5,574 research outputs found
Is a Technological Singularity near also for bots in MMOGs?
Using the idea of the Technological Singularity this essay offers some reflections on the possible future of bots in Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs). The paper starts by briefly introducing the notion of Technological Singularity as the advent of a super-intelligent Artificial Intelligence that could threaten human existence. Bots are computer programs that automate repetitive and time consuming activities for the Internet user. In MMOGs, bots are often used to cheat and could have nefarious effects on the gameplay. Assuming that bots are rudimentary forms of Artificial Intelligence that also pose a threat to MMOGs and their players, the paper presents some evidence-based trends of the future evolution of bots and the implications of these for Virtual Worlds research
Monetary Policy Under Alterative Asset Market Structures: the Case of a Small Open Economy
Can the structure of asset markets change the way monetary policy should be conducted? Following a linear-quadratic approach, the present paper addresses this question in a New Keynesian small open economy framework. Our results reveal that the configuration of asset markets significantly affects optimal monetary policy and the performance of standard policy rules. In particular, when comparing complete and incomplete markets, the ranking of policy rules is entirely reversed, and so are the policy prescriptions regarding the optimal level of exchange rate volatility.Welfare, Optimal Monetary Policy, Asset Markets, Small Open Economy
Learning by gaming:ANT and critical making
Relationships among theory, gaming, learning and socio-technical design are explored in the two contributions which compose the section. The theory in question is ANT, re-interpreted through critical making - an umbrella term for various distinctive practices that link traditional scholarship in the humanities and social sciences to forms of material engagement. Sergio Minniti describes an ongoing project called Game of ANT, which draws upon the critical making approach to design an interactive technology and a workshop experience through which scholars and students can conceptually-materially engage with ANT, hence exploring and approaching it from novel points of view. Game of ANT adopts the Latourian vision of technoscience as war and physically embodies this idea by proposing a sort of war game during which participants play the roles of human or non-human actors engaging with the competitive dynamics of socio-technical life. The commentary by Stefano De Paoli proposes new directions to develop the project, by deepening the concept of game and its value for design and learning processes.</p
Reconsidering online reputation systems
Social and socioeconomic interactions and transactions often require trust. In digital spaces, the main approach to facilitating trust has effectively been to try to reduce or even remove the need for it through the implementation of reputation systems. These generate metrics based on digital data such as ratings and reviews submitted by users, interaction histories, and so on, that are intended to label individuals as more or less reliable or trustworthy in a particular interaction context. We suggest that conventional approaches to the design of such systems are rooted in a capitalist, competitive paradigm, relying on methodological individualism, and that the reputation technologies themselves thus embody and enact this paradigm in whatever space they operate in. We question whether the politics, ethics and philosophy that contribute to this paradigm align with those of some of the contexts in which reputation systems are now being used, and suggest that alternative approaches to the establishment of trust and reputation in digital spaces need to be considered for alternative contexts
Sachs' free data in real connection variables
We discuss the Hamiltonian dynamics of general relativity with real
connection variables on a null foliation, and use the Newman-Penrose formalism
to shed light on the geometric meaning of the various constraints. We identify
the equivalent of Sachs' constraint-free initial data as projections of
connection components related to null rotations, i.e. the translational part of
the ISO(2) group stabilising the internal null direction soldered to the
hypersurface. A pair of second-class constraints reduces these connection
components to the shear of a null geodesic congruence, thus establishing
equivalence with the second-order formalism, which we show in details at the
level of symplectic potentials. A special feature of the first-order
formulation is that Sachs' propagating equations for the shear, away from the
initial hypersurface, are turned into tertiary constraints; their role is to
preserve the relation between connection and shear under retarded time
evolution. The conversion of wave-like propagating equations into constraints
is possible thanks to an algebraic Bianchi identity; the same one that allows
one to describe the radiative data at future null infinity in terms of a shear
of a (non-geodesic) asymptotic null vector field in the physical spacetime.
