Weaving, Bending, Patching, Mending the Fabric of Reality: A Cognitive Science Perspective on Worldview Inconsistency

In order to become aware of inconsistencies, one must first construe of the world in a way that reflects its consistencies. This paper begins with a tentative model for how a set of discrete memories transforms into an interconnected worldview, wherein relationships between memories are forged by way of abstractions. Inconsistencies prompt the invention of new abstractions. In regions of the conceptual network where inconsistencies abound, a cognitive analog of simulated annealing is in order; there is a willingness to question previous assumptions - to ‘loosen’ conceptual relationships - so as to let new concepts percolate through the worldview and exert the needed revolutionary effect. In so doing there is a risk of assimilating dangerous concepts. Repression arrests the process by which dangerous thoughts infiltrate the conceptual network, and deception blocks thoughts that have already been assimilated. These forms of self-initiated worldview inconsistency may evoke feelings of fragmentation at the level of the individual or the society. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Inconsistencies in Constituent Theories of World Views: Quantum Mechanical Examples

We put forward the hypothesis that there exist three basic attitudes towards inconsistencies within world views: (1) The inconsistency is tolerated temporarily and is viewed as an expression of a temporary lack of knowledge due to an incomplete or wrong theory. The resolution of the inconsistency is believed to be inherent to the improvement of the theory. This improvement ultimately resolves the contradiction and therefore we call this attitude the ‘regularising’ attitude; (2) The inconsistency is tolerated and both contradicting elements in the theory are retained. This attitude integrates the inconsistency and leads to a paraconsistent calculus; therefore we will call it the paraconsistent attitude. (3) In the third attitude, both elements of inconsistency are considered to be false and the ‘real situation’ is considered something different that can not be described by the theory constructively. This indicates the incompleteness of the theory, and leads us to a paracomplete calculus; therefore we call it the paracomplete attitude. We illustrate these three attitudes by means of two ‘paradoxical’ situations in quantum mechanics, the wave-particle duality and the situation of non locality. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Points of View Beyond Models: Towards a Formal Approach to Points of View as Access to the World

According to Vázquez and Liz (Found Sci 16(4): 383–391, 2011), Points of View (PoV) can be considered in two different ways. On the one hand, they can be explained following the model of propositional attitudes. This model assumes that the internal structure of a PoV is constituted by a subject, a set of contents, and a set of relations between the subject and those contents. On the other hand, we can analyze points of view taking as a model the notions of location and access. If we choose to follow the second approach, instead of the first one, the internal structure of a PoV is not directly addressed, and the emphasized features of PoV are related to the function that PoV are intended to have. That is, PoV are directly identified by their role and they can solely be understood as ways of accessing the world that bring some kind of perspective about it. Having this in mind, we would like to propose a notation that explains how to understand such access as a sort of models (that can allow the creation of concepts), independently of whether the precise PoV under consideration is impersonal or non-impersonal, its kind of content, and its subjective or objective character. First, we will present an account of some previous approaches to the study of points of view. Then, we will analyze what kind of structure the world is assumed to posses and how the access to it is possible. Third, we will develop a notation that explains PoV as qualitative dimensions by means of which it is possible to valuate objects and states of the world.     

Non-Monotonic Set Theory as a Pragmatic Foundation of Mathematics

In this paper I propose a new approach to the foundation of mathematics: non-monotonic set theory. I present two completely different methods to develop set theories based on adaptive logics. For both theories there is a finitistic non-triviality proof and both theories contain (a subtle version of) the comprehension axiom schema. The first theory contains only a maximal selection of instances of the comprehension schema that do not lead to inconsistencies. The second allows for all the instances, also the inconsistent ones, but restricts the conclusions one can draw from them in order to avoid triviality. The theories have enough expressive power to form a justification/explication for most of the established results of classical mathematics. They are therefore not limited by Gödel’s incompleteness theorems. This remarkable result is possible because of the non-recursive character of the final proofs of theorems of non-monotonic theories. I shall argue that, precisely because of the computational complexity of these final proofs, we cannot claim that non-monotonic theories are ideal foundations for mathematics. Nevertheless, thanks to their strength, first order language and the recursive dynamic (defeasible) proofs of theorems of the theory, the non-monotonic theories form (what I call) interesting pragmatic foundations.     

