scholarly journals Modeling intentional agency: a neo-Gricean framework

Synthese ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matti Sarkia

AbstractThis paper analyzes three contrasting strategies for modeling intentional agency in contemporary analytic philosophy of mind and action, and draws parallels between them and similar strategies of scientific model-construction. Gricean modeling involves identifying primitive building blocks of intentional agency, and building up from such building blocks to prototypically agential behaviors. Analogical modeling is based on picking out an exemplary type of intentional agency, which is used as a model for other agential types. Theoretical modeling involves reasoning about intentional agency in terms of some domain-general framework of lawlike regularities, which involves no detailed reference to particular building blocks or exemplars of intentional agency (although it may involve coarse-grained or heuristic reference to some of them). Given the contrasting procedural approaches that they employ and the different types of knowledge that they embody, the three strategies are argued to provide mutually complementary perspectives on intentional agency.

2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 943-947 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Ravanis

The representation of the properties and phenomena of the physical world exists from the beginning of life, as a first datum of reality. In several studies focused on children's representations we find that these representations these representations are critical to education and are often incompatible with the scientific model. This article presents the results of an empirical research on the representations of young children for melting and solidification of salt. The research sample consisted of 79 pre-school children (five to six years old) from one state kindergarten in Greece. Data were collected through expanded, open type, semi-structured individual conversations between a child of the sample and one researcher. The results of the interviews show that these children use different types of representations, the majority dominated by the nature of the substance under study.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 741-757
Author(s):  
Kateryna Hazdiuk ◽  
◽  
Volodymyr Zhikharevich ◽  
Serhiy Ostapov ◽  
◽  
...  

This paper deals with the issue of model construction of the self-regeneration and self-replication processes using movable cellular automata (MCAs). The rules of cellular automaton (CA) interactions are found according to the concept of equilibrium neighborhood. The method is implemented by establishing these rules between different types of cellular automata (CAs). Several models for two- and three-dimensional cases are described, which depict both stable and unstable structures. As a result, computer models imitating such natural phenomena as self-replication and self-regeneration are obtained and graphically presented.


2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Barner

Perceptual representations – e.g., of objects or approximate magnitudes –are often invoked as building blocks that children combine with linguisticsymbols when they acquire the positive integers. Systems of numericalperception are either assumed to contain the logical foundations ofarithmetic innately, or to supply the basis for their induction. Here Ipropose an alternative to this general framework, and argue that theintegers are not learned from perceptual systems, but instead arise toexplain perception as part of language acquisition. Drawing oncross-linguistic data and developmental data, I show that small numbers(1-4) and large numbers (~5+) arise both historically and in individualchildren via entirely distinct mechanisms, constituting independentlearning problems, neither of which begins with perceptual building blocks.Specifically, I propose that children begin by learning small numbers(i.e., *one, two, three*) using the same logical resources that supportother linguistic markers of number (e.g., singular, plural). Several yearslater, children discover the logic of counting by inferring the logicalrelations between larger number words from their roles in blind countingprocedures, and only incidentally associate number words with perception ofapproximate magnitudes, in an *ad hoc* and highly malleable fashion.Counting provides a form of explanation for perception but is not causallyderived from perceptual systems.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5516
Author(s):  
Maro Vlachopoulou ◽  
Christos Ziakis ◽  
Kostas Vergidis ◽  
Michael Madas

The agribusiness sector shows tremendous growth and sustainability prospects by exploiting the challenges of “AgriFood-Tech” business models in the digital environment, by encouraging innovation, accelerating institutional and structural change, enhancing productivity, and introducing new products and services to the market. The purpose of this study is to investigate different types of “AgriFood-Tech” digital models and analyze their role in the agribusiness and AgriFood sector. Based on relevant literature research, the authors present and discuss five indicative examples of “AgriFood-Tech” models, using the Business Model Canvas (BMC) framework. The methodology included the analysis of the components of innovative AgriFood innovative business models paradigms, such as distribution channels, key partnerships, customer selection and relationships, financial viability, and value proposition. The goal was to explore their building blocks and the required decisions that create, deliver, and capture value. Our findings highlight the importance of specific features of the models, including online sharing of information between the stakeholders, online searches of agri-products, and logistics services in the agribusiness sector.


