scholarly journals Rational Interpretation of Numerical Quantity in Argumentative Contexts

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Cummins ◽  
Michael Franke
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Natural Language ◽  
Quantitative Description ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Mathematical Meaning ◽  
Argumentative Discourse ◽  
Good Argument ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Accurate Interpretation ◽  
Complex Datasets

Numerical descriptions furnish us with an apparently precise and objective way of summarising complex datasets. In practice, the issue is less clear-cut, partly because the use of numerical expressions in natural language invites inferences that go beyond their mathematical meaning, and consequently quantitative descriptions can be true but misleading. This raises important practical questions for the hearer: how should they interpret a quantitative description that is being used to further a particular argumentative agenda, and to what extent should they treat it as a good argument for a particular conclusion? In this paper, we discuss this issue with reference to notions of argumentative strength, and consider the strategy that a rational hearer should adopt in interpreting quantitative information that is being used argumentatively by the speaker. We exemplify this with reference to United Kingdom universities’ reporting of their REF 2014 evaluations. We argue that this reporting is typical of argumentative discourse involving quantitative information in two important respects. Firstly, a hearer must take into account the speaker’s agenda in order not to be misled by the information provided; but secondly, the speaker’s choice of utterance is typically suboptimal in its argumentative strength, and this creates a considerable challenge for accurate interpretation.

scholarly journals Magnetic Structure of Ion-Beam Imprinted Stripe Domains Determined by Neutron Scattering

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 752 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Saerbeck ◽  
Henning Huckfeldt ◽  
Boris P. Toperverg ◽  
Arno Ehresmann
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Structure ◽  
Layer Structure ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Quantitative Description ◽  
Magnetic Layer ◽  
Magnetic Domain ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Magnetic Vector ◽  
Stripe Domain ◽  
Magnetization Direction

We present a detailed analysis of the in-plane magnetic vector configuration in head-to-head/tail-to-tail stripe domain patterns of nominal 5 μm width. The patterns have been created by He-ion bombardment induced magnetic patterning of a CoFe/IrMn3 exchange bias thin-film system. Quantitative information about the chemical and magnetic structure is obtained from polarized neutron reflectometry (PNR) and off-specular scattering (OSS). The technique provides information on the magnetic vector orientation and magnitude along the lateral coordinate of the sample, as well as the chemical and magnetic layer structure as a function of depth. Additional sensitivity to magnetic features is obtained through a neutron wave field resonance, which is fully accounted for in the presented analysis. The scattering reveals a domain width imbalance of 5.3 to 3.7 μm of virgin and bombarded stripes, respectively. Further, we report that the magnetization in the bombarded stripe significantly deviates from the head-to-head arrangement. A domain wall of 0.6 μm with homogeneous magnetization direction is found to separate the two neighboring domains. The results contain detailed information on length scales and magnetization vectors provided by PNR and OSS in absolute units. We illustrate the complementarity of the technique to microscopy techniques for obtaining a quantitative description of imprinted magnetic domain patterns and illustrate its applicability to different sample systems.

Remarks on a Fuzzy Approach to Flexible Database Querying, Its Extension and Relation to Data Mining and Summarization

2011 ◽  
pp. 118-139
Author(s):  
Janusz Kacprzyk ◽  
Guy de Tré ◽  
Slawomir Zadrozny
Keyword(s):  
Fuzzy Logic ◽  
Natural Language ◽  
Information Search ◽  
Possibility Theory ◽  
User Preferences ◽  
Original Form ◽  
Database Querying ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Linguistic Quantifiers ◽  
Flexible Querying

For an effective and efficient information search of databases, various issues should be solved. A very important one, though still usually neglected by traditional database management systems, is related to a proper representation of user preferences and intentions, and then their representation in querying languages. In many scenarios, they are not clear-cut, and often have their original form deeply rooted in natural language implying a need of flexible querying. Although the research on introducing elements of natural language into the database querying languages dates back to the late 1970s, the practical commercial solutions are still not widely available. This chapter is meant to revive the line of research in flexible querying languages based on the use of fuzzy logic. This chapter recalls details of a basic technique of flexible fuzzy querying, discusses some newest developments in this area and, moreover, shows how other relevant tasks may be implemented in the framework of such queries interface. In particular, it considers fuzzy queries with linguistic quantifiers and shows their intrinsic relation with linguistic data summarization. Moreover, the chapter mentions so called “bipolar queries” and advocates them as a next relevant breakthrough in flexible querying based on fuzzy logic and possibility theory.

