http://pdfcast.org/rss/cat/science en-us ological innovation in mathematics since the Euclidean axiomatic method in
geometry. Symbolic algebra accomplished much more than the introduction of
symbols in mathematics. It allowed for the abstraction and generalization of
the concepts of number, quantity and magnitude. It led to the acceptance of
negative numbers and imaginary numbers. It gave rise to new mathematical
objects and concepts such as a symbolic equation and an aggregate of linear
equations, and revealed the relation between coefficients and roots. It allowed
for an algebraic approach to ancient geometrical construction problems and gave
birth to analytical geometry. Why did this important methodological revolu-
tion happen? Why did it happen in Europe and not in Asia while Indian and
Chinese algebra were more advanced before the fourteenth century? Why did
it happen in the European Renaissance?]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/on-the-curious-historical-coincidence-of-algebra-and-double-entry-bookkeeping Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:06:57 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/on-the-curious-historical-coincidence-of-algebra-and-double-entry-bookkeeping Science We want to bridge this gap. We analyze the structure of bookkeeping from a mechanical
viewpoint and compare money with momentum. Bookkeeping and income statements trans-
late to the physicist vocabulary of momentum, energy and force. Financial transactions become
Feynman-graphs. Although the realization principle enforces conservation of momentum in each
currency, no conservation of energy is implemented by bookkeeping. We discuss the transaction
axiomatics of bookkeeping from this physical viewpoint.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/nontrivial-bookkeeping-a-mechanical-perspective Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:04:09 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/nontrivial-bookkeeping-a-mechanical-perspective Science http://pdfcast.org/pdf/climet-of-hamadan-city Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:09:34 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/climet-of-hamadan-city Science http://pdfcast.org/pdf/an-illustrated-commentary-by-phillip-medhurst-on-the-gospel-of-mark-section-i-to-j Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:23:18 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/an-illustrated-commentary-by-phillip-medhurst-on-the-gospel-of-mark-section-i-to-j Science http://pdfcast.org/pdf/interpreting-chest-x-rays Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:34:04 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/interpreting-chest-x-rays Science http://pdfcast.org/pdf/250-cases-in-clinical-medicine Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:22:19 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/250-cases-in-clinical-medicine Science http://pdfcast.org/pdf/southeast-queensland-marine-mammals Tue, 12 Jan 2010 22:27:29 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/southeast-queensland-marine-mammals Science http://pdfcast.org/pdf/decoupling-the-cost-in-quantum-transition-control Sat, 09 Jan 2010 08:57:39 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/decoupling-the-cost-in-quantum-transition-control Science vague explanatory suggestions of the article, (2) clearly merits a more central place than
linguistic typology in cognitive science, (3) is fundamentally untouched by the article’s empirical
arguments, (4) best explains the important facts of linguistic diversity, and (5) illuminates the
dominant component of language’s “biocultural” nature: biology.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/universals-in-cognitive-theories-of-language Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:00:25 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/universals-in-cognitive-theories-of-language Science and sensor modeling experimentation are both
reliant on the understanding of cognitive
processes associated with visual perception.
