Logical and deep learning methods for temporal reasoning

In this thesis, we study logical and deep learning methods for the temporal reasoning of reactive systems. In Part I, we determine decidability borders for the satisfiability and realizability problem of temporal hyperproperties. Temporal hyperproperties relate multiple computation traces to each other and are expressed in a temporal hyperlogic. In particular, we identify decidable fragments of the highly expressive hyperlogics HyperQPTL and HyperCTL*. As an application, we elaborate on an enforcement mechanism for temporal hyperproperties. We study explicit enforcement algorithms for specifications given as formulas in universally quantified HyperLTL. In Part II, we train a (deep) neural network on the trace generation and realizability problem of linear-time temporal logic (LTL). We consider a method to generate large amounts of additional training data from practical specification patterns. The training data is generated with classical solvers, which provide one of many possible solutions to each formula. We demonstrate that it is sufficient to train on those particular solutions such that the neural network generalizes to the semantics of the logic. The neural network can predict solutions even for formulas from benchmarks from the literature on which the classical solver timed out. Additionally, we show that it solves a significant portion of problems from the annual synthesis competition (SYNTCOMP) and even out-of-distribution examples from a recent case study.Diese Arbeit befasst sich mit logischen Methoden und mehrschichtigen Lernmethoden für das zeitabhängige Argumentieren über reaktive Systeme. In Teil I werden die Grenzen der Entscheidbarkeit des Erfüllbarkeits- und des Realisierbarkeitsproblem von temporalen Hypereigenschaften bestimmt. Temporale Hypereigenschaften setzen mehrere Berechnungsspuren zueinander in Beziehung und werden in einer temporalen Hyperlogik ausgedrückt. Insbesondere werden entscheidbare Fragmente der hochexpressiven Hyperlogiken HyperQPTL und HyperCTL* identifiziert. Als Anwendung wird ein Enforcement-Mechanismus für temporale Hypereigenschaften erarbeitet. Explizite Enforcement-Algorithmen für Spezifikationen, die als Formeln in universell quantifiziertem HyperLTL angegeben werden, werden untersucht. In Teil II wird ein (mehrschichtiges) neuronales Netz auf den Problemen der Spurgenerierung und Realisierbarkeit von Linear-zeit Temporallogik (LTL) trainiert. Es wird eine Methode betrachtet, um aus praktischen Spezifikationsmustern große Mengen zusätzlicher Trainingsdaten zu generieren. Die Trainingsdaten werden mit klassischen Solvern generiert, die zu jeder Formel nur eine von vielen möglichen Lösungen liefern. Es wird gezeigt, dass es ausreichend ist, an diesen speziellen Lösungen zu trainieren, sodass das neuronale Netz zur Semantik der Logik generalisiert. Das neuronale Netz kann Lösungen sogar für Formeln aus Benchmarks aus der Literatur vorhersagen, bei denen der klassische Solver eine Zeitüberschreitung hatte. Zusätzlich wird gezeigt, dass das neuronale Netz einen erheblichen Teil der Probleme aus dem jährlichen Synthesewettbewerb (SYNTCOMP) und sogar Beispiele außerhalb der Distribution aus einer aktuellen Fallstudie lösen kann

The theatre of Tom Stoppard : the spectator as hero

Bibliography: p. 81 -82.In examining the theatre of Tom Stoppard, I have decided to use only plays that have been written to be performed live before an audience. This excludes the radio and television plays and, of course, his only novel. This decision was me.de because of a desire to concentrate on the theatrical nature of the plays, how they are received by a live theatre audience, as opposed to the impression made on a reader who has only a text before him. The whole emphasis in Stoppard's theatre is on the theme of differing angles of perception, of the different ways a spectator can look at an idea and the varied truths that can result. The spectator is hero both inside and outside Stoppard's created worlds; the stylist, removed from the world of action, fashions life to mirror art, but is caught in a dilemma when faced by the innumerable reflections he sees or thinks he sees Plays need to be studied with the eye of a directors and not simply as literature. As a playwright, Stoppard's conscious aim is to .achieve that volatile quality that binds audience and actors together for a few short hours as a work of art is created. I have tried to keep this in mind while looking, in the mind's eye, at the plays. Because the subject of this study is in his middle years there is the likelihood that, prolific as he is, he will continue to produce plays at his present rate and it is very possible that he will branch out into different areas. This cannot therefore be much more than an interim assessment, not even an interim judgment. Already it seems that the challenge of naturalism is making itself felt and, in Night and Day a strong movement can be perceived in that direction

