scholarly journals A Human-Centric Functional Modeling Framework for Defining and Comparing Models of Consciousness and Cognition

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy E Williams
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Research ◽  
Specific Model ◽  
Common Mechanism ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Functional Modeling ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Complete Set ◽  
Biological Functionality ◽  
Functional Components

Borrowing techniques from complex systems and software engineering, this paper defines a Functional Modeling Framework to provide a simple common mechanism for representing models of consciousness or cognition that is independent of assumptions made by any specific model. All models of consciousness or cognition should of course fit into the complete set of functions of what consciousness, or cognition can do. Through attempting to represent all such functions (both computable and non-computable), this framework attempts to gain the capacity to represent all models of consciousness or cognition, even where the implementation mechanisms of those functions are unknown. Enabling different models of consciousness or cognition to be more easily compared is intended to enable research on consciousness and cognition to more reliably converge on a single understanding, even across massively collaborative research projects spanning multiple disciplines. Furthermore, if biological functionality can be considered as dynamically stable where it is persistent, then in aiming to provide a common approach for representing and comparing the functionalities of consciousness or cognition as dynamically stable systems, this framework provides a set of features through which it may be possible to see commonality between the functional components of a wide range of other dynamically stable biological or non-biological systems. If such commonality does exist, and if, as proposed, that commonality reflects deeper underlying physical and mathematical principles, then representing any researcher’s model of consciousness or cognition within this framework might help reveal applications of that researcher’s model across a wide range of other domains of study.

scholarly journals A Model for Artificial General Intelligence

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy E Williams
Keyword(s):  
Specific Model ◽  
Human Intelligence ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
General Intelligence ◽  
Human Consciousness ◽  
Functional Modeling ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Complete Set ◽  
Interdisciplinary Projects ◽  
Functional Components

A Functional Modeling Framework (FMF) for defining and comparing models of consciousness and cognition has recently been developed. This framework proposes to have the capacity to represent the complete set of the functionality of human consciousness and cognition, which if true, would suggest that all models of consciousness and cognition can be represented within the framework. The framework also proposes to define the criteria for a model of cognition to have the potential for the general problem solving ability commonly recognized as true human intelligence. The FMF provides a single framework for defining models of consciousness and cognition that is human-centric in that the functions can be validated through experiments that can be performed within innate human self-awareness rather than being dependent on assumptions made by any specific model. This human-centric functional modeling approach is intended to enable different models of AGI to be more easily compared so research can reliably converge on a single understanding, enabling the possibility of massively collaborative interdisciplinary projects to research, and implement models of consciousness or cognition where such massive collaborationhas not proved possible before. The FMF defines requirements for all the functional components defined by the framework, but leaves specific models to define their own implementations. This paper summarizes a model of cognition developed within this framework that is proposed to meet the criteria of an AGI as defined within this framework. This description is expanded in a number of other papers.

scholarly journals Using a Functional Modeling Framework to Compare Some Leading Models of Consciousness

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy E Williams
Keyword(s):  
Specific Model ◽  
Mathematical Framework ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Functional Modeling ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Common Basis ◽  
Interdisciplinary Projects ◽  
Functional Components

A recently developed Functional Modeling Framework (FMF) for defining models of consciousness and cognition proposes to have the capacity to represent all models of consciousness and cognition and proposes to define the criteria for a model of consciousness to have the potential for self awareness. The FMF provides a single mathematical framework for defining models of consciousness that is human-centric in being independent of assumptions made by any specific model. This human-centric approach enables different models to be more easily compared so research on consciousness can reliably converge on a single understanding, enabling the possibility of massively collaborative interdisciplinary projects to research, and implement a model of consciousness and cognition where not possible before. Some functional components of the FMF remain to be validated. However even without validating the entire framework using some subset of the framework is still useful as a common basis for comparing models of consciousness. This paper demonstrates the comparison of three leading model of consciousness within the subset of this framework that has been validated by many years of tradition.

scholarly journals Addressing Problems beyond Heritage, Patrimony, and Representation:  Reflections on Twenty Years of Community Archaeology in the Southwestern Maya Lowlands

