Bounding normalization time through intersection types

Non-idempotent intersection types are used in order to give a bound of the length of the normalization beta-reduction sequence of a lambda term: namely, the bound is expressed as a function of the size of the term.Comment: In Proceedings ITRS 2012, arXiv:1307.784

Inhabitation for Non-idempotent Intersection Types

The inhabitation problem for intersection types in the lambda-calculus is known to be undecidable. We study the problem in the case of non-idempotent intersection, considering several type assignment systems, which characterize the solvable or the strongly normalizing lambda-terms. We prove the decidability of the inhabitation problem for all the systems considered, by providing sound and complete inhabitation algorithms for them

The “Other” Localization: XIX Century French Neurophysiological Models for the Seat of Musical Faculty in the Brain

Abstract: At the beginning of the second half of the XIX century, Paul Broca’s discoveries on the localization of the seat of the articulated language faculty laid the foundations for modern neuropsychology, confirming the localizationistic hypothesis to the detriment of previous theories of mind-body interaction. This epoch also recorded the first scientific observations on the relationships between music and the nervous system: in the present essay, we trace the genesis and the history of the models debated by the French scientific community of the XIX century, analyzing them through the works of the most famous authors of that period, and reflecting on their implications for subsequent developments in the psychology and neuroscience of music.Keywords: Music; Faculty; Brain; Localization; History of Neuropsychology.L’“altra” localizzazione: modelli di localizzazione cerebrali delle facoltà musicali nella neurofisiologia francese del XIX secoloRiassunto: All’inizio della seconda metà del 1800, le scoperte di Paul Broca sulla localizzazione della facoltà del linguaggio articolato gettarono le basi per la nascita della moderna neuropsicologia, confermando l’ipotesi localizzazionistica delle funzioni mentali a discapito delle precedenti teorie sull’interazione tra mente e corpo. A questo periodo risalgono le prime osservazioni scientifiche sul rapporto tra musica e sistema nervoso: nel presente contributo, tracceremo la genesi e le vicende dei modelli discussi nella comunità scientifica francese del XIX secolo, analizzandoli a partire dai testi dei più importanti autori del periodo e riflettendo sulle loro implicazioni per i successivi sviluppi della psicologia e delle neuroscienze della musica.Parole chiave: Musica; Facoltà; Cervello; Localizzazione; Storia della neuropsicologia

Investigative leads in forensic genetics: Biogeographical Ancestry (BGA) and Kinship Analyses

The fundamental goal of forensic genetics is personal identification but it is common to obtain inconclusive results from both direct and indirect STR-profile comparisons. In such cases, it is necessary looking for alternative approaches to generate crucial forensic leads and identify unknown perpetrators. In this thesis, we propose alternative tools to predict BioGeographical Ancestry (BGA) and to identify males sharing the same Y-haplotype by utilizing multivariate techniques and Rapidly Mutating Y-chromosome short tandem repeats(RM Y-STRs), respectively. Concerning ethnic inference, we proposed novel statistical approaches (consisting in SLPCA, PLSDA and SVM methods) to group samples into BGA-classes, by testing both autosomal STRs (in African populations) and microhaplotypes (in U.S. populations). The predictive power of such statistics resulted extremely high; in fact, they enhance cluster separation providing misleading classifications for genetically mixed populations only. As to Y haplotype discrimination improvement, we proved the efficiency in individualization power of RM Y-STRs – reaching a total of 48 markers genotyped – in African populations characterized by high levels of endogamy, patrilinearity and population structuring. Together, these two innovative approaches converge in demonstrating they represent powerful tools to maximize the information inferable from biological evidence collected at the crime scene

Adventures in Rationalism

Rationalism is the thesis that the world and all the things in the world are intelligible, through and through. Nothing happens for no reason. On the contrary, whatever takes place, whatever exists, takes place or exists for a reason. Everything. On this view there are no brute facts. Each thing that exists has a reason that is sufficient for explaining the existence of the thing. According to perhaps the most extreme implication of this view, even the world itself, the totality of all that exists, exists for a reason, has an explanation. Many philosophers today think that rationalism is a crazy view. However, this paper argues in support of rationalism, and explores its implications

Stopping Stop the Steal Why Article II Doesn\u27t Let Legislatures Overturn Elections

The 2020 presidential race was hard fought—before Election Day, and after. The loser, Donald Trump, spent weeks pressuring state legislatures to overturn his defeats. His arguments hinged on Article II of the U.S. Constitution, which, his lawyers insisted, permitted legislatures to intervene. While no legislature did so in 2020, the specter of postelection legislative interference still threatens our elections and risks a constitutional crisis. This Article explains why Article II permits no such thing. Specifically, it argues that Article II’s grant of power—whatever its content—must be read as directed only toward pre-election legislatures, not postelection ones. This claim fills major gaps in the literature. First, previous scholarship assumes that Article II is silent, or ambiguous, on postelection interference. Blocking interventions would then depend on other authorities—like the Due Process Clause or state-constitutional provisions—ill-suited for the job. This Article shows, however, that Article II itself unambiguously bars postelection interference. Second, this Article sidesteps the debate about “independent state legislature” (ISL) theory—the focus of most scholarship on the 2020 election. Its argument holds, that is, regardless of what one believes about ISL doctrine. At the same time, this argument remains vital even after the Supreme Court snubbed ISL logic in Moore v. Harper. That decision leaves ample room, this Article argues, for Bush v. Gore-style debacles that foil state courts in constraining rogue legislatures. To support its position, this Article advances four separate contentions, each sufficient to compel the above conclusion. The first contention analyzes Article II’s text according to intratextualist principles. The second unpacks the Framers’ original understanding of Article II. The third examines the original understanding behind Congress’s election-timing statute, which gives effect to Article II, Section 1, Clause 4. The fourth analyzes constitutional purpose. Finally, this Article also explains why the original understanding of Congress’s election-day statute—which let legislatures handpick presidential electors if their state “fail[ed]” to choose on Election Day—did not permit such handpicking after the 2020 election