基于实例的上证50ETF期权Fibonacci数列的计算术语学研究

上证50ETF期权的推出丰富了市场交易的对冲机制,拓展了金融衍生品术语研究的领域。本文对期权交易术语的实值期权、平值期权、虚值期权和Fibonacci期权数列进行了基于交易数据的计算研究。通过对七年来期权交易数据的实时跟踪,我们建立了期权交易数据库,并采用计算术语学方法对期权交易进行了计算研究。我们发现:(1)Fibonacci期权数列是非常重要的期权交易术语,其黄金分割点适用于期权交易的波动测算;(2)上证50ETF期权合约涉及到期权交易术语的标准化问题,其交易并不是孤立的市场行为,同时受到新加坡A50指数等相关指数波动的影响;(3)上证50ETF期权交易体系是开放的:新加坡A50指数对我国上证50指数有交易的前瞻效应;上证50指数作为上证50ETF跟踪标的决定上证50ETF走向;上证50ETF作为期权标准合约跟踪标的影响到具体的合约交易;(4)上证50ETF期权交易的核心术语是杠杆波动率;Delta的计算赋值代表了高杠杆特性,其值域扩大将导致Fibonacci期权数列的黄金分割点出现偏差。最后得出结论:上证50ETF期权交易的研究是数据驱动的研究;基于统计的计算语言学方法可对期权术语进行赋值,并有效辅助期权交易;期权的计算术语学研究将促进数据驱动的术语学发展。     

Forms of Causal Explanation

In the literature on scientific explanation two types of pluralism are very common. The first concerns the distinction between explanations of singular facts and explanations of laws: there is a consensus that they have a different structure. The second concerns the distinction between causal explanations and uni.cation explanations: most people agree that both are useful and that their structure is different. In this article we argue for pluralism within the area of causal explanations: we claim that the structure of a causal explanation depends on the causal structure of the relevant fragment of the world and on the interests of the explainer.     

Putting the Cart Before the Horse: Co-evolution of the Universe and Observers as an Explanatory Hypothesis

The answer to the fine-tuning problem of the universe has been traditionally sought in terms of either design or multiverse. In philosophy circles, this is sometimes expanded by adding the option of explanatory nihilism—the claim that there is no explanation for statements of that high level of generality: fine-tunings are brute facts. In this paper, we consider the fourth option which, at least in principle, is available to us: co-evolution of the universe and observers. Although conceptual roots of this approach could be found already in ancient stoicism, it is still the least investigated explanatory option for resolving the problem of empirical fine tunings. We offer two preliminary models along which the co-evolution hypothesis could be developed further. They are still on the level of speculative metaphysics, but there are opportunities along the way to generate predictions which are in principle testable, especially in the domain of large-scale numerical simulations.     

Mathematical,Philosophical and Semantic Considerations on Infinity (I): General Concepts

In the Reality we know, we cannot say if something is infinite whether we are doing Physics, Biology, Sociology or Economics. This means we have to be careful using this concept. Infinite structures do not exist in the physical world as far as we know. So what do mathematicians mean when they assert the existence of ω (the mathematical symbol for the set of all integers)? There is no universally accepted philosophy of mathematics but the most common belief is that mathematics touches on another worldly absolute truth. Many mathematicians believe that mathematics involves a special perception of an idealized world of absolute truth. This comes in part from the recognition that our knowledge of the physical world is imperfect and falls short of what we can apprehend with mathematical thinking. The objective of this paper is to present an epistemological rather than an historical vision of the mathematical concept of infinity that examines the dialectic between the actual and potential infinity.     

亚里士多德的理论化方式和理性路线

亚里士多德的第一哲学既是关于世界之本体的学说,也是关于知识的思想理论体系;从而形成了通向关于世界(或宇宙)知识的理性路线,并且导向了他的逻辑理性方式。在自然哲学方面,他将对自然世界的解释和使解释作为永恒的和必要的知识这两个目标统一了起来。因此,在他的科学研究中,存在着基于观察的逻辑归纳方法和基于(主要是常识性的)共识的逻辑演绎方法两条方法论路线。亚里士多德对经验证据的接受,标志了认知境界的重大转换,从而对科学理性主义的生长做出了贡献。     

