4,908 research outputs found
Modeling Concept Combinations in a Quantum-theoretic Framework
We present modeling for conceptual combinations which uses the mathematical
formalism of quantum theory. Our model faithfully describes a large amount of
experimental data collected by different scholars on concept conjunctions and
disjunctions. Furthermore, our approach sheds a new light on long standing
drawbacks connected with vagueness, or fuzziness, of concepts, and puts forward
a completely novel possible solution to the 'combination problem' in concept
theory. Additionally, we introduce an explanation for the occurrence of quantum
structures in the mechanisms and dynamics of concepts and, more generally, in
cognitive and decision processes, according to which human thought is a well
structured superposition of a 'logical thought' and a 'conceptual thought', and
the latter usually prevails over the former, at variance with some widespread
beliefsComment: 5 pages. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with
arXiv:1311.605
Ephemeral properties and the illusion of microscopic particles
Founding our analysis on the Geneva-Brussels approach to quantum mechanics,
we use conventional macroscopic objects as guiding examples to clarify the
content of two important results of the beginning of twentieth century:
Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen's reality criterion and Heisenberg's uncertainty
principle. We then use them in combination to show that our widespread belief
in the existence of microscopic particles is only the result of a cognitive
illusion, as microscopic particles are not particles, but are instead the
ephemeral spatial and local manifestations of non-spatial and non-local
entities
Interpreting Quantum Particles as Conceptual Entities
We elaborate an interpretation of quantum physics founded on the hypothesis
that quantum particles are conceptual entities playing the role of
communication vehicles between material entities composed of ordinary matter
which function as memory structures for these quantum particles. We show in
which way this new interpretation gives rise to a natural explanation for the
quantum effects of interference and entanglement by analyzing how interference
and entanglement emerge for the case of human concepts. We put forward a scheme
to derive a metric based on similarity as a predecessor for the structure of
'space, time, momentum, energy' and 'quantum particles interacting with
ordinary matter' underlying standard quantum physics, within the new
interpretation, and making use of aspects of traditional quantum axiomatics.
More specifically, we analyze how the effect of non-locality arises as a
consequence of the confrontation of such an emerging metric type of structure
and the remaining presence of the basic conceptual structure on the fundamental
level, with the potential of being revealed in specific situations.Comment: 19 pages, 1 figur
The Guppy Effect as Interference
People use conjunctions and disjunctions of concepts in ways that violate the
rules of classical logic, such as the law of compositionality. Specifically,
they overextend conjunctions of concepts, a phenomenon referred to as the Guppy
Effect. We build on previous efforts to develop a quantum model that explains
the Guppy Effect in terms of interference. Using a well-studied data set with
16 exemplars that exhibit the Guppy Effect, we developed a 17-dimensional
complex Hilbert space H that models the data and demonstrates the relationship
between overextension and interference. We view the interference effect as, not
a logical fallacy on the conjunction, but a signal that out of the two
constituent concepts, a new concept has emerged.Comment: 10 page
Using simple elastic bands to explain quantum mechanics: a conceptual review of two of Aert's machine-models
From the beginning of his research, the Belgian physicist Diederik Aerts has
shown great creativity in inventing a number of concrete machine-models that
have played an important role in the development of general mathematical and
conceptual formalisms for the description of the physical reality. These models
can also be used to demystify much of the strangeness in the behavior of
quantum entities, by allowing to have a peek at what's going on - in structural
terms - behind the "quantum scenes," during a measurement. In this author's
view, the importance of these machine-models, and of the approaches they have
originated, have been so far seriously underappreciated by the physics
community, despite their success in clarifying many challenges of quantum
physics. To fill this gap, and encourage a greater number of researchers to
take cognizance of the important work of so-called Geneva-Brussels school, we
describe and analyze in this paper two of Aerts' historical machine-models,
whose operations are based on simple breakable elastic bands. The first one,
called the spin quantum-machine, is able to replicate the quantum probabilities
associated with the spin measurement of a spin-1/2 entity. The second one,
called the \emph{connected vessels of water model} (of which we shall present
here an alternative version based on elastics) is able to violate Bell's
inequality, as coincidence measurements on entangled states can do.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figure
Quantum Particles as Conceptual Entities: A Possible Explanatory Framework for Quantum Theory
We put forward a possible new interpretation and explanatory framework for
quantum theory. The basic hypothesis underlying this new framework is that
quantum particles are conceptual entities. More concretely, we propose that
quantum particles interact with ordinary matter, nuclei, atoms, molecules,
macroscopic material entities, measuring apparatuses, ..., in a similar way to
how human concepts interact with memory structures, human minds or artificial
memories. We analyze the most characteristic aspects of quantum theory, i.e.
