Contributions of formal language theory to the study of dialogues

For more than 30 years, the problem of providing a formal framework for modeling dialogues has been a topic of great interest for the scientific areas of Linguistics, Philosophy, Cognitive Science, Formal Languages, Software Engineering and Artificial Intelligence. In the beginning the goal was to develop a "conversational computer", an automated system that could engage in a conversation in the same way as humans do. After studies showed the difficulties of achieving this goal Formal Language Theory and Artificial Intelligence have contributed to Dialogue Theory with the study and simulation of machine to machine and human to machine dialogues inspired by Linguistic studies of human interactions. The aim of our thesis is to propose a formal approach for the study of dialogues. Our work is an interdisciplinary one that connects theories and results in Dialogue Theory mainly from Formal Language Theory, but also from another areas like Artificial Intelligence, Linguistics and Multiprogramming. We contribute to Dialogue Theory by introducing a hierarchy of formal frameworks for the definition of protocols for dialogue interaction. Each framework defines a transition system in which dialogue protocols might be uniformly expressed and compared. The frameworks we propose are based on finite state transition systems and Grammar systems from Formal Language Theory and a multi-agent language for the specification of dialogue protocols from Artificial Intelligence. Grammar System Theory is a subfield of Formal Language Theory that studies how several (a finite number) of language defining devices (language processors or grammars) jointly develop a common symbolic environment (a string or a finite set of strings) by the application of language operations (for instance rewriting rules). For the frameworks we propose we study some of their formal properties, we compare their expressiveness, we investigate their practical application in Dialogue Theory and we analyze their connection with theories of human-like conversation from Linguistics. In addition we contribute to Grammar System Theory by proposing a new approach for the verification and derivation of Grammar systems. We analyze possible advantages of interpreting grammars as multiprograms that are susceptible of verification and derivation using the Owicki-Gries logic, a Hoare-based logic from the Multiprogramming field

The doctrine of immortality among the pre-pauline Christians

This investigation treats of the origin of the Doctrine of Immortality. Was it implicit in the teachings of the earliest Jewish Christians or a later addition to Christian thought? Part One, examines this teaching in relation to the thought, practices and institutions of the pre-Christian hellenised Jews in the light of the Zenon Papyri, Maccabees, Dead Sea Scrolls, Enoch, Pseudepigrapha, Josephus and other relevant sources. With the following results: (a) Highly advanced teachings on the Resurrection of the Body and Immortality of the Soul were conjoined by pre-Christian hellenised Jews. (b) The important separation of these doctrines first occurs in the controversies between the Pharisees and the Sadducees: the pre-Herodian Sadducees rejected the Pharisaic General Resurrection and Judgment, but affirmed a doctrine of Immortality and Translation of the Elect. Part Two, examines the Immortality-Resurrection Controversy as it emerged within the early Church and influenced the formulation of its two main Kerygmata, represented by the Immortality-Ascension Kerygma of the Urgemeinde; seen in the Urgemeinde traditions contained in the Gospels, particularly John and the Epistle to the Hebrews; and the Resurrection Kerygma of the Pauline Christians described in Acts and the Pauline Letters. A comparison discloses that: (a) The Urgemeinde interpreted pre-Christian Parousia expectations as already fulfilled in the Passion of Christ. Their Son of Man, Translation and Immortality Kerygma are closer to the eschatology of the pre-Herodian Sadducaic-Esaenes. (b) The Pauline Christians in their teachings on the Messianic Prophet and future Resurrection- Judgment , are shown to be closer to the basic Pharisaic eschatology; (c) Luke, unlike the other Evangelists, has sought to reconcile these differing Kerygmata which were both very much alive in his own day.(d) This Kerygmata Controversy was decisive in Paul's differences with the Urgemeinde. (e) The Fourth Gospel, although written later, discloses a unique continuity with the Urgemeinde Kerygma