The Abductive Loop: Tracking Irrational Sets

We argue from the Church-Turing thesis (Kleene Mathematical logic. New York: Wiley 1967) that a program can be considered as equivalent to a formal language similar to predicate calculus where predicates can be taken as functions. We can relate such a calculus to Wittgenstein’s first major work, the Tractatus, and use the Tractatus and its theses as a model of the formal classical definition of a computer program. However, Wittgenstein found flaws in his initial great work and he explored these flaws in a new thesis described in his second great work; the Philosophical Investigations. The question we address is “can computer science make the same leap?” We are proposing, because of the flaws identified by Wittgenstein, that computers will never have the possibility of natural communication with people unless they become active participants of human society. The essential difference between formal models used in computing and human communication is that formal models are based upon rational sets whereas people are not so restricted. We introduce irrational sets as a concept that requires the use of an abductive inference system. However, formal models are still considered central to our means of using hypotheses through deduction to make predictions about the world. These formal models are required to continually be updated in response to peoples’ changes in their way of seeing the world. We propose that one mechanism used to keep track of these changes is the Peircian abductive loop.     

Block-Relaxation Approaches for Fitting the INDCLUS Model

A well-known clustering model to represent I?×?I?×?J data blocks, the J frontal slices of which consist of I?×?I object by object similarity matrices, is the INDCLUS model. This model implies a grouping of the I objects into a prespecified number of overlapping clusters, with each cluster having a slice-specific positive weight. An INDCLUS model is fitted to a given data set by means of minimizing a least squares loss function. The minimization of this loss function has appeared to be a difficult problem for which several algorithmic strategies have been proposed. At present, the best available option seems to be the SYMPRES algorithm, which minimizes the loss function by means of a block-relaxation algorithm. Yet, SYMPRES is conjectured to suffer from a severe local optima problem. As a way out, based on theoretical results with respect to optimally designing block-relaxation algorithms, five alternative block-relaxation algorithms are proposed. In a simulation study it appears that the alternative algorithms with overlapping parameter subsets perform best and clearly outperform SYMPRES in terms of optimization performance and cluster recovery.     

试析日本"诺贝尔奖计划"的可行性

2001年,日本制定了轰动一时的"诺贝尔奖计划".这是日本在谋求21世纪发展中,日益认识到加强基础研究、增强科技创新意识,对保持其强国地位的极端重要性和迫切性后的具体体现.从日本重视教育的传统、雄厚的经济实力、对科技的强力投入等方面看,日本"诺贝尔奖计划"的实现绝非无稽之谈.     

Performing Phenomenology: Negotiating Presence in Intermedial Theatre

This paper analyzes from a pragmatic postphenomenological point of view the performative practice of CREW, a multi-disciplinary team of artists and researchers. It is our argument that this company, in its use of new immersive technologies in the context of a live stage, gives rise to a dialectics between an embodied and a disembodied perspective towards the perceived world. We will focus on W (Double U), a collaborative interactive performance, where immersive technology is used for live exchange of vision. By means of a head mounted omni-directional camera and display the fields of vision of two participants are swapped, which enables the participants to perceive the world through another person??s point of view. This intermedial experience brings a classic dichotomic perception of space to falter: material reality as a ??live?? condition can no longer be opposed to a virtual mediated reality. In the shifting moment between the embodied and the perceived world, on the fracture between what one sees and what one feels, the distinction between live and mediated is blurred, moreover, can no longer be made. The perception of the body is pushed to the extreme, causing a most confusing corporal awareness, a condition that intensifies the experience and causes an altered sense of presence. In a dynamic cognitive negotiation, one tends, however, to unify the divergent ontologies of the ??real?? and the ??virtual?? to a meaningful experience. In this respect, we refer to recent neurological experiments such as the ??rubber hand illusion?? in order to clarify the spectator??s tendency to fuse both ontologies and to embody a coherent image-world.     

Abductive Reasoning as a Way of Worldmaking

The author deals with the operational core oflogic, i.e. its diverse procedures ofinference, in order to show that logicallyfalse inferences may in fact be right because –in contrast to logical rationality – theyactually enlarge our knowledge of the world.This does not only mean that logically trueinferences say nothing about the world, butalso that all our inferences are inventedhypotheses the adequacy of which cannot beproved within logic but only pragmatically. Inconclusion the author demonstrates, through therelationship between rule-following andrationality, that it is most irrational to wantto exclude the irrational: it may, at times, bemost rational to think and infer irrationally.Focussing on the operational aspects of knowingas inferring does away with the hiatus betweenlogic and life, cognition and the world(reality) – or whatever other dualism one wantsto invoke –: knowing means inferring, inferringmeans rule-governed interpreting, interpretingis a constructive, synthetic act, and aconstruction that proves adequate (viable) inthe ``world of experience', in life, in thepraxis of living, is, to the constructivistmind, knowledge. It is the practice of livingwhich provides the orienting standards forconstructivist thinking and its judgments ofviability. The question of truth is replaced bythe question of viability, and viabilitydepends on the (right) kind of experiential fit.     

