Reasoning with linguistic preferences using NPN logic

Negative-positive-neutral logic provides an alternative framework for fuzzy cognitive maps development and decision analysis. This paper reviews basic notion of NPN logic and NPN relations and proposes adaptive approach to causality weights assessment. It employs linguistic models of causality weights activated by measurement-based fuzzy cognitive maps' concepts values. These models allow for quasi-dynamical adaptation to the change of concepts values, providing deeper understanding of possible side effects. Since in the real-world environments almost every decision has its consequences, presenting very valuable portion of information upon which we also make our decisions, the knowledge about the side effects enables more reliable decision analysis and directs actions of decision maker

Plausible reasoning for the problems of cognitive sociology

The plausible reasoning class (called the JSM-reasoning in honour of John Stuart Mill) is described. It implements interaction of three forms of non-deductive procedures induction, analogy and abduction. Empirical induction in the JSM-reasoning is the basis for generation of hypotheses on causal relations (determinants of social behaviour). Inference by analogy means that predictions about previously unknown properties of objects (individual’s behaviour) are inferred from causal relations. Abductive inference is performed to check on the explanatory adequacy of generated hypotheses. To recognize rationality of respondents’ opinion deductive inference is used. Plausible reasoning, semantics of argumentation logic and deductive recognition of opinion rationality represent logical tool for cognitive sociology problems

Proceedings of the Conference on Natural Language Processing 2010

This book contains state-of-the-art contributions to the 10th conference on Natural Language Processing, KONVENS 2010 (Konferenz zur Verarbeitung natürlicher Sprache), with a focus on semantic processing. The KONVENS in general aims at offering a broad perspective on current research and developments within the interdisciplinary field of natural language processing. The central theme draws specific attention towards addressing linguistic aspects ofmeaning, covering deep as well as shallow approaches to semantic processing. The contributions address both knowledgebased and data-driven methods for modelling and acquiring semantic information, and discuss the role of semantic information in applications of language technology. The articles demonstrate the importance of semantic processing, and present novel and creative approaches to natural language processing in general. Some contributions put their focus on developing and improving NLP systems for tasks like Named Entity Recognition or Word Sense Disambiguation, or focus on semantic knowledge acquisition and exploitation with respect to collaboratively built ressources, or harvesting semantic information in virtual games. Others are set within the context of real-world applications, such as Authoring Aids, Text Summarisation and Information Retrieval. The collection highlights the importance of semantic processing for different areas and applications in Natural Language Processing, and provides the reader with an overview of current research in this field

Representing animals : normalizing nonhuman/human relationships

This thesis is a response to the call for the development of a critical theory of nonhuman animals in fiction and the challenge of creating new habits of mind that make it possible to view the singular exploitable ‘animal’ as individuals in their own right. A Critical Discourse Analysis approach that includes aspects of narrative theory will be used to examine contemporary children’s literature, the Harry Potter series by J.K Rowling, to demonstrate how narrative and grammar work to render cultural practices associated with nonhuman animals as natural. These naturalized representations of cultural practices interpolate children into relationships with nonhuman animals that perpetuate oppression and exploitation. Given that the recognition of a link between representation and cultural practice is an essential starting point for change, the aim of the thesis is to demonstrate analytical methods that are capable of actively reading the presence of nonhuman animals into literary texts. These analytical methods are not meant to be reductive, imposing limits on how any text ‘should’ be read. Indeed, the methodology has been chosen precisely because of its ability not only to reveal naturalized/embedded discourses, particularly those currently active within contemporary texts, but also its capacity to create spaces in which to consider how these discourses relate to social practices beyond the text. This then allows for an informed evaluation of these discourses alongside the historical and social contexts that produce them. The thesis demonstrates how a pro-nonhuman animal perspective in literature is capable of contributing to an awareness of the discourses that work to construct and maintain our current, too often oppressive, relationships with nonhuman animals. Such an approach leads to the potential for a positive change in these relationships

A Hybrid Model for Document Retrieval Systems.

A methodology for the design of document retrieval systems is presented. First, a composite index term weighting model is developed based on term frequency statistics, including document frequency, relative frequency within document and relative frequency within collection, which can be adjusted by selecting various coefficients to fit into different indexing environments. Then, a composite retrieval model is proposed to process a user\u27s information request in a weighted Phrase-Oriented Fixed-Level Expression (POFLE), which may apply more than Boolean operators, through two phases. That is, we have a search for documents which are topically relevant to the information request by means of a descriptor matching mechanism, which incorporate a partial matching facility based on a structurally-restricted relationship imposed by indexing model, and is more general than matching functions of the traditional Boolean model and vector space model, and then we have a ranking of these topically relevant documents, by means of two types of heuristic-based selection rules and a knowledge-based evaluation function, in descending order of a preference score which predicts the combined effect of user preference for quality, recency, fitness and reachability of documents

Political Party Rebellion, Legislative Politics and Balance of Power in the 8th National Assembly of Nigeria

The issue of equitable power sharing in the All Progressives Congress APC controlled federal legislature has been very contentious in the 8th National Assembly of Nigeria This paper analyses the legislative politics and politics of office distribution in Nigeria focusing on how elite struggles for power and influence shape the internal conflicts and implementation of zoning principles in the National Assembly Legislatures evolve and develop internally in reaction to broader political environment Zoning and rotation principle are part of a democratic culture used to address the problems inherent in a plural society of underdeveloped states The zoning principle is structured to deliberately ensure some degree of diversity This is indispensable to the maintenance of the Nigerian State due to its diversity in ethnicity religion language education etc This article analyses the conflicts arising from an attempt to change the zoning principle and office distribution imbedded in the federal character principle in Nigeria It focuses on how elite struggle for power and money shape the conception implementation and continuity of zoning of offices and positions in order to maintain ethnic balancing The article adopts a methodology involving qualitative research based on a review of published literature The study recommended the reintroduction of zoning principle for maintaining zonal equilibrium as a modality for ethnic diversity balancing and managemen

Political Party Rebellion, Legislative Politics and Balance of Power in the 8th National Assembly of Nigeria

The issue of equitable power sharing in the All Progressives Congress APC controlled federal legislature has been very contentious in the 8th National Assembly of Nigeria This paper analyses the legislative politics and politics of office distribution in Nigeria focusing on how elite struggles for power and influence shape the internal conflicts and implementation of zoning principles in the National Assembly Legislatures evolve and develop internally in reaction to broader political environment Zoning and rotation principle are part of a democratic culture used to address the problems inherent in a plural society of underdeveloped states The zoning principle is structured to deliberately ensure some degree of diversity This is indispensable to the maintenance of the Nigerian State due to its diversity in ethnicity religion language education etc This article analyses the conflicts arising from an attempt to change the zoning principle and office distribution imbedded in the federal character principle in Nigeria It focuses on how elite struggle for power and money shape the conception implementation and continuity of zoning of offices and positions in order to maintain ethnic balancing The article adopts a methodology involving qualitative research based on a review of published literature The study recommended the reintroduction of zoning principle for maintaining zonal equilibrium as a modality for ethnic diversity balancing and managemen