scholarly journals The computational benefits of episodic memory in spatial learning

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangshuai Zeng ◽  
Laurenz Wiskott ◽  
Sen Cheng

Episodic memory has been studied extensively in the past few decades, but so far little is understood about how it is used to affect behavior. Here we postulate three learning paradigms: one-shot learning, replay learning, and online learning, where in the first two paradigms episodic memory is retrieved for decision-making or replayed to the neocortex for extracting semantic knowledge, respectively. In the third paradigm, the neocortex directly extracts information from online experiences as they occur, but does not have access to these experiences afterwards. By using visually-driven reinforcement learning in simulations, we found that whether an agent is able to solve a task by relying on the three learning paradigms depends differently on the number of learning trials and the complexity of the task. Episodic memory can, but does not always, have a major benefit for spatial learning, and its effect differs for the two modes of accessing episodic information. One-shot learning is initially faster than replay learning, but the latter reaches a better asymptotic performance. We believe that understanding how episodic memory drives behavior will be an important step towards elucidating the nature of episodic memory.

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 393-414 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lee Roy Beach

Narrative-Based Decision Theory (NBDT) describes how narrative thinking leads to concrete action. The first premise is that narratives enable the narrator to make sense of the past and present and allow him or her to make plausible forecasts about the future. The second premise is that the narrator can evaluate the desirability of the forecasted future in light of his or her values and preferences. The third premise is that when the forecasted future is undesirable the narrator can create and implement plans of action aimed at ensuring that the future, when it arrives, is more desirable than what was forecasted. Two kinds of decisions bind these three premises into a unified theory: decisions about the desirability of the forecasted future and decisions about a plan’s potential for remedying things when it is decided that the forecasted future is undesirable — in effect, the plan’s desirability. Both kinds of decisions are made using a single mechanism, the discrepancy test. The NBDT viewpoints on the properties of narratives, on the properties of decisions, and on the properties of the decision mechanism are discussed.


Author(s):  
Feng Zhang ◽  
Richard Ned Lebow

Diplomacy is the third leg of a holistic strategy we propose for managing conflict between America and China. Some general conditions help to make it effective, although its specific operation is always context-dependent. Leadership commitment is often necessary for launching major diplomatic initiatives. Leadership commitment is often the result of internal or external incentives, reinforced by catalysts that highlight pressing challenges and the imperative of diplomacy. Effective diplomacy also requires sound strategic conceptions. A smooth decision-making process capable of coordinating disparate policy preferences and implementing supportive policies is also critical to effective diplomacy. Diplomacy has had major successes and regrettable failures in managing the Sino-American relationship in the past. Looking ahead, it faces both opportunities and constraints in managing competition between the two countries.


2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-171
Author(s):  
Nāṣir Al-Dīn Abū Khaḍīr

The ʿUthmānic way of writing (al-rasm al-ʿUthmānī) is a science that specialises in the writing of Qur'anic words in accordance with a specific ‘pattern’. It follows the writing style of the Companions at the time of the third caliph, ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān, and was attributed to ʿUthmān on the basis that he was the one who ordered the collection and copying of the Qur'an into the actual muṣḥaf. This article aims to expound on the two fundamental functions of al-rasm al-ʿUthmānī: that of paying regard to the ‘correct’ pronunciation of the words in the muṣḥaf, and the pursuit of the preclusion of ambiguity which may arise in the mind of the reader and his auditor. There is a further practical aim for this study: to show the connection between modern orthography and the ʿUthmānic rasm in order that we, nowadays, are thereby able to overcome the problems faced by calligraphers and writers of the past in their different ages and cultures.


