Tacit Representations and Artificial Intelligence: Hidden Lessons from an Embodied Perspective on Cognition

In this paper, I explore how an embodied perspective on cognition might inform research on artificial intelligence. Many embodied cognition theorists object to the central role that representations play on the traditional view of cognition. Based on these objections, it may seem that the lesson from embodied cognition is that AI should abandon representation as a central component of intelligence. However, I argue that the lesson from embodied cognition is actually that AI research should shift its focus from how to utilize explicit representations to how to create and use tacit representations. To develop this suggestion, I provide an overview of the commitments of the classical view and distinguish three critiques of the role that representations play in that view. I provide further exploration and defense of Daniel Dennett’s distinction between explicit and tacit representations. I argue that we should understand the embodied cognition approach using a framework that includes tacit representations. Given this perspective, I will explore some AI research areas that may be recommended by an embodied perspective on cognition

Gun Law History in the United States and Second Amendment Rights

The plethora of early gun laws herein described establish their prolific existence, but also validate the argument that gun rules and gun rights are by no means at odds. If the Supreme Court was indeed serious in saying that the provenance of gun regulations is relevant to the evaluation of contemporary laws, then this examination advances the Court's stated objective. The common notions that gun laws are largely a function of modern, industrial (or postindustrial) America, that gun laws are incompatible with American history and its practices or values, and that gun laws fundamentally collide with American legal traditions or individual rights, are all patently false. Following this introduction in part I, part II establishes that gun laws are as old as the nation. Part III summarizes the different categories into which early gun laws are categorized, and the frequency distributions within each category divided into time periods from 1607 to 1934. Part IV examines illustrative laws within each category and considers their nature and consequences. Part V offers a brief conclusion

Ceramic-coated boat is chemically inert, provides good heat transfer

Refractory metal foil sprayed with ceramic coating serves as evaporating boat for inorganic materials. The high thermal conductivity of this boat makes it useful with ohmic heaters

Thin-film gage measures low heat-transfer rates

Low heat-transfer gage facilitates determination of the transition between laminar and turbulent conditions, in the boundary layer surrounding slender and moderately slender cones under test in a hypersonic blowdown helium tunnel. The gage consists of a thin layer of vacuum-evaporated platinum on a heat resistant glass substrate contoured to fit model surfaces

GaAs high efficiency limits/geometric enhancements

This workshop addressed efficiency improvements that may be obtained in GaAs solar cells. The cell designs considered by the group ranged from conventional planar structures to novel devices employing superlattices or point contacts

From Fragmentation to Function: Critical Concepts and Writings on Social Capital Markets' Structure, Operation, and Innovation

We hope to see a future in which more funds flow to investments seeking the generation of social and/or environmental value in conjunction with some level of financial performance. As the 'capital markets' moniker would suggest, we would like to see these capital flows be performance-based (so that funds advance the work of high-performance investees, while being less accessible to lower-performing and/or riskier ventures). Furthermore, we would like to see these investments adopt structures that more completely address the diverse needs and interests of investors and investees. Our ambition is that by better organizing the ideas and initiatives of the many individuals who have worked to frame this emerging market, these goals may be advanced. The paper's secondary goals are to help focus future research and praxis on efforts that build on the significant body of existing work without unduly re-treading well-worn analytical paths. This paper seeks to promote an elevated discussion of the social capital markets, a discourse focusing on  high-leverage issues. The paper also invites experts from related academic and practical fields to engage in a conversation that has to this point largely been conducted between social sector professionals turning their attention to capital flows and finance professionals placing their expertise in the service of social purposes

Development and evaluation of television tubes for space astronomy

An improved vidicon image sensor for space astronomy applications is developed that features reliably sealed ultraviolet transmitting windows and achieves acceptable photocathode quantum efficiency on these MgF2 windows. New preamplifier designs improve the dynamic range by reduction of the readout noise

Contact dynamics testing of automated three point docking mechanism

TRW has conducted an extensive Contact Dynamics Test Program (CDTP) of the Three Point Docking Mechanism (TPDM). The CDTP tested the ability of the TPDM latches to capture and automatically dock to target spacecraft. The target selected was the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Mock ups of the TPDM with its three latches and the docking interface of the HST were constructed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama for use in the tests. The tests were performed at the Flat Floor and Six Degree of Freedom (6-DOF) facilities at MSFC