Is a Technological Singularity near also for bots in MMOGs?

Using the idea of the Technological Singularity this essay offers some reflections on the possible future of bots in Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs). The paper starts by briefly introducing the notion of Technological Singularity as the advent of a super-intelligent Artificial Intelligence that could threaten human existence. Bots are computer programs that automate repetitive and time consuming activities for the Internet user. In MMOGs, bots are often used to cheat and could have nefarious effects on the gameplay. Assuming that bots are rudimentary forms of Artificial Intelligence that also pose a threat to MMOGs and their players, the paper presents some evidence-based trends of the future evolution of bots and the implications of these for Virtual Worlds research

Monetary Policy Under Alterative Asset Market Structures: the Case of a Small Open Economy

Can the structure of asset markets change the way monetary policy should be conducted? Following a linear-quadratic approach, the present paper addresses this question in a New Keynesian small open economy framework. Our results reveal that the configuration of asset markets significantly affects optimal monetary policy and the performance of standard policy rules. In particular, when comparing complete and incomplete markets, the ranking of policy rules is entirely reversed, and so are the policy prescriptions regarding the optimal level of exchange rate volatility.Welfare, Optimal Monetary Policy, Asset Markets, Small Open Economy

Learning by gaming:ANT and critical making

Relationships among theory, gaming, learning and socio-technical design are explored in the two contributions which compose the section. The theory in question is ANT, re-interpreted through critical making - an umbrella term for various distinctive practices that link traditional scholarship in the humanities and social sciences to forms of material engagement. Sergio Minniti describes an ongoing project called Game of ANT, which draws upon the critical making approach to design an interactive technology and a workshop experience through which scholars and students can conceptually-materially engage with ANT, hence exploring and approaching it from novel points of view. Game of ANT adopts the Latourian vision of technoscience as war and physically embodies this idea by proposing a sort of war game during which participants play the roles of human or non-human actors engaging with the competitive dynamics of socio-technical life. The commentary by Stefano De Paoli proposes new directions to develop the project, by deepening the concept of game and its value for design and learning processes.</p

Reconsidering online reputation systems

Social and socioeconomic interactions and transactions often require trust. In digital spaces, the main approach to facilitating trust has effectively been to try to reduce or even remove the need for it through the implementation of reputation systems. These generate metrics based on digital data such as ratings and reviews submitted by users, interaction histories, and so on, that are intended to label individuals as more or less reliable or trustworthy in a particular interaction context. We suggest that conventional approaches to the design of such systems are rooted in a capitalist, competitive paradigm, relying on methodological individualism, and that the reputation technologies themselves thus embody and enact this paradigm in whatever space they operate in. We question whether the politics, ethics and philosophy that contribute to this paradigm align with those of some of the contexts in which reputation systems are now being used, and suggest that alternative approaches to the establishment of trust and reputation in digital spaces need to be considered for alternative contexts

Sachs' free data in real connection variables

We discuss the Hamiltonian dynamics of general relativity with real connection variables on a null foliation, and use the Newman-Penrose formalism to shed light on the geometric meaning of the various constraints. We identify the equivalent of Sachs' constraint-free initial data as projections of connection components related to null rotations, i.e. the translational part of the ISO(2) group stabilising the internal null direction soldered to the hypersurface. A pair of second-class constraints reduces these connection components to the shear of a null geodesic congruence, thus establishing equivalence with the second-order formalism, which we show in details at the level of symplectic potentials. A special feature of the first-order formulation is that Sachs' propagating equations for the shear, away from the initial hypersurface, are turned into tertiary constraints; their role is to preserve the relation between connection and shear under retarded time evolution. The conversion of wave-like propagating equations into constraints is possible thanks to an algebraic Bianchi identity; the same one that allows one to describe the radiative data at future null infinity in terms of a shear of a (non-geodesic) asymptotic null vector field in the physical spacetime. Finally, we compute the modification to the spin coefficients and the null congruence in the presence of torsion.Comment: 23 pages + Appendix, 2 figures. v2: Improved text and some amendments throughout, added more details on the relation between 2+2 foliations and null tetrads, updated references. Version submitted for peer reviewing. v3: Few minor amendments, footnote added on a null congruence in the presence of torsion; matches published versio

