayal of women is assessed from the following perspectives:~ his autobiographical accounts of his encounters with women in his political and personal life and his deliberate association of his female comrades with his creative inspiration;- traditional Chinese perceptions of women and gender roles as these are manifested in the classical tradition;-- Mao Dun's numerous articles and essays on the women's question written during the nineteen twenties and his work in the women's section of the Party in Shanghai;- Mao Dun's attempt to reconcile his conflicting sympathies for feminism and socialism. This thesis relies for its methodology on Western feminist criticism. While the approach is maintained, in its application to the context of early twentieth century China, its eurocentrism in terms of cultural assumptions and perceptions of gender has been replaced by a definition of Chinese values. Since a fundamental prerequisite, of feminist criticism is the assessment of the writer in his/her own cultural context, a historical survey of the portrayal of women in traditional literature is provided to serve as a standard against which to measure Mao Dun’s portrayal

Dwelling and hospitality: a phenomenological inquiry into therapeutic community

This phenomenological study firstly examines the concept of the 'therapeutic community' as it appears within contemporary British psychiatry. It argues that certain confusions and contradictions which are exhibited within this area of practice arise as an inevitable consequence of the medicalistic and psychologistic epistemologies upon which these communities are predicated. Secondly, it proposes a number of informing sources whereby the practices of a therapeutic community might be more soundly guided. Amongst these are the ethical writings of Aristotle, and the discussions of 'dwelling' which are to be found within recent European philosophical writings. In particular, certain writings of Heidegger, Levinas and Bachelard are seen to be important. Informed by these sources, it is argued, we may find ourselves in a position to embody theorizing in a manner which more befits the subject matter of the therapeutic community. In the third part, an illustration is offered, of one therapeutic community household within which these questions of 'dwelling' were raised, and whose therapeutic gesture was understood in terms of the hospitality of dwelling, rather than the application of psychological method. Discussion is devoted to the founding of this household, the embeddedness of its conversations within the fabric of the ordinary, and the issues which were raised in the course of its finding its own way. In the final chapter of this thesis, attention is paid to the matter of the evaluation of such therapeutic households, and to their relevance to the current social policy of psychiatric 'care in the community'

Conceptualizing social formation: producing a textbook on South Africa.

The ultimate goal of the thesis is the construction of\ud a text, appropriate for student use, on South Africa's\ud social and spatial formation.\ud The first part of the thesis is the most lengthy. It is\ud a sophisticated account of South Africa's historical\ud geography since 1652. This is written in an academic\ud style, not for students, but for a learned readership,\ud and contains some original insights. In itself, it\ud represents an innovative contribution to the literature\ud on South Africa's social development.\ud The second part is a review of existing texts on South\ud Africa's history and geography, written purposefully\ud for students. These texts are subjected to a critique\ud with content and coverage being the main criteria.\ud The third part is an investigation of theoretical\ud issues concerning the relationship between readers,\ud particularly student readers, and texts. It seeks to\ud formulate guidelines for the writing of a student text\ud and the devising of learning activities which are\ud appropriate for learners.\ud In a brief conclusion, attention is paid to the ways in\ud which the original aims have been manifested in a\ud student text, included in the thesis as an appendix.\ud Although this text is another lengthy treatment of\ud South Africa's social and spatial formation, this time\ud it is written for an intended student readership. It\ud draws on the content deemed appropriate in the\ud sophisticated text of Part One, seeks to overcome the\ud weaknesses identified in current student texts in Part\ud Two, and is written in a style, appropriate for\ud students, suggested by Part Three. It also contains\ud student activities devised in the theoretical context\ud introduced in Part Three. The text is deemed to be a\ud significant advance on previously published History and\ud Geography educational materials

Bilingual Education in the United States: An Analysis of the Convergence of Policy, Theory and Research

Bilingual education policy in the United States public school system has a long-standing social and political history plagued by a forty-year debate about its goals and effectiveness. Policy has been informed by theory aimed at identifying best methods to provide English instruction to English Language Learners (ELLs), and research on bilingual education program effectiveness. However, perceptions about language based on cultural and political values have also played a considerable role, and fuel the national debate. On one side of this debate, critics argue bilingual education hinders ELLs’ ability to assimilate and rapidly acquire the dominant language of the US. Proponents of bilingual education, on the other hand, see it as an enrichment program, benefiting both ELLs and native English speakers cognitively and politically within an increasingly globalized context. This study examines the forces (second language acquisition theory in bilingual education, research on program effectiveness, the history of bilingual education policy-making, and the influence of language ideology) comprising bilingual education, with the outcome being twofold. The first is to dispel common misperceptions perpetuated within the debate about bilingual education by unearthing the multiplicities of it through qualitative reviews of each component lending itself to the phenomenon. Second, to illustrate how policy-making is encompassed by language ideologies as evidenced particularly within bilingual education policy shifts over the past forty-years. The reviews in this study are designed to provide policy-makers and educators with a comprehensive account of bilingual education to improve and inform decision making about its future. The findings of these analyses suggest ideologically founded policy have led to legislation lacking alignment with theory and research demonstrating evidence of bilingual education program effectiveness

The Development and Use of Armoured Vehicles in the First World War, with special Reference to the Role of Winston Churchill

Although their contribution in the Great War was limited, the use of armoured vehicles marked the commencement of significant changes in the nature of military operations. Late in the war, a report that was critical of Ministry management of tank production escaped the cloak of secrecy normally maintained by government departments. The report suggested Ministerial managerial standards fell well short of claims later made by Churchill. This raised the question of other possible failings and whether more might have been accomplished by Britain’s “secret weapon”. It therefore appeared appropriate to consider the development of armoured vehicles with a view to establishing whether there was any justification for the proposition that the nation might have allowed a greater war-time contribution by armoured vehicles to have escaped its grasp. Examination of military and Treasury files at the National Archives formed the core of the study. Transcripts of the hearings of the Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors, 1919/1920, were particularly relevant, these having received little attention in existing scholarship. Findings revealed poor management by Churchill’s Landships Committee in 1915 and later by the Ministry. The most significant finding was that inadequate briefing of the designers led to inappropriate specification for the first tanks. Many of the breakdowns associated with tanks in training and action at the Somme were predictable, the result of “old age”, exceeding of design life. Poor management by the Landships Committee appointed by Churchill had firstly slowed the design effort then provided a specification inappropriate to army requirements. The consequences of delays and faults for operations in the war, notably for the Battles of the Somme, are a matter of speculation, but could have been significant

Innovation: Key to the future

The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Annual Report is presented. A description of research and development projects is included. Topics covered include: space science; space systems; transportation systems; astronomy and astrophysics; earth sciences; solar terrestrial physics; microgravity science; diagnostic and inspection system; information, electronic, and optical systems; materials and manufacturing; propulsion; and structures and dynamics

Report of the Secretary of War; being part of the message and documents communicated to the two Houses of Congress at the beginning of the first session of the Forty-fourth Congress, 1875

Annual Message to Congress with Documents; Pres. Grant. 7 Dec. HED 1, 44-1. v1-5. 8364p. [ 1672-1682) Conflict between the Sioux Indians and miners entering the Black Hills; annual report of the Sec. of War (Serials 1674-1678); annual report of the Sec. of Interior (Serials 1680-1681); annual report of the Gen.Land Office (Serial1680); annual report of the CIA (Serial1680) , ineluding issues surrounding the Sioux treaty of 1868, the Sioux problem and the Black Hills, Mission Indians of California, Indian Territory, and reports of Supts ., agents, schools, and farms; etc