Machine Learning and Irresponsible Inference: Morally Assessing the Training Data for Image Recognition Systems

Just as humans can draw conclusions responsibly or irresponsibly, so too can computers. Machine learning systems that have been trained on data sets that include irresponsible judgments are likely to yield irresponsible predictions as outputs. In this paper I focus on a particular kind of inference a computer system might make: identification of the intentions with which a person acted on the basis of photographic evidence. Such inferences are liable to be morally objectionable, because of a way in which they are presumptuous. After elaborating this moral concern, I explore the possibility that carefully procuring the training data for image recognition systems could ensure that the systems avoid the problem. The lesson of this paper extends beyond just the particular case of image recognition systems and the challenge of responsibly identifying a person’s intentions. Reflection on this particular case demonstrates the importance (as well as the difficulty) of evaluating machine learning systems and their training data from the standpoint of moral considerations that are not encompassed by ordinary assessments of predictive accuracy

Ueber das verschiedene Verhalten von Jod gegen Quecksilberoxyd unter verschiedenen Umständen

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Physical linkages between an offshore canyon and surf zone morphologic change

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2017. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 122 (2017): 3451–3460, doi:10.1002/2016JC012319.The causes of surf zone morphologic changes observed along a sandy beach onshore of a submarine canyon were investigated using field observations and a numerical model (Delft3D/SWAN). Numerically simulated morphologic changes using four different sediment transport formulae reproduce the temporal and spatial patterns of net cross-shore integrated (between 0 and 6.5 m water depths) accretion and erosion observed in a ∼300 m alongshore region, a few hundred meters from the canyon head. The observations and simulations indicate that the accretion or erosion results from converging or diverging alongshore currents driven primarily by breaking waves and alongshore pressure gradients. The location of convergence or divergence depends on the direction of the offshore waves that refract over the canyon, suggesting that bathymetric features on the inner shelf can have first-order effects on short-term nearshore morphologic change.WHOI-USGS postdoctoral scholarship, NSF, ONR2017-10-2

The roles of motivation and ability in controlling the consequences of stereotype suppression

Two experiments investigated the conditions under which previously suppressed stereotypes are applied in impression formation. In Experiment 1, the extent to which a previously suppressed racial stereotype influenced subsequent impressions depended on the race of the target who was subsequently encountered. Whereas impressions of race-unspecified targets were assimilated to the stereotype following its suppression, no such effects were observed when the target belonged to the racial group whose stereotype had been initially suppressed. These results demonstrate that when perceivers are motivated to avoid stereo-typing individuals, the influence of a stereotype that has been previously activated through suppression is minimized. Experiment 2 demonstrated that these processing goals effectively reduce the impact of suppression-activated stereotypes only when perceivers have sufficient capacity to enact the goals. These results suggest that both sufficient motivation and capacity are necessary to prevent heightened stereotyping following stereotype suppression

Exploring the feasibility of engaging Traditional Birth Attendants in a prevention of Mother to Child HIV Transmission program in Lilongwe, Malawi

ObjectiveTo investigate the willingness of Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) to provide single dose antiretroviral prophylaxis to infants born to mothers with HIV and the feasibility of providing the TBAs with antiretroviral medication.Design2 focus groups with a total of 17 registered TBAs.SettingLilongwe, MalawiMethodsTBAs were recruited by local health workers and participated in focus groups assessing their attitudes towards participation in a PMTCT program.ResultsTBAs were willing to participate in this prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) program and helped identify barriers to their participation.ConclusionsGiven appropriate support and training, TBAs’ participation in PMTCT programs could be an additional way to deliver medication to mothers and neonates who might otherwise miss crucial doses of medication

Cross‐scale seismic anisotropy analysis in metamorphic rocks from the COSC‐1 borehole in the Scandinavian Caledonides

Metamorphic and deformed rocks in thrust zones show particularly high seismic anisotropy causing challenges for seismic imaging and interpretation. A good example is the Seve Nappe Complex in central Sweden, an old exhumed orogenic thrust zone that is characterized by a strong but incoherent seismic reflectivity and considerable seismic anisotropy. However, only little is known about their origin in relation to composition and structural influences on measurements at different seismic scales. Here, we present a new integrative study of cross‐scale seismic anisotropy analyses combining mineralogical composition, microstructural analyses and seismic laboratory experiments from the COSC‐1 borehole, which sampled a 2.5 km‐deep section of metamorphic rocks deformed in an orogenic root now preserved in the Lower Seve Nappe. While there is strong crystallographic preferred orientation in most samples in general, variations in anisotropy depend mostly on bulk mineral composition and dominant core lithology as shown by a strong correlation between these. This relationship enables to identify three distinct seismic anisotropy facies providing a continuous anisotropy profile along the borehole. Moreover, comparison of laboratory seismic measurements and electron‐backscatter diffraction data reveals a strong scale‐dependence, which is more pronounced in the highly deformed, heterogeneous samples. This highlights the need for comprehensive cross‐validation of microscale anisotropy analyses with additional lithological data when integrating seismic anisotropy over seismic scales

Network Anomaly Classification by Support Vector Classifiers Ensemble and Non-linear Projection Techniques

Network anomaly detection is currently a challenge due to the number of different attacks and the number of potential attackers. Intrusion detection systems aim to detect misuses or network anomalies in order to block ports or connections, whereas firewalls act according to a predefined set of rules. However, detecting the specific anomaly provides valuable information about the attacker that may be used to further protect the system, or to react accordingly. This way, detecting network intrusions is a current challenge due to growth of the Internet and the number of potential intruders. In this paper we present an intrusion detection technique using an ensemble of support vector classifiers and dimensionality reduction techniques to generate a set of discriminant features. The results obtained using the NSL-KDD dataset outperforms previously obtained classification rates