scholarly journals Foundations of the Age-Area Hypothesis

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Economic Theory ◽  
Geographical Origin ◽  
Area Theorem ◽  
Semitic Languages ◽  
Divergence Measures ◽  
World Geography ◽  
Occam’S Razor ◽  
The World ◽  
Occam's Razor

AbstractA useful tool in understanding the roots of the world geography of culture is the Age-Area-Hypothesis. The Age-Area Hypothesis (AAH) asserts that the point of geographical origin of a group of related cultures is most likely where the culture speaking the most divergent language is located. In spite of its widespread, multidisciplinary application, the hypothesis remains imprecisely stated, and has no theoretical underpinnings. This paper describes a model of the AAH based on an economic theory of mass migrations. The theory leads to a family of measures of cultural divergence, which can be referred to as Dyen divergence measures. One measure is used to develop an Age-Area Theorem, which links linguistic divergence and likelihood of geographical origin. The theory allows for computation of the likelihood different locations are origin points for a group of related cultures, and can be applied recursively to yield probabilities of different historical migratory paths. The theory yields an Occam’s-razor-like result: migratory paths that are the simplest are also the most likely; a key principle of the AAH. The paper concludes with an application to the geographical origins of the peoples speaking Semitic languages.

Cognitive Processes by using Finite State Machines

2011 ◽  
pp. 52-64
Author(s):  
Ismael Rodríguez ◽  
Manuel Núñez ◽  
Fernando Rubio
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Cognitive Model ◽  
Intelligent Agent ◽  
Finite State Machines ◽  
State Machines ◽  
Occam’S Razor ◽  
The World ◽  
Finite State ◽  
Occam's Razor

Finite State Machines (FSM) are formalisms that have been used for decades to describe the behavior of systems. They can also provide an intelligent agent with a suitable formalism for describing its own beliefs about the behavior of the world surrounding it. In fact, FSMs are the suitable acceptors for right linear languages, which are the simplest languages considered in Chomsky’s classification of languages. Since Chomsky proposes that the generation of language (and, indirectly, any mental process) can be expressed through a kind of formal language, it can be assumed that cognitive processes can be formulated by means of the formalisms that can express those languages. Hence, we will use FSMs as a suitable formalism for representing (simple) cognitive models. We present an algorithm that, given an observation of the environment, produces an FSM describing an environment behavior that is capable to produce that observation. Since an infinite number of different FSMs could have produced that observation, we have to choose the most feasible one. When a phenomenon can be explained with several theories, Occam’s razor principle, which is basic in science, encourages choosing the simplest explanation. Applying this criterion to our problem, we choose the simplest (smallest) FSM that could have produced that observation. An algorithm is presented to solve this problem. In conclusion, our framework provides a cognitive model that is the most preferable theory for the observer, according to the Occam’s razor criterion.

The Limits to Knowledge

2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 143-151
Author(s):  
Michael Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Backgrounds ◽  
Occam’S Razor ◽  
Central Tenet ◽  
The World ◽  
Competing Models ◽  
Occam's Razor

What is knowledge and what, if any, are its limits? In this essay I present a scientist’s view of our limits to knowledge, which come in many forms. Limits are set by our imagination and cultural backgrounds, by our technology, and by some of the laws of physics themselves. Science creates knowledge about the world through making models and measurement; and understanding the limits of our measurements is a central tenet of physics. Within physics, the calculation of these limits is generally harder than the measurements themselves, and within other disciplines it can be very difficult indeed. But measurements can only be made within the context of a model, and choosing between competing models can be very contentious. When competing models predict the same outcomes a further principle is required – Occam’s razor.

Bursting the bubble: Do we need true Gestalt isomorphism?

2003 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-421
Author(s):  
Niall P. McLoughlin
Keyword(s):  
Visual Perception ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Dimensional Representation ◽  
Three Dimensional Representation ◽  
Occam’S Razor ◽  
The World ◽  
Occam's Razor

Lehar proposes an interesting theory of visual perception based on an explicit three-dimensional representation of the world existing in the observer's head. However, if we apply Occam's razor to this proposal, it is possible to contemplate far simpler representations of the world. Such representations have the advantage that they agree with findings in modern neuroscience.

The Master Argument Against Ontological Borders

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jody Azzouni
Keyword(s):  
Master Argument ◽  
Occam’S Razor ◽  
The World ◽  
Occam's Razor

The “master argument” is given: No metaphysical sense can be made of ontological boundaries (ones that support individuation conditions) above and beyond feature changes in the world. Ontological boundaries make no sense as brute items above and beyond properties and relations; but they make no sense as a particular subset of properties and relations either. Attempts to defend the reality of ontological boundaries on the basis of experience of them or because of their essentiality to theorizing are refuted. Moorean considerations are shown not to work either. This undermines standard metaphysical positions: mereological universalism, ontological nihilism, and others. Although no metaphysical distinction exists between changes within an object and changes from one object to another, it’s shown that projecting such contours onto the world can differ in value. This value can be explained in non-worldly-object terms. The master argument is distinguished from Occam’s razor approaches against rich metaphysical structure.

A Job for Occam's Razor

1980 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 841-842
Author(s):  
RONALD W. MARX
Keyword(s):  
Occam’S Razor ◽  
Occam's Razor

Features of economic development of entrepreneurship in suburban areas of the region

2020 ◽  
pp. 22-25
Author(s):  
Viktoriya Bondarenko
Keyword(s):  
Economic Theory ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
National Economy ◽  
Geographic Area ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
World Market ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Suburban Areas ◽  
The World

The level of economic development of entrepreneurship in any country in the world is crucial in increasing the competitiveness of the national economy in the world market of goods and services. The activities of economic entities are the driving force for the sustainable development of regions and their suburban areas, and they also impact the welfare of population. The article dwells on the analysis of scientific approaches to the regulation of economic development of enterprises in suburban areas of the region. The article analyzes the scientific approaches to the regulation of economic development of enterprises in suburban areas of the region. According to the well-known classics of the fundamental economic theory of entrepreneurship development (A. Smith, D. Ricardo, V. Laungard, A. Loria) the peculiarities of economic development of entrepreneurship in suburban territories of the region are determined by the possibility of distribution of surplus production, minimum production costs per unit of production, availability of labor resources. In modern economic theory (M. Weber, A. Pre, S.M. Kimelberg, E. Williams, C. Vlachou, O. Iakovidou, J. van Dijk, P. Pellenbarg) the development of entrepreneurship in suburban areas of the region can be determined by institutional, innovation, technological, social, ecological and other features of the economy at the regional, state or world levels. The complex and comprehensive generalization of the features of economic development of entrepreneurship in suburban areas is proposed. There are (1) the type of decision taken by an enterprise to carry out business activities in the relevant suburban area of the region, and (2) the influence of internal and external factors on economic activity. The article argues that large enterprises are guided by more objective decision-making reasons, attaching the most importance to the physical and innovative environment. Medium and small enterprises are mainly focused on getting benefits for the entrepreneur in the short-term time period and location in the nearest geographic area. The attention was paid to the tools of ensuring economic development of entrepreneurship in suburban areas of the region, taking into account institutional changes in the national economy and the experience of developed countries of the world.

scholarly journals Understanding Retinal Vasculitis Associated with Brolucizumab: Complex Pathophysiology or Occam’s Razor?

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Ashish Sharma ◽  
Nilesh Kumar ◽  
Nikulaa Parachuri ◽  
Sonali Singh ◽  
Francesco Bandello ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Retinal Vasculitis ◽  
Occam’S Razor ◽  
Occam's Razor
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