Theism, naturalism, and scientific realism

Scientific knowledge is not merely a matter of reconciling theories and laws with data and observations. Science presupposes a number of metatheoretic shaping principles in order to judge good methods and theories from bad. Some of these principles are metaphysical and some are methodological. While many shaping principles have endured since the scientific revolution, others have changed in response to conceptual pressures both from within science and without. Many of them have theistic roots. For example, the notion that nature conforms to mathematical laws flows directly from the early modern presupposition that there is a divine Lawgiver. This interplay between theism and shaping principles is often unappreciated in discussions about the relation between science and religion. Today, of course, naturalists reject the influence of theism and prefer to do science on their terms. But as Robert Koons and Alvin Plantinga have argued, this is more difficult than is typically assumed. In particular, they argue, metaphysical naturalism is in conflict with several metatheoretic shaping principles, especially explanatory virtues such as simplicity and with scientific realism more broadly. These arguments will be discussed as well as possible responses. In the end, theism is able to provide justification for the philosophical foundations of science that naturalism cannot

Genetic Algorithm for quick finding of diatomic molecule potential parameters

Application of Genetic Algorithm (GA) for determination of parameters of an analytical representation of diatomic molecule potential is presented. GA can be used for finding potential characteristics of an electronic energy state which can be described by analytical function. GA was tested on two artificially generated datasets which base on potentials with known characteristics and two LIF excitation spectra recorded using transitions in CdKr and CdAr molecules. Tests on generated datasets showed that GA can properly reproduce parameters of the potentials. Tests on experimental spectra indicated that changing the potential model from Morse, which is frequently used as a starting potential in IPA, to expanded Morse oscillator (EMO) leads to noticeable improvement of agreement between simulated and experimental data

Moose im Osnabrücker Hügelland : 2. Laubmoose, Gattungen A-E

Die Liste der Moose wird mit 103 Arten der Laubmoosgattungen A-E fortgesetzt. Weitere 48 Punktkarten sind enthalten.The list of bryophytes continues with 103 species of moss genera A-E. 48 additional maps are presented

Moose im Osnabrücker Hügelland : 1. Lebermoose, Torfmoose

Es wird über die bryologische Erforschung des Osnabrücker Hügellandes berichtet. 70 Lebermoosarten und 13 Torfmoosarten werden erwähnt. 24 Punktkarten verbreiteter Arten sind enthalten.We report about the bryological research of the mountaneous region of Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, Northwest Germany. 70 liverworts and 13 Sphagnum species are mentioned. 24 distribution maps are presented

Veränderungen der Moosflora am Silberberg bei Osnabrück

Es werden die Ergebnisse von zwei bryologischen Exkursionen in den Jahren 1992 und 1993 mit den Beobachtungen von Koch (1932) und Koppe (1950) verglichen. Nur die Hälfte der von Koppe beobachteten Arten konnte noch nachgewiesen werden. Bemerkenswerte Neufunde sind Entodon concinnus, Jungermannia atrovirens, Neckera complanata und Phascum curvicolle. Eine Gesamtartenliste wird vorgelegt.The results of two bryological sampling excursions in 1992 and 1993 are compared with records by Koch (1932) and Koppe (1950). Only half of the species recorded by Koppe could be observed. Remarkable new records are the species Entodon concinnus, Jungermannia atrovirens, Neckera complanata and Phascum curvicolle. A complete species list is given

Moose im Osnabrücker Hügelland : Teil 3: Laubmoose, Gattungen F - P

Die Liste der Moose wird mit 99 Arten der Laubmoosgattungen F-P fortgesetzt. Weitere 48 Punktkarten sind enthalten.The list of bryophytes continues with 99 species of moss genera F-P 48 additional maps are presented

Moose im Osnabrücker Hügelland : Teil 4: Laubmoose, Gattungen R-Z, Anhang und Ergänzungen zu den Abbildungen in Teil 1 bis 3

Die Liste der Moose wird mit 70 Arten fortgesetzt. Weitere Punktkarten sind enthalten.The list of bryophytes continues with 70 species. Additional maps are presented

Why the Renewable Energy Credit Market Needs Standardization

Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) are a relatively new financial instrument that help to stimulate the renewable energy market through capturing the premiums for environmental attributes associated with electricity, hopefully, encouraging investment in new renewable energy projects. However, lack of standardization in both the definition of RECs and the ways that RECs can be exchanged and administered has led to confusion on the parts of all concerned—the REC seller, the REC buyer, regulators, and the public at large—stymying investment in renewable energy projects and creating market inefficiency. Much like inconsistent accounting definitions or divergent requirements for providing investment guidance to consumers would cause negative externalities in a market, inconsistent definitions of RECs impede the marketplace from receiving the anticipated gains from trading RECs in a purely liquid market

Multi-Robot FastSLAM for Large Domains

For a robot to build a map of its surrounding area, it must have accurate position information within the area, and to obtain accurate position information within the area, the robot needs to have an accurate map of the area. This circular problem is the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) problem. An efficient algorithm to solve it is FastSLAM, which is based on the Rao-Blackwellized particle filter. FastSLAM solves the SLAM problem for single-robot mapping using particles to represent the posterior of the robot pose and the map. Each particle of the filter possesses its own global map which is likely to be a grid map. The memory space required for these maps poses a serious limitation to the algorithm\u27s capability when the problem space is large. The problem will only get worse if the algorithm is adapted to multi-robot mapping. This thesis presents an alternate mapping algorithm that extends the single-robot FastSLAM algorithm to a multi-robot mapping algorithm that uses Absolute Space Representations (ASR) to represent the world. But each particle still maintains a local grid to map its vicinity and periodically this grid map is converted into an ASR. An ASR expresses a world in polygons requiring only a minimal amount of memory space. By using this altered mapping strategy, the problem faced in FastSLAM when mapping a large domain can be alleviated. In this algorithm, each robot maps separately, and when two robots encounter each other they exchange range and odometry readings from their last encounter to this encounter. Each robot then sets up another filter for the other robot\u27s data and incrementally updates its own map, incorporating the passed data and its own data at the same time. The passed data is processed in reverse by the receiving robot as if a virtual robot is back-tracking the path of the other robot. The algorithm is demonstrated using three data sets collected using a single robot equipped with odometry and laser-range finder sensors