Policy design in a model with swings in risk appetite

This paper studies the policy implications of habits and cyclical changes in agents' appetite for risk-taking. To do so, it analyses the non-linear solution of a New Keynesian (NK) model, in which slow-moving habits help match the cyclical properties of risk-premia. Our findings suggest that the presence of habits and swings in risk appetite can materially affect policy prescriptions. As in Ljungqvist and Uhlig (2000), a counter-cyclical fiscal instrument can eliminate habit-related externalities. Alternatively, monetary policy can partially curb the associated overconsumption by responding to risk premia. Specifically, periods in which risk premia are elevated (compressed) merit a looser (tighter) policy stance. However, the associated welfare gains appear quantitatively small

‘Probing with the prototype’:using a prototype e-participation platform as a digital cultural probe to investigate youth engagement with the environment

This study describes how we used a prototype e-participation plat-form as a digital cultural probe to investigate youth motivation and engagement strategies. This is a novel way of considering digital cultural probes which can contribute to the better creation of e-participation platforms. This probe has been conducted as part of the research project STEP which aims at creating an e-participation platform to engage young European Citizens in environmental decision making. Our probe technique has given an insight into the environ-mental issues concerning young people across Europe as well as possible strat-egies for encouraging participation. How the e-participation platform can be utilised to support youth engagement through opportunities for social interac-tion and leadership is discussed. This study leads to a better understanding of how young people can co-operate with each other to provide collective intelli-gence and how this knowledge could contribute to effective e-participation of young people

A contribution to the knowledge of the skin albuminose cells of Torpedo ocellata Raf [Riv.Istochim.norm.pat. 8 411-416, 1962]

Glandular cells, other than the mucous cells, have been described in the skin of various groups of fish (Teleosts, Ganoids, Selachii) and they have been called 'albuminose' by various authors. The authors propose to study the albuminose cells in the skin of Torpedo ocellata Raf. from a histochemical point of view. The albuminose cells have a complex morphological structure and a correspondingly complicated histochemical make-up. One must treat them as an example of cell with secretions of a particular type, which must and will be better incorporated when more is known of characteristics existent in other species

Propagation of mesons in asymmetric nuclear matter in a density dependent coupling model

We study the propagation of the light mesons sigma, omega, rho, and a0(980) in dense hadronic matter in an extended derivative scalar coupling model. Within the scheme proposed it is possible to unambiguously define effective density-dependent couplings at the Lagrangian level. We first apply the model to study asymmetric nuclear matter with fixed isospin asymmetry, and then we pay particular attention to hypermatter in beta-equilibrium. The equation of state and the potential contribution to the symmetry coefficient arising from the mean field approximation are investigated.Comment: 17 pages, 15 PostScript figure

Teaching with Twitter:reflections on practices, opportunities and problems

In recent times there has been an increasing wave of interest in the use of Social Media for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. In particular, the micro-blogging platform Twitter has been experimentally used in various Universities world-wide. There are relevant publications reporting on experimentations with Twitter for reaching diverse learning goals, including better engagement, informal learning or collaboration among students. Existing research papers on the use of Twitter however focus exclusively on the positive aspects of experimentations, on what went well in the use of Twitter. In our University we run a small project on the use of Twitter with goals that are similar to those of others: fostering participation and better learning processes. In this paper we report on our project and the strategies and best practices we adopted for using Twitter for teaching. We also reflect that in our experimentation however we encountered a number of practical problems connected for example with use of technology, with the class settings and with spam. In the conclusion we offer some recommendations for Teaching and Learning with Twitter based on our personal experience