The bearable lightness of being

How are philosophical questions about what kinds of things there are to be understood and how are they to be answered? This paper defends broadly Fregean answers to these questions. Ontological categories-such as object, property, and relation-are explained in terms of a prior logical categorization of expressions, as singular terms, predicates of varying degree and level, etc. Questions about what kinds of object, property, etc., there are are, on this approach, reduce to questions about truth and logical form: for example, the question whether there are numbers is the question whether there are true atomic statements in which expressions function as singular terms which, if they have reference at all, stand for numbers, and the question whether there are properties of a given type is a question about whether there are meaningful predicates of an appropriate degree and level. This approach is defended against the objection that it must be wrong because makes what there depend on us or our language. Some problems confronting the Fregean approach-including Frege's notorious paradox of the concept horse-are addressed. It is argued that the approach results in a modest and sober deflationary understanding of ontological commitments

Courage to Capital? A Model of the Effects of Rating Agencies on Sovereign Debt Role-over

We propose a model of rating agencies that is an application of global game theory in which heterogeneous investors act strategically. The model allows us to explore the impact of the introduction of a rating agency on financial markets. Our model suggests that the addition of the rating agency affects the probability of default and the magnitude of the response of capital flows to changes in fundamentals in a non–trivial way, and that introducing a rating agency can bring multiple equilibria to a market that otherwise would have the unique equilibrium.Credit rating, Rating agency, Sovereign debt, Global game

Measurements of an ionizable constituent of low ionosphere using a Lyman-alpha source and blunt probe

Ionizable constituent density measurement of D region using Lyman-alpha source and blunt prob

Perceptions of physiotherapists towards research: a mixed methods study

OBJECTIVES: To explore the perceptions of physiotherapists towards the use of and participation in research. DESIGN: Concurrent mixed methods research, combining in-depth interviews with three questionnaires (demographics, Edmonton Research Orientation Survey, visual analogue scales for confidence and motivation to participate in research). SETTING: One physiotherapy department in a rehabilitation hospital, consisting of seven specialised areas. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-five subjects {four men and 21 women, mean age 38 [standard deviation (SD) 11] years} who had been registered as a physiotherapist for a mean period of 15 (SD 10) years participated in this study. They were registered with the New Zealand Board of Physiotherapy, held a current practising certificate, and were working as a physiotherapist or physiotherapy/allied health manager at the hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome measure was in-depth interviews and the secondary outcome measures were the three questionnaires. RESULTS: Physiotherapists were generally positive towards research, but struggled with the concept of research, the available literature and the time to commit to research. Individual confidence and orientation towards research seemed to influence how these barriers were perceived. CONCLUSION: This study showed that physiotherapists struggle to implement research in their daily practice and become involved in research. Changing physiotherapists' conceptions of research, making it more accessible and providing dedicated research time could facilitate increased involvement in the physiotherapy profession

Airborne Radar Interference Suppression Using Adaptive Three-Dimensional Techniques

This research advances adaptive interference suppression techniques for airborne radar, addressing the problem of target detection within severe interference environments characterized by high ground clutter levels, levels, noise jammer infiltration, and strong discrete interferers. Two-dimensional (2D) Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP) concepts are extended into three-dimensions (3D) by casting each major 2D STAP research area into a 3D framework. The work first develops an appropriate 3D data model with provisions for range ambiguous clutter returns. Adaptive 3D development begins with two factored approaches, 3D Factored Time-Space (3D-FTS) and Elevation-Joint Domain Localized (Elev-JDL). The 3D adaptive development continues with optimal techniques, i.e., joint domain methods. First, the 3D matched Filter (3D-MF) is derived followed by a 3D Adaptive Matched Filter (3D-AMF) discussion focusing on well-established practical limitations consistent with the 2D case. Finally, a 3D-JDL method is introduced. Proposed 3D Hybrid methods extend current state-of-the-art 2D hybrid methods. The initial 3D hybrid, a functional extension of the 2D technique, exhibits distinct performance advantages in heterogeneous clutter. The final 3D hybrid method is virtually impervious to discrete interference

Theater as Illusion: An Architectural Project in Kansas City

The various levels of organization of the parts of this project presented some interesting difficulties. These parts, the auditorium, bar/restaurant, their supporting spaces had to be arranged on a very confined site which sloped slightly to the east

Secondary Data Support and Non-Homogeneities in Space-Time Adaptive Processing

One of the primary problems with the application of Space-Time Adaptive Processing (STAP) techniques is secondary data support for the interference plus noise covariance matrix estimate. Reed has shown the required secondary data support to achieve performance within 3 dB of optimal SINR is approximately equal to twice the degrees of freedom (DOF) used in the algorithm. Reed proved this rule for Sample Matrix Inversion (SMI) techniques. A concern arises when applying this rule to a newer class of reduced dimension STAP algorithms that do not fall under the SMI umbrella. This thesis focuses on the Cross Spectral Metric (CSM) algorithm developed by Goldstein and Reed. Through Monte Carlo simulations, the thesis proves Reed\u27s rule for sample support is not accurate in this case. Optimum SINR performance for the CSM algorithm was obtained by choosing the number of DOF in the algorithm equal to the dimension of the interference subspace. With this choice, the required sample support for the covariance matrix estimate is 2.5 times the DOF used in the algorithm. This relationship is only true when the number of DOF is equal to the interference subspace dimension. A second goal of the thesis determines the impact of non-homogeneities within the secondary data on the CSM algorithm. The Generalized Inner Product (GIP) detection scheme is then used to excise these non-homogeneities from the secondary data. The CSM algorithm was found to be susceptible to non-homogeneities. The use of the GIP successfully negated the impact on this algorithm

A surface water treatment system for rural homes and farmsteads

The only objective of research work upon which this thesis is based was to design, construct, and test a water treatment system to utilize surface water sources to meet the demands for rural domestic and farmstead water. The system would provide an adequate supply of potable water for a family of five and maintain sanitary conditions for milking a herd of thirty cows. It is anticipated that the cows could be supplied water for drinking. The daily family needs would be fifty gallons per person or a total of two-hundred-fifty gallons (20). Approximately four-hundred-fifty gallons of water would meet the daily needs for cleaning the dairy utensils and the milking barn