Using extensive feedback to improve writing skills within a social studies context

The purpose of this study was to determine what kind of impact extensive feedback had on eighth grade students within a social studies context. The researcher used best practice feedback techniques gleaned from research to assist all his students in improving content knowledge, mechanics and rhetorical skills. From the body of all student work, the writing of five students of varying abilities was examined in detail to determine the effect of feedback on student writing skills. Examination of subsequent student drafts and assignments from these five students and questionnaires from all students revealed that while feedback did play a role in improving student writing, particularly in the realm of content knowledge, the main reason student writing improved was due to improvement in writing assignment quality as the teacher gained experience with crafting writing tasks

An Investigation of non-verbal auditory cues within graphical user interfaces

As we approach the end of the century and enter into a digital era there is a need to concentrate on new methods of communication. The expansion of personal computers into the industrial sector and more recently into the home, has brought the ability to transmit various forms of data to the average user. This new ability is accompanied with a responsibility to communicate effectively and clearly. This study focuses on the ability of user interfaces to effectively communicate combinations of visual and auditory cues to produce a more comprehensive user experience. This work proposed that the addition of auditory cues to a graphical user interface allows the user to receive valuable feedback through multiple sensory channels. By combining the types of perceived stimuli, developers of user interfaces can effectively communicate with the user. Modification of Kodak\u27s Picture Easy v.2.0 software allowed for the study of varying amounts of auditory stimuli incorporated into a graphical user interface. The hypothesis states that by adding an appropriate level of non-verbal auditory cues, users will experience enhanced performance and understanding of a user interface. The augmentation of an existing application permitted the study of three prototypes varying in the level of auditory and visual stimuli. Users evaluated three combinations of the test application to determine the preferred level of nonverbal auditory feedback. The findings from this study may then be applied to the development of graphical user interfaces that permit the use of auditory cues. Although this research disproved the hypothesis and stated that participants preferred visual cues over auditory cues, I believe that they can be successfully combined to produce a more effective and pleasing interface. The reasons for failure of the hypothesis may lie embedded within incorrect combinations of the five characteristics of auditory queues. These queues are Type, Nature, Duration, Amplitude, and Placement. This study revealed that participants preferred tool tips when identifying features and functionality, it is my belief that auditory cues can and will play a major part in future interaction styles, not only for software development, but for all user interface interactions

Categories, concepts, and calls : auditory perceptual mechanisms and cognitive abilities across different types of birds.

Although involving different animals, preparations, and objectives, our laboratories (Sturdy's and Cook's) are mutually interested in category perception and concept formation. The Sturdy laboratory has a history of studying perceptual categories in songbirds, while Cook laboratory has a history of studying abstract concept formation in pigeons. Recently, we undertook a suite of collaborative projects to combine our investigations to examine abstract concept formation in songbirds, and perception of songbird vocalizations in pigeons. This talk will include our recent findings of songbird category perception, songbird abstract concept formation (same/different task), and early results from pigeons' processing of songbird vocalizations in a same/different task. Our findings indicate that (1) categorization in birds seems to be most heavily influenced by acoustic, rather than genetic or experiential factors (2) songbirds treat their vocalizations as perceptual categories, both at the level of the note and species/whole call, (3) chickadees, like pigeons, can perceive abstract, same-different relations, and (4) pigeons are not as good at discriminating chickadee vocalizations as songbirds (chickadees and finches). Our findings suggest that although there are commonalities in complex auditory processing among birds, there are potentially important comparative differences between songbirds and non-songbirds in their treatment of certain types of auditory objects.Publisher PD