Finally, we compute the modification to the spin coefficients and the null
congruence in the presence of torsion.Comment: 23 pages + Appendix, 2 figures. v2: Improved text and some amendments
throughout, added more details on the relation between 2+2 foliations and
null tetrads, updated references. Version submitted for peer reviewing. v3:
Few minor amendments, footnote added on a null congruence in the presence of
torsion; matches published versio
Policy design in a model with swings in risk appetite
This paper studies the policy implications of habits and cyclical changes in agents' appetite for risk-taking. To do so, it analyses the non-linear solution of a New Keynesian (NK) model, in which slow-moving habits help match the cyclical properties of risk-premia. Our findings suggest that the presence of habits and swings in risk appetite can materially affect policy prescriptions. As in Ljungqvist and Uhlig (2000), a counter-cyclical fiscal instrument can eliminate habit-related externalities. Alternatively, monetary policy can partially curb the associated overconsumption by responding to risk premia. Specifically, periods in which risk premia are elevated (compressed) merit a looser (tighter) policy stance. However, the associated welfare gains appear quantitatively small
âProbing with the prototypeâ:using a prototype e-participation platform as a digital cultural probe to investigate youth engagement with the environment
This study describes how we used a prototype e-participation plat-form as a digital cultural probe to investigate youth motivation and engagement strategies. This is a novel way of considering digital cultural probes which can contribute to the better creation of e-participation platforms. This probe has been conducted as part of the research project STEP which aims at creating an e-participation platform to engage young European Citizens in environmental decision making. Our probe technique has given an insight into the environ-mental issues concerning young people across Europe as well as possible strat-egies for encouraging participation. How the e-participation platform can be utilised to support youth engagement through opportunities for social interac-tion and leadership is discussed. This study leads to a better understanding of how young people can co-operate with each other to provide collective intelli-gence and how this knowledge could contribute to effective e-participation of young people
A contribution to the knowledge of the skin albuminose cells of Torpedo ocellata Raf [Riv.Istochim.norm.pat. 8 411-416, 1962]
Glandular cells, other than the mucous cells, have been described in the skin of various groups of fish (Teleosts, Ganoids, Selachii) and they have been called 'albuminose' by various authors. The authors propose to study the albuminose cells in the skin of Torpedo ocellata Raf. from a histochemical point of view. The albuminose cells have a complex morphological structure and a correspondingly complicated histochemical make-up. One must treat them as an example of cell with secretions of a particular type, which must and will be better incorporated when more is known of characteristics existent in other species
Propagation of mesons in asymmetric nuclear matter in a density dependent coupling model
We study the propagation of the light mesons sigma, omega, rho, and a0(980)
in dense hadronic matter in an extended derivative scalar coupling model.
Within the scheme proposed it is possible to unambiguously define effective
density-dependent couplings at the Lagrangian level. We first apply the model
to study asymmetric nuclear matter with fixed isospin asymmetry, and then we
pay particular attention to hypermatter in beta-equilibrium. The equation of
state and the potential contribution to the symmetry coefficient arising from
the mean field approximation are investigated.Comment: 17 pages, 15 PostScript figure
When situativity meets objectivity in peer-production of knowledge:the case of the WikiRate platform
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to further the debate on Knowledge Artefacts (KAs), by presenting the design of WikiRate, a Collective Awareness platform whose goal is to support a wider public contributing to the generation of knowledge on environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of companies.Design/methodology/approachThe material presented in the paper comes from the first-hand experience of the authors as part of the WikiRate design team. This material is reflexively discussed using concepts from the field of science and technology studies.FindingsUsing the concept of the âfunnel of interestâ, the authors discuss how the design of a KA like WikiRate relies on the designersâ capacity to translate general statements into particular design solutions. The authors also show how this funnelling helps understanding the interplay between situativity and objectivity in a KA. The authors show how WikiRate is a peer-production platform based on situativity, which requires a robust level of objectivity for producing reliable knowledge about the ESG performance of companies.Originality/valueThis paper furthers the debate on KAs. It presents a relevant design example and offers in the discussion a set of design and community building recommendations to practitioners
- âŠ