One in Three? The Incidence and Outcomes Associated with the Late Attainment of Qualifications in the United Kingdom

2002 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-45
Author(s):  
Gavan Conlon
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Education And Training ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Further Education ◽  
Family Characteristics ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Data Limitations ◽  
And Training

Successive governments in the United Kingdom have consistently attempted to increase the skills base by encouraging younger members of society to remain in education, increasing access to higher and further education and by removing barriers to learning later in life. Although there are estimates of the incidence of educational participation2 and the economic rewards achieved by those in possession of formally recognised qualifications, either in terms of labour market outcomes or earnings, little is known about the personal or family characteristics associated with those engaged in learning later in life. There is no formal definition of what exactly late learning refers to, insufficient quantitative information3 relating to the incidence of adult learning, the associated costs and benefits or even whether the type of qualification or the method by which the qualification is undertaken is important. This article makes a provisional attempt to answer some of these questions. The conclusions are not intended to be definitive, but should be seen as a basis for other possible research work. However, some conclusions are clear and unambiguous. Learning undertaken later in life is widespread. Approximately one in three of the hours of education and training received by working-age individuals in the United Kingdom are attributable to those above the age of 25. This figure is substantially higher than the received wisdom in the academic arena. The costs and benefits associated with learning later in life remain difficult to compute due to the data limitations; however, it is illustrated that there is a sizeable penalty in terms of hourly wages and hours worked for late learners. Additional work must be undertaken as superior sources of data become available, as this area of work is currently under-researched. Rather than being at the periphery of education and training policy in the United Kingdom, late learning should continue to be seen as an important pillar within the general attempt to build the knowledge base within the United Kingdom.

Remarks on a Fuzzy Approach to Flexible Database Querying, Its Extension and Relation to Data Mining and Summarization

Data Mining ◽  
2013 ◽  
pp. 279-298
Author(s):  
Janusz Kacprzyk ◽  
Guy de Tré ◽  
Slawomir Zadrozny
Keyword(s):  
Fuzzy Logic ◽  
Natural Language ◽  
Information Search ◽  
Possibility Theory ◽  
User Preferences ◽  
Original Form ◽  
Database Querying ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Linguistic Quantifiers ◽  
Flexible Querying

For an effective and efficient information search of databases, various issues should be solved. A very important one, though still usually neglected by traditional database management systems, is related to a proper representation of user preferences and intentions, and then their representation in querying languages. In many scenarios, they are not clear-cut, and often have their original form deeply rooted in natural language implying a need of flexible querying. Although the research on introducing elements of natural language into the database querying languages dates back to the late 1970s, the practical commercial solutions are still not widely available. This chapter is meant to revive the line of research in flexible querying languages based on the use of fuzzy logic. This chapter recalls details of a basic technique of flexible fuzzy querying, discusses some newest developments in this area and, moreover, shows how other relevant tasks may be implemented in the framework of such queries interface. In particular, it considers fuzzy queries with linguistic quantifiers and shows their intrinsic relation with linguistic data summarization. Moreover, the chapter mentions so called “bipolar queries” and advocates them as a next relevant breakthrough in flexible querying based on fuzzy logic and possibility theory.

scholarly journals The odd couple: analyzing United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) and Italian Five Stars Movement’s (FSM’s) European Union (EU)-opposition in the European Parliament (EP)

2017 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedetta Carlotti
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Radical Change ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Left Wing ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Election Results ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Eu

Since the late 2000s economic and immigration crises are testing the European Union (EU). Such challenges have opened up a period of radical change for the EU, among them, the Brexit referendum that will radically change EU’s geography. This turmoil is mirrored by the last European Parliament (EP) election results; extreme right- and left-wing parties succeeded in the electoral competition at the expense of their mainstream counterpart. These forces are generally labelled as ‘Eurosceptic’, even though the literature still lacks a clear-cut definition of Euroscepticism. Starting from this observation, this paper reviews the conceptual evolution of Euroscepticism, stressing its pros and cons and proposes a reconceptualization of it in terms of EU-opposition such that the objects of criticism are clearly identified as the EU-policies, the EU-elite, the EU-regime, and the EU-community. The paper applies ‘EU-opposition’ to examine empirically the activity of two ‘Eurosceptic’ parties in the EP: the Italian Five Stars Movement (FSM) and the British United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), using the speeches they deliver in the arena of the EP as the main source of data. From the analysis, it can be seen that UKIP and FSM are an odd couple working in the same party group in the EP, and the concept of EU-opposition is able to better disentangle UKIP and FSM’s criticism of the EU.

