The Role of Imagination in Social Scientific Discovery: Why Machine Discoverers Will Need Imagination Algorithms

When philosophers discuss the possibility of machines making scientific discoveries, they typically focus on discoveries in physics, biology, chemistry and mathematics. Observing the rapid increase of computer-use in science, however, it becomes natural to ask whether there are any scientific domains out of reach for machine discovery. For example, could machines also make discoveries in qualitative social science? Is there something about humans that makes us uniquely suited to studying humans? Is there something about machines that would bar them from such activity? A close look at the methodology of interpretive social science reveals several abilities necessary to make a social scientific discovery, and one capacity necessary to possess any of them is imagination. For machines to make discoveries in social science, therefore, they must possess imagination algorithms

Range separation: The divide between local structures and field theories

This work presents parallel histories of the development of two modern theories of condensed matter: the theory of electron structure in quantum mechanics, and the theory of liquid structure in statistical mechanics. Comparison shows that key revelations in both are not only remarkably similar, but even follow along a common thread of controversy that marks progress from antiquity through to the present. This theme appears as a creative tension between two competing philosophies, that of short range structure (atomistic models) on the one hand, and long range structure (continuum or density functional models) on the other. The timeline and technical content are designed to build up a set of key relations as guideposts for using density functional theories together with atomistic simulation.Comment: Expanded version of a 30 minute talk delivered at the 2018 TSRC workshop on Ions in Solution, to appear in the March, 2019 issue of Substantia (https://riviste.fupress.net/index.php/subs/index

Does our fear of death stem from threatened belongingness?

In this dissertation, I examine the relative contribution to worldview defense (i.e., upholding one’s cultural worldviews) provided by the thoughts of one’s death and perceptions of curbed close relationships. The need to belong, to form meaningful and strong ties with others, is what many social psychologists believe to be one of the most fundamental and strongest motivations that humans possess (Baumeister, 2012; Baumeister & Leary, 1995; Kenrick, Griskevicius, Neuberg, & Schaller, 2010; Tomasello, 2014). The human brain is “hard-wired” to be around others (Beckes & Coan, 2011). In fact, large social group sizes of humans’ evolutionary past may have contributed to the large brain that modern humans possess today—a large brain with high cognitive ability is required to solve complex social problems such as attributing others’ mental states (Dunbar, 1998, 2003, 2009). Terror Management Theory (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012; Greenberg, Pyszczynski, & Solomon, 1986), however, suggests that humans’ high cognitive ability also allows for knowledge that death will inevitably arrive one day. This knowledge creates a state of “paralyzing” anxiety and drives what Terror Management Theorists believe to be the most fundamental of human motives: avoiding death. To overcome this anxiety, persons turn to their cultural worldviews to boost their self-esteem and assuage the existential crisis evoked by the thought of death. Although Terror Management Theory has received an impressive array of empirical support since its introduction, it has left one particular and important question unaddressed: why is it that humans fear death? Rather, Terror Management Theory simply assumes that humans do so. One possible reason behind this fear reflects the human need to belong. Being ostracized or excluded by others may be one of the most painful experiences humans may face, physically and cognitively. For example, being ostracized can decrease one’s of meaning (Stillman, Baumeister, Lambert, Crescioni, DeWall, & Fincham, 2009). Distress following social exclusion may even equate to experiencing physical pain (e.g., DeWall & Baumeister, 2006; MacDonald & Leary, 2005). The negative effects of ostracism may extend to simply observing others being excluded (Wesselman, Bagg, & Williams, 2009). Collectively, the physical, emotional, and cognitive distress following ostracism is strong enough for some to call ostracism “social death” (Case & Williams, 2004; Williams, 2007a). In this dissertation, I propose that “social” and “actual” death may not be too different. More specifically, death may perhaps be conceptualized as permanent social exclusion, or an everlasting threat to the fundamental need to belong (Leary, 2004). Upholding one’s cultural worldviews, as consistently documented in Terror Management Theory research (Greenberg & Arndt, 2012), may reflect persons attempting a re-establishment of social connectedness and to assuage their threatened need to belong. I tested these ideas in five studies. The results of a qualitative analysis of persons’ stream of consciousness on their own death revealed social themes. A second survey study suggested that social loss is indeed a dimension of death-related fears. In Experiments 1 and 3, I replicated the worldview defense effects of mortality salience (MS; i.e., more negative evaluations of anti-American essays). Still, I was unable to find evidence for increased death thought accessibility following MS (Experiment 2). Experiment 1 revealed that thinking about both the loss of relationships and the end of the world (where all humans cease to be) lead to worldview defense. Experiment 2 suggested that belongingness hindered the accessibility of death-related thoughts. Finally, a mediation analysis in Experiment 3 suggested that the link between MS and worldview defense may be grounded in belongingness. I discuss these findings in the framework of theories reflecting humans’ strong need to belong, and consider possible alternative explanations grounded in TMT

Transdisciplinary global change research: the co-creation of knowledge for sustainability

The challenges formulated within the Future Earth framework set the orientation for research programmes in sustainability science for the next ten years. Scientific disciplines from natural and social science will collaborate both among each other and with relevant societal groups in order to define the important integrated research questions, and to explore together successful pathways towards global sustainability. Such collaboration will be based on transdisciplinarity and integrated research concepts. This paper analyses the relationship between scientific integration and transdisciplinarity, discusses the dimensions of integration of different knowledge and proposes a platform and a paradigm for research towards global sustainability that will be both designed and conducted in partnership between science and society. We argue that integration is an iterative process that involves reflection among all stakeholders. It consists of three stages: co-design, co-production and co-dissemination

