Bounded Height in Pencils of Finitely Generated Subgroups

We prove height bounds concerning intersections of finitely generated subgroups in a torus with algebraic subvarieties, all varying in a pencil. This vastly extends the previously treated constant case and involves entirely different, and more delicate, techniques

Lower Bounds for Heights in Relative Galois Extensions

The goal of this paper is to obtain lower bounds on the height of an algebraic number in a relative setting, extending previous work of Amoroso and Masser. Specifically, in our first theorem we obtain an effective bound for the height of an algebraic number $\alpha$ when the base field $\mathbb{K}$ is a number field and $\mathbb{K}(\alpha)/\mathbb{K}$ is Galois. Our second result establishes an explicit height bound for any non-zero element $\alpha$ which is not a root of unity in a Galois extension $\mathbb{F}/\mathbb{K}$, depending on the degree of $\mathbb{K}/\mathbb{Q}$ and the number of conjugates of $\alpha$ which are multiplicatively independent over $\mathbb{K}$. As a consequence, we obtain a height bound for such $\alpha$ that is independent of the multiplicative independence condition

I sistemi robotici ad autonomia crescente tra etica e diritto: quale ruolo per il controllo umano?

ABSTRACT (in English, main text in Italian): To be counted as operationally autonomous relative to the execution of some given task, a robotic system must be capable of performing that task without any human intervention after its activation. Recent progress in the fields of robotics and AI has paved the way to robots autonomously performing tasks that may significantly affect individual and collective interests, which are deemed as worthy of protection from both ethical and legal perspectives. The present contribution provides an overview of ensuing normative problems and identifies some ethically and legally grounded solutions to them. To this end, three case studies will be more closely scrutinized, i.e. increasingly autonomous weapons systems, vehicles, and surgical robots. These case studies are used to illustrate, respectively, the preliminary problem of whether we want to grant certain forms of autonomy to robotic systems, the problem of selecting appropriate ethical policies to control the behavior of autonomous robotic systems, and the problem of how to retain responsibility for misdoings of autonomous robotic systems. The analysis of these case studies brings out the key role played by human control in ethical and legal problem-solving strategies concerning the operational autonomy of robotic and AI systems

Le implicazioni etico-giuridiche delle nuove tecnologie robotiche e informatiche in campo militare tra lex lata e lex ferenda

In uno scritto pubblicato sul finire dello scorso millennio, Cristopher Greenwood elogiava la capacità dei principi internazionali sulla disciplina degli armamenti di affrontare le sfide poste dallo sviluppo di nuove tecnologie militari e fissava, come priorità per il secolo a venire, nongià l’adozionedi nuove norme (lex ferenda), quanto piuttosto l’effettiva applicazione dei quelle vigenti (lex lata). Questo breve contributo in tende verificare la correttezza di questo assunto alla luce dei recenti tentativi della comunità internazionale di dare una risposta alle questioni etico-giuridiche poste da tre tecnologie che stanno rivoluzionando il modo di fare e concepire la guerra (o promettono di farlo nel volgere di pochi decenni): i droni armati, gli attacchi informatici e i sistemi d’arma autonomi

Understanding Consumers\u27 Acceptance of Online Purchasing

This paper examines previous Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)-related studies in order to provide an expanded model that explains consumers’ acceptance of online purchasing. Our model provides extensions to the original TAM by including constructs such as social influence and voluntariness; it also examines the impact of external variables including trust, privacy, risk, and e-loyalty. We surveyed consumers in the United States and Australia. Our findings suggest that our expanded model serves as a very good predictor of consumers’ online purchasing behaviors. The linear regression model shows a respectable amount of variance for Behavioral Intention (R2 = .627). Suggestions are provided for the practitioner and ideas are presented for future research

Analysis of the Factors that Influence Online Purchasing

This paper reviews recent studies related to the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) in order to derive an extended model that examines online purchasing by consumers. Our model expands the original TAM by including additional constructs including privacy, trust, perceived risk, e-satisfaction, and e-loyalty. We surveyed over 1,850 consumers in the United States and Australia using an instrument that yielded respectable reliability and validity. The findings suggest that our expanded model serves as a very good predictor of consumers\u27 online purchasing behaviors. The linear regression model shows a substantial amount of variance explained for Behavioral Intention (R2 = .637). We also discover interesting but unexpected results that provide the need for future research. This paper adds to our understanding of the factors influencing online purchasing. Future researchers can refine our model and instrument to further explain consumers’ acceptance of Internet-based applications