Heritage ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 561-586 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent K.S. Woodfill ◽  
Alexander E. Rivas
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Collaborative Research ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Community Archaeology ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Maya Lowlands ◽  
Community Stakeholders ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
History Of

Collaborative or community archaeology as a methodological approach has a long history and is becoming increasingly common in the Maya world. This article draws from the authors’ experiences on three distinct archaeological projects to discuss the benefits and obstacles we confronted while conducting collaborative research with contemporary Maya communities as well as lessons we learned that can increase the odds of a mutually beneficial partnership. After summarizing the history of the research projects and the expectations for and contributions of the scientific and community stakeholders, we propose several characteristics that were particularly helpful. These include the need for all parties to engage in sincere and sustained dialogue, to be flexible, and to take others in account when making any plans that affect them. Most importantly, we urge archaeologists to collaborate with community endeavors beyond those that are directly related to their research, offering a few examples of how archaeological skills, equipment, and social capital can be used to address a wide range of local concerns beyond patrimony and heritage.

scholarly journals Human-Centric Functional Modeling of Individual and Collective Biological Systems

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andy E Williams
Keyword(s):  
Biological Systems ◽  
Functional Modeling ◽  
Group Research ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Coordinate Group ◽  
Functional Components ◽  
Potential Opportunity

Gaining the capacity to coordinate group research so that from observing the functionality of any system converging on a single best understanding of how that functionality is implemented is reliably achievable, requires a process that is able to analyze that system from a common perspective, such as might be achieved through decomposing that system into a common set of functional components. Human-Centric Functional Modeling provides the potential opportunity to decompose biological systems in this way in order to significantly increase collective ability to derive insight about the behavior of a wide range of biological systems, as well as in order to provide the capacity to derive insights from generalizing an understanding of any one biological systems to any other system or collections of such systems where that understanding might apply. This paper explores the methodology.

Unexpectedness

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
John-Carlos Perea ◽  
Jacob E. Perea
Keyword(s):  
American Indian ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Interdisciplinary Research ◽  
Ethnic Studies ◽  
College Of Education ◽  
Present Moment ◽  
State University ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Short Survey ◽  
Wide Range

The concepts of expectation, anomaly, and unexpectedness that Philip J. Deloria developed in Indians in Unexpected Places (2004) have shaped a wide range of interdisciplinary research projects. In the process, those terms have changed the ways it is possible to think about American Indian representation, cosmopolitanism, and agency. This article revisits my own work in this area and provides a short survey of related scholarship in order to reassess the concept of unexpectedness in the present moment and to consider the ways my deployment of it might change in order to better meet the needs of my students. To begin a process of engaging intergenerational perspectives on this subject, the article concludes with an interview with Dr. Jacob E. Perea, dean emeritus of the Graduate College of Education at San Francisco State University and a veteran of the 1969 student strikes that founded the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University.

scholarly journals EXPRESS: Overcoming the Cold Start Problem of CRM using a Probabilistic Machine Learning Approach

2021 ◽  
pp. 002224372110329
Author(s):  
Nicolas Padilla ◽  
Eva Ascarza
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Cold Start ◽  
Customer Relationship ◽  
Exponential Families ◽  
Modeling Framework ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Moment ◽  
Probabilistic Machine Learning ◽  
Marketing Actions ◽  
Cold Start Problem

The success of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) programs ultimately depends on the firm's ability to identify and leverage differences across customers — a very diffcult task when firms attempt to manage new customers, for whom only the first purchase has been observed. For those customers, the lack of repeated observations poses a structural challenge to inferring unobserved differences across them. This is what we call the “cold start” problem of CRM, whereby companies have difficulties leveraging existing data when they attempt to make inferences about customers at the beginning of their relationship. We propose a solution to the cold start problem by developing a probabilistic machine learning modeling framework that leverages the information collected at the moment of acquisition. The main aspect of the model is that it exibly captures latent dimensions that govern the behaviors observed at acquisition as well as future propensities to buy and to respond to marketing actions using deep exponential families. The model can be integrated with a variety of demand specifications and is exible enough to capture a wide range of heterogeneity structures. We validate our approach in a retail context and empirically demonstrate the model's ability at identifying high-value customers as well as those most sensitive to marketing actions, right after their first purchase.