增强现实(AR)技术环境下真实与虚拟关系的实在性分析

增强现实(AR)技术具有虚实结合、实时交互、虚实配准的特性,可以消解经典实在论下真实与虚拟关系面对的挑战.沟通技术与现实的科技连续统不能直观贴切地表现实在世界中真实和虚拟的关系.基于三重实在理论,可以重新规范真实与虚拟的含义.借助对真实世界和虚拟世界三种形态的实在成分分析,三个世界的关系由一维线图转变为二维面图.借此可...     

On Indivisibles and Infinitesimals: A Response to David Sherry, “The Jesuits and the Method of Indivisibles”

In “The Jesuits and the Method of Indivisibles” David Sherry criticizes a central thesis of my book Infinitesimal: that in the seventeenth century the Jesuits sought to suppress the method of indivisibles because it undermined their efforts to establish a perfect rational and hierarchical order in the world, modeled on Euclidean Geometry. Sherry accepts that the Jesuits did indeed suppress the method, but offers two objections. First, that the book does not distinguish between indivisibles and infinitesimals, and that whereas the Jesuits might have reason to object to the first, the second posed no problem for them. Second, seeking an alternative explanation for the Jesuits’ hostility to the method, he proposes that its implicit atomism conflicted with the Catholic doctrine of the sacrament of the Eucharist, and was therefore heretical. In response to Sherry’s first criticism I point out that the Jesuits objected to all forms of the method of indivisibles, and that the distinction between indivisibles and infinitesimals consequently cannot explain the fight over the method in the seventeenth century. With regards to the Eucharist, I agree with Sherry that the Jesuits were indeed concerned about the method’s affinity to atomism and materialism, though for a different reason: these doctrines were antithetical to their efforts to impose divine hierarchy and order on the world. In as much as the technical details of the miracle of the Eucharist mattered, they provided no grounds for objecting to a mathematical (rather than physical) doctrine.     

对我国引入健康宣告责任制的初步探索

健康宣告责任制是从功能食品管理实践中延伸出来的一项法律制度。它已经在欧盟、加拿大和美国以本国法律的形式实行。这项制度的核心思想是强调健康宣告的科学性,和通过法律手段制止不科学的健康宣告。爆发在比利时,后延伸到全世界的中草药肾病事件,从反面告诉我们,在我国实行健康宣告责任制显得特别重要。尽管如此,若要实际地在我国建立并厉行这样的法律制度,却不可避免地要面临着来自饮食陋习、科学精神缺失、混乱的健康宣告现状、监管机制和相关科学技术落后、失控的食品和药品生产和销售体制等多方面的挑战。     

A Computational Model of the Belief System Under the Scope of Social Communication

This paper presents an approach to the belief system based on a computational framework in three levels: first, the logic level with the definition of binary local rules, second, the arithmetic level with the definition of recursive functions and finally the behavioural level with the definition of a recursive construction pattern. Social communication is achieved when different beliefs are expressed, modified, propagated and shared through social nets. This approach is useful to mimic the belief system because the defined functions provide different ways to process the same incoming information as well as a means to propagate it. Our model also provides a means to cross different beliefs so, any incoming information can be processed many times by the same or different functions as it occurs is social nets.     

Mathematics,Philosophical and Semantic Considerations on Infinity (II): Dialectical Vision

Human language has the characteristic of being open and in some cases polysemic. The word “infinite” is used often in common speech and more frequently in literary language, but rarely with its precise meaning. In this way the concepts can be used in a vague way but an argument can still be structured so that the central idea is understood and is shared with to the partners. At the same time no precise definition is given to the concepts used and each partner makes his own reading of the text based on previous experience and cultural background. In a language dictionary the first meaning of “infinite” agrees with the etymology: what has no end. We apply the word infinite most often and incorrectly as a synonym for “very large” or something that we do not perceive its completion. In this context, the infinite mentioned in dictionaries refers to the idea or notion of the “immeasurably large” although this is open to what the individual’s means by “immeasurably great.” Based on this linguistic imprecision, the authors present a non Cantorian theory of the potential and actual infinite. For this we have introduced a new concept: the homogon that is the whole set that does not fall within the definition of sets established by Cantor.