2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-224
Author(s):  
ʿĀʾiḍ B. Sad Al-Dawsarī

The story of Lot is one of many shared by the Qur'an and the Torah, and Lot's offer of his two daughters to his people is presented in a similar way in the two books. This article compares the status of Lot in the Qur'an and Torah, and explores the moral dimensions of his character, and what scholars of the two religions make of this story. The significance of the episodes in which Lot offers his daughters to his people lies in the similarities and differences of the accounts given in the two books and the fact that, in both the past and the present, this story has presented moral problems and criticism has been leveled at Lot. Context is crucial in understanding this story, and exploration of the ways in which Lot and his people are presented is also useful in terms of comparative studies of the two scriptures. This article is divided into three sections: the first explores the depiction of Lot in the two texts, the second explores his moral limitations, and the third discusses the interpretations of various exegetes and scholars of the two books. Although there are similarities between the Qur'anic and Talmudic accounts of this episode, it is read differently by scholars from the two religions because of the different contexts of the respective accounts.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Hazem Hamad Mousa Al Janabi

Tripartite Negotiating philosophy: (strategy - tactics - technique) At the beginning , the research consists of four sections as follows: The first axis titled: "what negotiation", and the second axis: "philosophy of negotiation," The third axis titled: "negotiation strategy". Down to the fourth axis which included titled: "negotiating tactic", Sajama with the past and as a supplement came fifth axis titled: "negotiating technique", to be the bottom line in the form of a set of conclusions. Negotiation consists of a base triple hierarchical strategy - tactics - technique. The philosophy of negotiating interactive basis of rationality. Negotiable three parties are the position and the case and the parties involved. Is the process of negotiating strategic recruitment capacity and capabilities to achieve the desired goal of the crisis prematurely. Negotiating tactic is the process of hiring capacity and capabilities to achieve the desired goal at the negotiating table. •The technique is the process of negotiating employment capacity and capabilities to achieve the desired goal at the negotiating table to contain thesudden things check response and renewed flexibility.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Abbiss

This article offers a ‘post-heritage’ reading of both iterations of Upstairs Downstairs: the LondonWeekend Television (LWT) series (1971–5) and its shortlived BBC revival (2010–12). Identifying elements of subversion and subjectivity allows scholarship on the LWT series to be reassessed, recognising occasions where it challenges rather than supports the social structures of the depicted Edwardian past. The BBC series also incorporates the post-heritage element of self-consciousness, acknowledging the parallel between its narrative and the production’s attempts to recreate the success of its 1970s predecessor. The article’s first section assesses the critical history of the LWT series, identifying areas that are open to further study or revised readings. The second section analyses the serialised war narrative of the fourth series of LWT’s Upstairs, Downstairs (1974), revealing its exploration of female identity across multiple episodes and challenging the notion that the series became more male and upstairs dominated as it progressed. The third section considers the BBC series’ revised concept, identifying the shifts in its main characters’ positions in society that allow the series’ narrative to question the past it evokes. This will be briefly contrasted with the heritage stability of Downton Abbey (ITV, 2010–15). The final section considers the household of 165 Eaton Place’s function as a studio space, which the BBC series self-consciously adopts in order to evoke the aesthetics of prior period dramas. The article concludes by suggesting that the barriers to recreating the past established in the BBC series’ narrative also contributed to its failure to match the success of its earlier iteration.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Abbiss

This article offers a ‘post-heritage’ reading of both iterations of Upstairs Downstairs: the LondonWeekend Television (LWT) series (1971–5) and its shortlived BBC revival (2010–12). Identifying elements of subversion and subjectivity allows scholarship on the LWT series to be reassessed, recognising occasions where it challenges rather than supports the social structures of the depicted Edwardian past. The BBC series also incorporates the post-heritage element of self-consciousness, acknowledging the parallel between its narrative and the production’s attempts to recreate the success of its 1970s predecessor. The article’s first section assesses the critical history of the LWT series, identifying areas that are open to further study or revised readings. The second section analyses the serialised war narrative of the fourth series of LWT’s Upstairs, Downstairs (1974), revealing its exploration of female identity across multiple episodes and challenging the notion that the series became more male and upstairs dominated as it progressed. The third section considers the BBC series’ revised concept, identifying the shifts in its main characters’ positions in society that allow the series’ narrative to question the past it evokes. This will be briefly contrasted with the heritage stability of Downton Abbey (ITV, 2010–15). The final section considers the household of 165 Eaton Place’s function as a studio space, which the BBC series self-consciously adopts in order to evoke the aesthetics of prior period dramas. The article concludes by suggesting that the barriers to recreating the past established in the BBC series’ narrative also contributed to its failure to match the success of its earlier iteration.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arif Hasan ◽  
Dedi Budiman Hakim ◽  
Irdika Mansur