Evaluation of Composted Sewage Sludge/Straw Mixture for Horticultural Utilization

1989 ◽  
Vol 21 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 889-897 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Lopez-Real ◽  
E. Witter ◽  
F. N. Midmer ◽  
B. A. O. Hewett
Keyword(s):  
Collaborative Research ◽  
Slow Release ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Soluble Salts ◽  
Slow Release Fertilizer ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Sludge Cake ◽  
Bulk Volume ◽  
Composted Sewage Sludge

Collaborative research between Southern Water and Wye College, University of London, has led to the development of a static aerated pile composting process for the treatment of dewatered activated sludge cake/straw mixtures. The process reduces bulk volume of the sludge producing an environmentally acceptable, stabilised, odour and pathogen-free product. Characteristics of the compost make it a suitable general purpose medium for container grown plants, providing the salt concentration is reduced by washing the compost prior to planting. Compared with peat the compost has a higher bulk density, a lower waterholding capacity, a lower cation exchange capacity, a high content of soluble salts, and a higher content of plant nutrients. A compost mixture was successfully developed in the growing trials containing equal quantities of compost, Sphagnum peat, and horticultural vermiculite. The compost has been used successfully to grow a wide range of plants. Plants grown in mixtures based on the compost were in general similar to those grown in peat-based growing media. The compost is a valuable soil conditioner and slow release fertilizer.

scholarly journals "Creep currents" in single frog atrial cells may be generated by electrogenic Na/Ca exchange.

1986 ◽  
Vol 87 (6) ◽  
pp. 857-884 ◽  
Author(s):  
J R Hume ◽  
A Uehara
Keyword(s):  
Voltage Clamp ◽  
Time Course ◽  
Single Cells ◽  
Mechanical Activity ◽  
Common Mechanism ◽  
Mechanical Relaxation ◽  
Equilibrium Conditions ◽  
Atrial Cells ◽  
Current Voltage ◽  
Wide Range

The objective of these experiments was to test the hypothesis that the "creep currents" induced by Na loading of single frog atrial cells (Hume, J. R., and A. Uehara. 1986. Journal of General Physiology. 87:833) may be generated by an electrogenic Na/Ca exchanger. Creep currents induced by Na loading were examined over a wide range of membrane potentials. During depolarizing voltage-clamp pulses, outward creep currents were observed, followed by inward creep currents upon the return to the holding potential. During hyperpolarizing voltage-clamp pulses, creep currents of the opposite polarity were observed: inward creep currents were observed during the pulses, followed by outward creep currents upon the return to the holding potential. The current-voltage relations for inward and outward creep currents in response to depolarizing or hyperpolarizing voltage displacements away from the holding potential all intersect the voltage axis at a common potential, which indicates that inward and outward creep currents may have a common reversal potential under equilibrium conditions and may therefore be generated by a common mechanism. Measurements of inward creep currents confirm that voltage displacements away from the holding potential rapidly alter equilibrium conditions. Current-voltage relationships of inward creep currents after depolarizing voltage-clamp pulses are extremely labile and depend critically upon the amplitude and duration of outward creep currents elicited during preceding voltage-clamp pulses. An optical monitor of mechanical activity in single cells revealed (a) a similar voltage dependence for the outward creep currents induced by Na loading and tonic contraction, and (b) a close correlation between the time course of the decay of the inward creep current and the time course of mechanical relaxation. A mathematical model of electrogenic Na/Ca exchange (Mullins, L.J. 1979. Federation Proceedings. 35:2583; Noble, D. 1986. Cardiac Muscle. 171-200) can adequately account for many of the properties of creep currents. It is concluded that creep currents in single frog atrial cells may be attributed to the operation of an electrogenic Na/Ca exchange mechanism.

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