scholarly journals MULTIPLE CRITERIA ANALYSIS OF A DWELLING LIFE CYCLE/VIENBUČIŲ GYVENAMŲJŲ NAMŲ GYVAVIMO PROCESO DAUGIAKRITERINĖ ANALIZĖ

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 179-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nerija Kvederytė ◽  
Edmundas Kazimieras Zavadskas ◽  
Artūras Kaklauskas
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Quantitative Description ◽  
Multiple Criteria Decision Making ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Multiple Criteria ◽  
Multiple Criteria Analysis ◽  
Conceptual Information ◽  
Building Life Cycle

The determination of the utility degree and value of the project under investigation and establishment of the priority order for its implementation does not present much difficulty if the criteria numerical values and significances are obtained and the multiple criteria decision-making methods used. The results of the project comparative analysis are presented as a decision-making matrix where columns contain n alternative projects being considered, while all quantitative information pertaining to them is found in lines. Quantitative description of the project provides the information about various aspects of a building life cycle (ie economical, technical, technological, infrastructural, legislative, etc). Quantitative information is based on the criteria systems and subsystems, units of measure, values and initial significances as well as the data on an alternative project. In order to select the best project, it is necessary, having formed the decision-making matrix, to perform the multiple criteria analysis of the projects. This is done by comparing criteria numerical values and significances and analysing the conceptual information of the investigated project. One of the major tasks is to determine the significances of the criteria. This paper presents a new method for complex determination of the criteria significances taking into account their quantitative and qualitative characteristics. When performing multiple criteria assessment of projects it is necessary to normalise the criteria values describing the projects and then to weight them. This creates a possibility to compare the criteria values with different measuring units and to determine the most efficient alternatives. The significances of all criteria must be coordinated among themselves. The method of complex determination of significances allows to determine significances of criteria which are maximally interrelated and depend on qualitative and quantitative characteristics of all criteria. A method of multiple criteria complex proportional evaluation of the projects discussed in this paper assumes direct and proportional dependence of significance and priority of investigated versions on a system of criteria adequately describing the alternatives and on values and significances of the criteria. The system of criteria is determined and the values and initial significances of criteria are calculated by experts. All this information can be corrected by interested parties (customer, users, etc) taking into consideration their pursued goals and existing capabilities. The degree of utility Nj of a building life cycle is directly associated with quantitative and conceptual information related to it. A degree of dwelling life cycle utility reflects the extent to which the goals pursued by the interested parties are attained. The paper concludes with a demonstrative example, concerning the multiple criteria assessment of plot, dwelling, contractor and maintenance alternatives, and dwelling life cycle variants are being developed based on these alternatives of solutions.

The shaping of architectural research Transatlantic transactions

2001 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-209
Author(s):  
Dean Hawkes
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
The United States ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
The Other ◽  
Architectural Education ◽  
Research Culture ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Architectural Research

The growth of formalized research has been one of the most important developments in architectural education in the last half-century. It is now axiomatic that most, if not all, faculty members in schools of architecture will undertake some measure of research. In this the academic architect stands alongside, and is indistinguishable from, colleagues in the other disciplines. But in the middle decades of the last century the case for the development of a research culture in architecture was not so clear cut. Two of the central figures in the debate about the establishment of research were Serge Chermayeff in the United States and Leslie Martin in the United Kingdom. DEAN HAWKES compares and contrasts their pioneering work.

scholarly journals An R-Package for the Deconvolution and Integration of 1D NMR Data: MetaboDecon1D

Metabolites ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 452
Author(s):  
Martina Häckl ◽  
Philipp Tauber ◽  
Frank Schweda ◽  
Helena U. Zacharias ◽  
Michael Altenbuchinger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Biological Sample ◽  
Biological Fluids ◽  
Quantitative Description ◽  
R Package ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Signal Identification ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Lorentzian Line ◽  
Line Shapes ◽  
Nmr Data

NMR spectroscopy is a widely used method for the detection and quantification of metabolites in complex biological fluids. However, the large number of metabolites present in a biological sample such as urine or plasma leads to considerable signal overlap in one-dimensional NMR spectra, which in turn hampers both signal identification and quantification. As a consequence, we have developed an easy to use R-package that allows the fully automated deconvolution of overlapping signals in the underlying Lorentzian line-shapes. We show that precise integral values are computed, which are required to obtain both relative and absolute quantitative information. The algorithm is independent of any knowledge of the corresponding metabolites, which also allows the quantitative description of features of yet unknown identity.

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