entanglement and non-locality, interference and superposition, identity and
individuality in the light of this new interpretation, and we put forward a
specific explanation and understanding of these aspects. The basic hypothesis
of our framework gives rise in a natural way to a Heisenberg uncertainty
principle which introduces an understanding of the general situation of 'the
one and the many' in quantum physics. A specific view on macro and micro
different from the common one follows from the basic hypothesis and leads to an
analysis of Schrodinger's Cat paradox and the measurement problem different
from the existing ones. We reflect about the influence of this new quantum
interpretation and explanatory framework on the global nature and evolutionary
aspects of the world and human worldviews, and point out potential explanations
for specific situations, such as the generation problem in particle physics,
the confinement of quarks and the existence of dark matter.Comment: 45 pages, 10 figure
Nitrogen supply effects on leaf dynamics and nutritional soil feedbacks of plant species in a sub-arctic tundra ecosystem.
Global warming will lead to increased nitrogen supply in tundra ecosystems. How increased N supply affected leaf production, leaf turnover and dead leaf N input into the soil of Empetrum nigrum and Andromeda polifolia (evergreens), Eriophorum vaginatum (graminoid) and Betula nana (deciduous) in a sub-arctic tundra in northern Sweden between 2003 and 2007 was experimentally investigated. There was considerable interspecific variation in the response of leaf production to N addition, varying from negative, no response to a positive response. Nitrogen addition effects on leaf turnover also showed considerable variation among species, varying from no effect to increased leaf turnover (up to 27% in Eriophorum). Nitrogen addition resulted in a four to fivefold increase in N content in the dead leaves of both evergreens and a 65% increase in Eriophorum. Surprisingly, there was no increase in Betula. The response of dead leaf P contents to N addition was rather species specific. There was no response in Empetrum, whereas there were significant increases in Andromeda (+214%) and Eriophorum (+32%), and a decrease of 47% in Betula. As an overall result of the changes in leaf production, leaf turnover and dead leaf N and P contents, nitrogen addition increased in all species except Betula the amount of N and, for Andromeda and Eriophorum the amount of P transferred to the soil due to leaf litter inputs. However, the way in which this was achieved differed substantially among species due to interspecific differences in the response of the component processes (leaf production, leaf turnover, dead leaf nutrient content). © 2008 The Author(s)
Implementing PCV2 vaccination resulting in reduction of antibiotic use on Dutch farrow-to-finish farm
The antibiotic use in the food producing animals is of a growing concern for consumers, human health care, politicians and retail. Also the food producing sector itself is looking for (economical) alternatives for these treatments. One of the tools of reducing antibiotics are vaccinations. Production data of a 500 sow farm with 1900 fattening places was retrospectively reviewed for the period January 2009 till December 2010. The fattening unit had a history of diarrhea (Salmonella and Brachyspira negative, Lawsonia positive). Other clinical signs included an increased number of runts, pigs growing apart, and a high mortality (including euthanasia)
An asteroseismic study of the Beta Cephei star Theta Ophiuchi: photometric results
We have carried out a three-site photometric campaign for the Beta Cephei
star Theta Ophiuchi from April to August 2003. 245 hours of differential
photoelectric uvy photometry were obtained during 77 clear nights. The
frequency analysis of our measurements resulted in the detection of seven
pulsation modes within a narrow frequency interval between 7.116 and 7.973 c/d.
No combination or harmonic frequencies were found. We performed a mode
identification of the individual pulsations from our colour photometry that
shows the presence of one radial mode, one rotationally split l=1 triplet and
possibly three components of a rotationally split l=2 quintuplet. We discuss
the implications of our findings and point out the similarity of the pulsation
spectrum of Theta Ophiuchi to that of another Beta Cephei star, V836 Cen.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure
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