Developing decision support for Foodbank South Africa's allocation system: an application of operational research techniques to aid decision-making at a not-for-profit organization

There is a dearth of research on the application of hard Operational Research (OR) techniques (simulation, linear programming, goal programming, etc.) in determining optimal ordering, inventory and allocation policies for goods within distribution systems in developing countries. This study aims to assist decision making at a not-for-profit organization (NPO), Foodbank South Africa (FBSA), within its allocation system through a combined ‘soft-hard’ OR approach. Two problem-structuring tools (soft OR), Causal Mapping (CM) and Soft System Methodology’s Root Definitions (RDs), are used to structure the organization's goals (in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of the decision-context) and gain a better understanding of the ‘decision-issues’ in the allocation system at its Cape Town warehouse

Boundaries and Agency in Climate Uncertainty : Encountering Traditional Knowledge at the Edges of Science

Climate change has become an important and politicallycharged arena where traditional indigenous knowledges meet Western scientific knowledge. The positioning of Arctic science, at the edges of the scientific discourse but the centre of the climate change debate, makes it a philosophically probable and politically crucial location for questioning the foundations of Western science. By critically examining northern research that attempts to bridge the gap between traditional and scientific understandings of climate change, I ask the question, what do these meetings reveal about science? Studying how traditional knowledge appears through the lens of science can reveal much about science itself. In its attempt to predict the future, science becomes engaged in a neverending battle with uncertainty, but a core element of climate change is increased uncertainty. I discuss how more data may not provide the hoped for answers, but a change in attitude towards uncertainty might. Unlike science, traditional knowledge is more accepting of uncertainty, and while this is often attributed to spiritual elements, the key is nonhuman agency. I introduce new materialism as an emerging philosophy which restores agency to the nonhuman world through its holistic ontologyepistemology, offering science the possibility of accepting uncertainty without invoking spirituality. When traditional knowledge and science meet, boundaries can be created, reinforced, or overcome. By dissolving boundaries without erasing differences, new materialism offers the potential of decolonizing the Western scientific paradigm, thus opening it up to alternative ways of understanding and allowing it to be more effectively used as one of many tools in coping with climate change on both local and international scales

Gamifying and evaluating problem structuring: A card game workshop for generating decision objectives

Serious games, gamification, or game-based interventions are increasingly used as tools to aid participatory decision-making processes, but their evaluation is often not very rigorous. Therefore, it is still unclear whether game-based interventions are really beneficial. We focused on the following overarching question: how effective are game-based interventions specifically designed to support decision-making processes. We used an illustrative case to reflect on this question. Using a published framework proposing that design processes of game-based interventions and their evaluation are intertwined, we designed simultaneously (1) a game-based intervention, specifically a card game and a workshop structure in which this card game is to be used, and (2) its evaluation procedure, formulating evaluation questions and proposing measure instruments based on the literature. We pre-tested the evaluation procedure in a small pilot study with 10 students. We illustrate the use of the design framework for an intervention to generate objectives in a decision-making process about sustainable wastewater management. Through our illustrative case, we identify future research opportunities about designing game-based interventions and evaluating their effectiveness. We found that it is possible to address the dual challenge of game-based interventions for participatory decision-making processes: (1) designing an informative and engaging game-based intervention without telling participants what to think and (2) designing a tailored evaluation procedure. Designing the game-based intervention and its evaluation simultaneously is valuable, because both are strongly intertwined. However, conducting the evaluation is demanding and requires the collaborative efforts of scientists, including across disciplinary boundaries. For instance, the data collection effort could be distributed among different research groups to increase sample size. This would allow including control treatment(s) and covering the variation span of the confounding factors more broadly. All material is made openly available to foster collaborative future research

Balancing fisheries and coastal management across the triple bottom line: objectives and outcomes co-designed with stakeholders

Fisheries and coastal assets are both common pool resources. The management of natural resources has a special focus in sustainability science because of the need to avoid the ‘tragedy of the commons’. Not only do common resources need special attention to ensure future sustainability, there is also a need to ensure management decisions are not made on short timelines, so as to prevent the ‘tragedy of the horizon’. This tragedy occurs when the time to replenish those resources is much longer than the timeframe over which impacts of resource decisions are managed, and often imposes costs on future generations. This thesis focuses on how the management of fisheries and coastal resources can be implemented through a triple bottom line lens to avoid both tragedies. Foremost, the thesis examines how appropriate social objectives can be developed, particularly through stakeholder engagement, and how management options can be assessed to identify options that maximise triple bottom line outcomes. These aspects are demonstrated through a series of case studies. The purpose of the research presented in this thesis is to explore stakeholder participation in fisheries and coastal management decision-making with the triple bottom line approach. The triple bottom line as defined John Elkington (1997) encompasses seven paradigm shifts for sustainability: (i) using markets to improve environmental management and create triple-win situations; (ii) incorporating lifecycle technologies and approaches; (iii) engaging and co-designing with stakeholders so that they become process partners; (iv) transparency throughout assessment and management processes; (v) adopting long time horizons; (vi) uncovering and appreciating social ‘soft’ values and other externalities which will see the need for evolving ways and means to quantify qualitative outcomes; and (vii) establishing governance embedded with corporate social responsibility (CSR)

Business Process Automation and Managerial Accounting: An SAP Plug and Play Module (FINAL REPORT)

The primary aim of our project is to develop an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform that enables students at Pace to understand how different interdisciplinary areas in cross-unit and/or cross-enterprise decision making are related. ERP can help us do this since it allows a firm to automate and integrate its business processes, share common data and practices across the entire enterprise, and provide and access information in a real-time environment