Eumeces laticeps

Number of Pages: 3Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Cognitive architectures as Lakatosian research programmes: two case studies

Cognitive architectures - task-general theories of the structure and function of the complete cognitive system - are sometimes argued to be more akin to frameworks or belief systems than scientific theories. The argument stems from the apparent non-falsifiability of existing cognitive architectures. Newell was aware of this criticism and argued that architectures should be viewed not as theories subject to Popperian falsification, but rather as Lakatosian research programs based on cumulative growth. Newell's argument is undermined because he failed to demonstrate that the development of Soar, his own candidate architecture, adhered to Lakatosian principles. This paper presents detailed case studies of the development of two cognitive architectures, Soar and ACT-R, from a Lakatosian perspective. It is demonstrated that both are broadly Lakatosian, but that in both cases there have been theoretical progressions that, according to Lakatosian criteria, are pseudo-scientific. Thus, Newell's defense of Soar as a scientific rather than pseudo-scientific theory is not supported in practice. The ACT series of architectures has fewer pseudo-scientific progressions than Soar, but it too is vulnerable to accusations of pseudo-science. From this analysis, it is argued that successive versions of theories of the human cognitive architecture must explicitly address five questions to maintain scientific credibility

The Integration of a Lean Manufacturing Competency-based Training Course into University Curriculum

The manufacturing industry has become extremely competitive in nature and each company’s survival depends on gaining an edge in their respective field. Lean manufacturing has emerged as the leading management philosophy in this struggle. The original model of lean, called the Toyota Production System, is utilized by the phenomenally successful automotive manufacturer Toyota and many others have followed suite. There is a need for a course in schools that offer manufacturing curriculum which will integrate the lean concepts with the current manufacturing program of study. Lean is a proven management strategy and should be offered as a course of its own. Lean can be taught using both knowledge-based and competencybased learning styles. Through the use of academic, simulation, and real life examples these concepts can be understood. This research examines these issues and illustrates an implementation model which can be used to accomplish this goal utilizing these same lean principles

Flight test techniques for the X-29A aircraft

The X-29A advanced technology demonstrator is a single-seat, single-engine aircraft with a forward-swept wing. The aircraft incorporates many advanced technologies being considered for this country's next generation of aircraft. This unusual aircraft configuration, which had never been flown before, required a precise approach to flight envelope expansion. This paper describes the real-time analysis methods and flight test techniques used during the envelope expansion of the x-29A aircraft, including new and innovative approaches

Predator-prey distance and latency to flee from an immobile predator: functional relationship and importance

When an immobile prey has detected an immobile predator nearby, predation risk is greater when the predator is closer. Consequently, prey flee with shorter latency as standing distance (predator-prey distance when both are still) decreases. Since it was first reported in 2009, this relationship has been confirmed in the few species studied. However, little is known about the functional relationship between standing distance and latency to flee (LF). We hypothesized that LF increases as standing distance increases at short distances, but reaches a plateau at longer distances where prey can escape reliably if attacked. We simulated immobile predators by moving slowly into positions near striped plateau lizards Sceloporus virgatus, stopping and then remaining immobile, and recording LF from the stopping time. LF increased from shorter to longer standing distances in a decelerating manner. The relationship was concave downward, and LF was indistinguishable among the longer standing distance groups. Latency to flee appears to reach a plateau or approach an asymptotic value as standing distance increases. The effect size of standing distance was large, indicating that S. virgatus sensitively adjusts LF to the level of risk associated with standing distance. Relationships between risk assessment and theoretical zones associated with risk, its assessment by prey, and escape decisions are discussed. Effect sizes of standing distance were substantial to large in all studies to date, indicating that standing distance is an important predation risk factor when both predator and prey are immobile

The Translation of the Bible into the Slavic Languages: Biblical Citations in the <i>Lives of Cyril and Methodius</i> and the First Slavic Bible Translation

Ответ на вопрос, кто впервые перевёл Библию на славянский язык, стал уже шаблонным: святые Кирилл и Мефодий, во второй половине девятого века, в так называемой Великой Мораве, где бы она ни находилась. Ответ так же стар, как и само славяноведение, но правилен ли он? На основании сравнения евангельских цитат в Житиях Кирилла и Мефодия с теми же самыми местами в самых древних славянских рукописях евангелий, автор доклада выдвигает следующие гипотезы: Мефодий к концу жизни (ср. гл. XV его Жития) перевёл не всю Библию, а только Ветхий завет; или братья вместе переводили не с греческих, а с латинских рукописей Библии, и этот перевод потом пропал после изгнания их учеников из Моравы; или их библейские переводы были только устными, никогда не записанными в окончательной форме. Кроме того автор доклада предполагает, что гл. Х» Жития Мефодия, подражая известному зачалу из второго послания св. Павла Тимофею (3-4), указывает не на Мефодия как переводчика Библии, а на его славянских учеников, живших в уже более благоприятных условиях в Болгарии царя Симеона

On the properties of compacton-anticompacton collisions

We study the properties of compacton-anticompacton collision processes. We compare and con- trast results for the case of compacton-anticompacton solutions of the K(l, p) Rosenau-Hyman (RH) equation for l = p = 2, with compacton-anticompacton solutions of the L(l,p) Cooper-Shepard- Sodano (CSS) equation for p = 1 and l = 3. This study is performed using a Pad\'e discretization of the RH and CSS equations. We find a significant difference in the behavior of compacton- anticompacton scattering. For the CSS equation, the scattering can be interpreted as "annihila- tion" as the wake left behind dissolves over time. In the RH equation, the numerical evidence is that multiple shocks form after the collision which eventually lead to "blowup" of the resulting waveform.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Synergism of Saturn, Enceladus and Titan and Formation of HCNO Exobiological Molecules

Saturn as a system has two very exotic moons Titan and Enceladus. Titan with energy input from Saturn's magnetosphere, solar UV irradiation, and cosmic rays can make HCN based molecules as discussed in earlier paper by [1]. Space radiation effects at both moons, and as coupled by the Saturn magnetosphere could cause an unexpected series of events leading to the evolution of biological models at Titan composed of HCNO with oxygen as the new ingredient. The "Old Faithful" model by [2] suggests that Enceladus, highly irradiated by Saturn magnetospheric electrons, has episodic ejections of water vapor driven by radiolytic oxidation gas products into Saturn's magnetosphere. At Titan Cassini discovered 1) that keV oxygen ions, evidently from Enceladus, are bombarding Titan's upper atmosphere [3] and 2) the discovery of heavy positive and negative ions within Titan's upper atmosphere [4]. Initial models of heavy ion formation in Titan's upper atmosphere invoked polymerization of aromatics such as Benzenes and their radicals to make PAHs [5], while a more recent model by [6] has raised the possibility of carbon chains forming from the polymerization of acetylene and its radicals to eventually make fullerenes. Laboratory measurements indicate that fullerenes, which are hollow carbon shells, can trap the keV oxygen and with the clustering of fullerenes and possible mixture with PAHs, some with nitrogen molecules, can make the larger aerosols with oxygen within them. Then with further ionizing irradiation from cosmic rays deep in the atmosphere "tholin" molecules are produced with all the molecular components present from which organic molecules can form. Among the molecular components are amino acids, the fundamental building blocks of life as we know it. This process maybe a common chemical pathway, both at the system level and at the molecular level, to form prebiotic and perhaps even biotic molecules. Such processes can be occurring throughout our universe, such as molecular clouds in the ISM