A natural language interface to databases

The development of a Natural Language Interface which is semantic-based and uses Conceptual Dependency representation is presented. The system was developed using Lisp and currently runs on a Symbolics Lisp machine. A key point is that the parser handles morphological analysis, which expands its capabilities of understanding more words

A Game of Attribute Decomposition for Software Architecture Design

Attribute-driven software architecture design aims to provide decision support by taking into account the quality attributes of softwares. A central question in this process is: What architecture design best fulfills the desirable software requirements? To answer this question, a system designer needs to make tradeoffs among several potentially conflicting quality attributes. Such decisions are normally ad-hoc and rely heavily on experiences. We propose a mathematical approach to tackle this problem. Game theory naturally provides the basic language: Players represent requirements, and strategies involve setting up coalitions among the players. In this way we propose a novel model, called decomposition game, for attribute-driven design. We present its solution concept based on the notion of cohesion and expansion-freedom and prove that a solution always exists. We then investigate the computational complexity of obtaining a solution. The game model and the algorithms may serve as a general framework for providing useful guidance for software architecture design. We present our results through running examples and a case study on a real-life software project.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures, a shorter version to appear at 12th International Colloquium on Theoretical Aspects of Computing (ICTAC 2015

Temporal coherence length of light in semiclassical field theory models

The following work is motivated by the conceptual problems associated with the wave-particle duality and the notion of the photon. Two simple classical models for radiation from individual emitters are compared, one based on sines with random phasejumps, another based on pulse trains. The sum signal is calculated for a varying number of emitters. The focus lies on the final signal's statistical features quantified by means of the temporal coherence function and the temporal coherence length. We show how these features might be used to experimentally differentiate between the models. We also point to ambiguities in the definition of the temporal coherence length.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. The following article has been submitted to AIP Conference Proceedings: Advances in Quantum Theory, Vaxjo 201

Towards Modeling Conceptual Dependency Primitives with Image Schema Logic

Conceptual Dependency (CD) primitives and Image Schemas (IS) share a common goal of grounding symbols of natural language in a representation that allows for automated semantic interpretation. Both seek to establish a connection between high-level conceptualizations in natural language and abstract cognitive building blocks. Some previous approaches have established a CD-IS correspondence. In this paper, we build on this correspondence in order to apply a logic designed for image schemas to selected CD primitives with the goal of formally taking account of the CD inventory. The logic draws from Region Connection Calculus (RCC-8), Qualitative Trajectory Calculus (QTC), Cardinal Directions and Linear Temporal Logic (LTL). One of the primary premises of CD is a minimalist approach to its inventory of primitives, that is, it seeks to express natural language contents in an abstract manner with as few primitives as possible. In a formal analysis of physical primitives of CD we found a potential reduction since some primitives can be expressed as special cases of others

Image Schemas and Conceptual Dependency Primitives: A Comparison

A major challenge in natural language understanding research in artificial intelligence (AI) has been and still is the grounding of symbols in a representation that allows for rich semantic interpretation, inference, and deduction. Across cognitive linguistics and other disciplines, a number of principled methods for meaning representation of natural language have been proposed that aim to emulate capacities of human cognition. However, little cross-fertilization among those methods has taken place. A joint effort of human-level meaning representation from AI research and from cognitive linguistics holds the potential of contributing new insights to this profound challenge. To this end, this paper presents a first comparison of image schemas to an AI meaning representation system called Conceptual Dependency (CD). Restricting our study to the domain of physical and spatial conceptual primitives, we find connections and mappings from a set of action primitives in CD to a remarkably similar set of image schemas. We also discuss important implications of this connection, from formalizing image schemas to improving meaning representation systems in AI

Termination Proofs in the Dependency Pair Framework May Induce Multiple Recursive Derivational Complexity

We study the derivational complexity of rewrite systems whose termination is provable in the dependency pair framework using the processors for reduction pairs, dependency graphs, or the subterm criterion. We show that the derivational complexity of such systems is bounded by a multiple recursive function, provided the derivational complexity induced by the employed base techniques is at most multiple recursive. Moreover we show that this upper bound is tight.Comment: 22 pages, extended conference versio

Metaphoric coherence: Distinguishing verbal metaphor from `anomaly\u27

Theories and computational models of metaphor comprehension generally circumvent the question of metaphor versus “anomaly” in favor of a treatment of metaphor versus literal language. Making the distinction between metaphoric and “anomalous” expressions is subject to wide variation in judgment, yet humans agree that some potentially metaphoric expressions are much more comprehensible than others. In the context of a program which interprets simple isolated sentences that are potential instances of cross‐modal and other verbal metaphor, I consider some possible coherence criteria which must be satisfied for an expression to be “conceivable” metaphorically. Metaphoric constraints on object nominals are represented as abstracted or extended along with the invariant structural components of the verb meaning in a metaphor. This approach distinguishes what is preserved in metaphoric extension from that which is “violated”, thus referring to both “similarity” and “dissimilarity” views of metaphor. The role and potential limits of represented abstracted properties and constraints is discussed as they relate to the recognition of incoherent semantic combinations and the rejection or adjustment of metaphoric interpretations

A Master Wittgensteinian Surveys Human Nature -A Review of Human Nature-the Categorial Framework by PMS Hacker (2010) (review revised 2019)

Materialism, reductionism, behaviorism, functionalism, dynamic systems theory and computationalism are popular views, but they were shown by Wittgenstein and more recently by Searle to be incoherent. The study of behavior encompasses all of human life but behavior is largely automatic and unconscious and even the conscious part, mostly expressed in language (which Wittgenstein equates with the mind), is not perspicuous, so it is critical to have a framework which Searle calls the Logical Structure of Rationality (LSR) and I call the Descriptive Psychology of Higher Order Thought (DPHOT). After summarizing the framework worked out by Wittgenstein and Searle, as extended by myself and by modern reasoning research, I comment on this first book in a trilogy on Human Nature by P.M.S. Hacker, the leading authority on Wittgenstein and one of the best modern philosophers. Those wishing a comprehensive up to date framework for human behavior from the modern two systems view may consult my book ‘The Logical Structure of Philosophy, Psychology, Mind and Language in Ludwig Wittgenstein and John Searle’ 2nd ed (2019). Those interested in more of my writings may see ‘Talking Monkeys--Philosophy, Psychology, Science, Religion and Politics on a Doomed Planet--Articles and Reviews 2006-2019 3rd ed (2019), The Logical Structure of Human Behavior (2019), and Suicidal Utopian Delusions in the 21st Century 4th ed (2019