This study aims to analyze causes of the low uptake of the budget and formulate a strategy of maximizing the absorption of expenditure on Balai Penelitian dan Pengembangan Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Manokwari. Respondents involved are 20 people that consist of: treasury officials and holder output of activity. The data used were secondary data in the form of reports on budget realization (LRA) quarter I, II, III and IV of the fiscal year 2011 to 2015, and the primary data were in the form of interviews with the help of a questionnaire. While the analysis of the data used was descriptive analysis using data tabulation, and the analysis of the three stages strategy of the decision making used IFE and EFE matrix, SWOT matrix and QSPM matrix.The results showed that there are 19 factors causing low of budget absorption until the end of the third quarter, and there were 10 drafts of policy as a strategy for maximizing the absorption of the budget on Balai Penelitian dan Pengembangan Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Manokwari.ABSTRAKPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis penyebab rendahnya penyerapan anggaran belanja dan merumuskan strategi maksimalisasi penyerapan anggaran belanja pada Balai Penelitian dan Pengembangan Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Manokwari. Responden yang terlibat adalah 20 orang yaitu pejabat perbendaharaan dan pemegang output kegiatan. Data yang digunakan adalah data sekunder berupa laporan realisasi anggaran (LRA) triwulan I, II, III dan IV tahun anggaran 2011 sampai 2015, dan data primer berupa wawancara dengan bantuan kuesioner. Sedangkan analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis deskriptif menggunakan analisis tabulasi, dan analisis analisis strategi tiga tahap pengambilan keputusan menggunakan matriks IFE dan EFE, matriks SWOT dan matriks QSPM. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat 19 faktor penyebab rendahnya penyerapan anggaran belanja sampai akhir triwulan III, dan terdapat 10 rancangan kebijakan sebagai strategi maksimalisasi penyerapan anggaran belanja di Balai Penelitian dan Pengembangan Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan Manokwari.


2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eugenia Isabel Gorlin ◽  
Michael W. Otto

To live well in the present, we take direction from the past. Yet, individuals may engage in a variety of behaviors that distort their past and current circumstances, reducing the likelihood of adaptive problem solving and decision making. In this article, we attend to self-deception as one such class of behaviors. Drawing upon research showing both the maladaptive consequences and self-perpetuating nature of self-deception, we propose that self-deception is an understudied risk and maintaining factor for psychopathology, and we introduce a “cognitive-integrity”-based approach that may hold promise for increasing the reach and effectiveness of our existing therapeutic interventions. Pending empirical validation of this theoretically-informed approach, we posit that patients may become more informed and autonomous agents in their own therapeutic growth by becoming more honest with themselves.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-337
Author(s):  
Jan Kunnas

While geologists are still considering whether the Anthropocene should be accepted as a formal geological epoch, it is up to us humanists to search for ways making this human era a good one. In this article, I will examine how we can use historical research to provide such tracks based on past regularities or similarities. Positive success stories from the past can at least provide faith that we can do something about our current environmental problems. This investigation is based on two case studies: the Tesla Model S electric car, and the Swedish pulp and paper industry's transition to chlorine-free bleaching. It argues that the sustainability revolution doesn't just share similarities with the quality movement of the 1970s and 1980s, but is essentially a continuation of it. In concordance with previous megatrends, the major benefit of the sustainability revolution will be reaped by countries and companies running ahead of the curve. A new term, 'trail-blazer dependency' is introduced; by setting an example, the first-movers are opening a trail for late-comers to follow.


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