Land ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 424
Author(s):  
Clara-Jane Blye ◽  
Elizabeth A. Halpenny ◽  
Glen T. Hvenegaard ◽  
Dee Patriquin

This study explores how knowledge was and is mobilized to advance the objectives of the Beaver Hills Biosphere Reserve, located in Alberta, Canada. Established in 2016, a 12-year collaborative effort worked to establish the biosphere reserve and achieve formal UNESCO designation. Subsequent efforts to grow the newly established biosphere reserve have accelerated in recent years. Our study documented how different types of knowledge were accessed, created, curated, and shared between partners during these two time periods. Focus group interviews were conducted with 14 participants, who are affiliated with Beaver Hills Biosphere Reserve partner organizations, and revealed the following findings: (1) not all knowledge is equally valued or understood; (2) partnerships are highly valued, and were essential to successful knowledge mobilization, but were stronger among individuals rather than organizations; (3) fear of the loss of autonomy and potential complications due to the establishment of a biosphere reserve slowed the exchange of information and engagement by some regional actors; and (4) knowledge mobilization is and was impeded by staff and agency capacity, finances, and time scarcity. This was further complicated by entrenched norms of practice, existing successful working relationships impeding the development of new partnerships, and embracing alternative forms of knowledge.


Entropy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 492
Author(s):  
Valentina Y. Guleva ◽  
Polina O. Andreeva ◽  
Danila A. Vaganov

Finding the building blocks of real-world networks contributes to the understanding of their formation process and related dynamical processes, which is related to prediction and control tasks. We explore different types of social networks, demonstrating high structural variability, and aim to extract and see their minimal building blocks, which are able to reproduce supergraph structural and dynamical properties, so as to be appropriate for diffusion prediction for the whole graph on the base of its small subgraph. For this purpose, we determine topological and functional formal criteria and explore sampling techniques. Using the method that provides the best correspondence to both criteria, we explore the building blocks of interest networks. The best sampling method allows one to extract subgraphs of optimal 30 nodes, which reproduce path lengths, clustering, and degree particularities of an initial graph. The extracted subgraphs are different for the considered interest networks, and provide interesting material for the global dynamics exploration on the mesoscale base.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 9813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuta Uchiyama ◽  
Eduardo Blanco ◽  
Ryo Kohsaka

Application of biomimetics has expanded progressively to other fields in recent years, including urban and architectural design, scaling up from materials to a larger scale. Besides its contribution to design and functionality through a long evolutionary process, the philosophy of biomimetics contributes to a sustainable society at the conceptual level. The aim of this review is to shed light on trends in the application of biomimetics to architectural and urban design, in order to identify potential issues and successes resulting from implementation. In the application of biomimetics to architectural design, parts of individual “organisms”, including their form and surface structure, are frequently mimicked, whereas in urban design, on a larger scale, biomimetics is applied to mimic whole ecosystems. The overall trends of the reviewed research indicate future research necessity in the field of on biomimetic application in architectural and urban design, including Biophilia and Material. As for the scale of the applications, the urban-scale research is limited and it is a promising research which can facilitate the social implementation of biomimetics. As for facilitating methods of applications, it is instrumental to utilize different types of knowledge, such as traditional knowledge, and providing scientific clarification of functions and systems based on reviews. Thus, interdisciplinary research is required additionally to reach such goals.


2012 ◽  
Vol 102 (4) ◽  
pp. 1446-1476 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daron Acemoglu ◽  
Georgy Egorov ◽  
Konstantin Sonin

In dynamic collective decision making, current decisions determine the future distribution of political power and influence future decisions. We develop a general framework to study this class of problems. Under acyclicity, we characterize dynamically stable states as functions of the initial state and obtain two general insights. First, a social arrangement is made stable by the instability of alternative arrangements that are preferred by sufficiently powerful groups. Second, efficiency-enhancing changes may be resisted because of further changes they will engender. We use this framework to analyze dynamics of political rights in a society with different types of extremist views. (JEL D71, D72, K10)


2009 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. 1682-1692 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Shi ◽  
R. Long ◽  
R. Dekett ◽  
J. Philippe

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