Research conducted at the US Army Night Vision
and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD)
from the mid 1990’s to the present has applied the
recognition-by-components cognitive theory to
develop combat identification tools to prevent
fratricide, misidentification and collateral
damage, and to aid in the development of sensor
models through the improvement of human
perception testing. ]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/two-birds-with-one-stone-application-of-fundamental-cognitive-theory-of-visual-perception-supporting-fratricide-prevention-and-sensor-modeling-experimentation Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:54:52 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/two-birds-with-one-stone-application-of-fundamental-cognitive-theory-of-visual-perception-supporting-fratricide-prevention-and-sensor-modeling-experimentation Science Framework for IR. It first discusses the Laboratory Framework with emphasis on its underlying assumptions
and known limitations. This is followed by a view of interaction and relevance phenomena associated with
IR evaluation and central to the understanding of IR. The ensuing section outlines how interactive IR is
viewed from a Cognitive Framework, and ‘light’ interactive IR experiments are suggested performed by
drawing on the latter framework’s contextual possibilities. These include independent variables drawn from
a collection, matching principles in a retrieval system, and the searcher’s situation and task context. The
paper ends with concluding points of summarization for of issues encountered.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/on-the-holistic-cognitive-theory-for-information-retrieval Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:32:20 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/on-the-holistic-cognitive-theory-for-information-retrieval Science perspective. One point of criticism is that they do not offer an adequate treatment of learning and
innovation, while such treatment is of high priority. With some exceptions, existing governance
theories, in economics, neglect the importance of trust. This paper offers a cognitive theory to deal
with learning, innovation, and trust. It also incorporates technical and governance perspectives, but
emphasizes a competence perspective, in ‘dynamic capabilities’ of innovation and learning. On the
basis of a constructivist theory of knowledge, it offers the notion of ‘cognitive distance’, and proposes
that the boundaries of the firm result from the determination of ‘optimal cognitive distance’. This is
achieved by a ‘cognitive focus’, yielding the notion of a firm as a ‘focusing device’. ]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/a-cognitive-theory-of-the-firm Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:09:53 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/a-cognitive-theory-of-the-firm Science philosophical implications of this term. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the concept of
nanomachine through a distinction between three major paradigms of machine. After a brief
presentation of two well-known paradigms - Cartesian mechanistic machines and Von
Neumann’s complex and uncontrolled machines – we will argue that Drexler’s model was mainly
Cartesian. But what about the model of his critics? We propose a third model - Gilbert
Simondon’s notion of concrete machines – which seems more appropriate to understand
nanomachines than the notion of “soft machines”. Finally we review a few strategies currently
used to design nanomachines, in an effort to determine which paradigm they belong to.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/nanomachine-one-word-for-three-different-paradigms Tue, 29 Dec 2009 07:03:10 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/nanomachine-one-word-for-three-different-paradigms Science quantitative and qualitative research paradigms is first provided, followed
by an overview of the realist philosophical paradigm, which attempts to
accommodate the two. From this foundational discussion, the paper then
introduces the concept of meaning making in research methods and looks
at how meaning is generated from qualitative data analysis specifically.
Finally, some examples from the literature of how meaning can be
constructed and organized using a qualitative data analysis approach are
provided. The paper aims to provide an introduction to research
methodologies, coupled with a discussion on how meaning making
actually occurs through qualitative data analysis.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/research-paradigms-and-meaning-making-a-primer Tue, 29 Dec 2009 01:33:00 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/research-paradigms-and-meaning-making-a-primer Science http://pdfcast.org/pdf/a-primer-on-radiation-and-it-interaction-with-matter Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:31:42 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/a-primer-on-radiation-and-it-interaction-with-matter Science http://pdfcast.org/pdf/analysis-of-longitudinal-data Fri, 04 Dec 2009 03:56:28 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/analysis-of-longitudinal-data Science the customary laboratory setting. Protocols involving
wild animals must consider that any infringement on the
wild nature of the species can be disruptive and may involve
pain, fear, anxiety, and frustration, all of which constitute
ethical harm that must be balanced with anticipated benefit.
Agricultural and companion animal research, however,
take place in a human-engineered environment and involves
domesticated species adapted to human contact. Special
animal welfare issues can be related to agricultural
production goals that fail to deal adequately with moral
concerns. Human/companion animal relationships, on the
other hand, present unique moral obligations to animal owners.
Other factors may present additional ethical issues when
research is performed outside the laboratory. These factors
include a required sensitivity to the environment of wild
animals and an awareness that this outside research may to
quite public and, therefore, vulnerable to community perception.
The institutional animal care and use committee
(IACUC) has the responsibility to ensure that research in
outside settings is ethical and properly implemented. This
responsibility requires that IACUC members have knowledge
of the needs of a wide range of species and that a
process is in place to allow effective monitoring of research
in remote locations. Finally, and most important, there must
be a sensitivity to the unique ethical considerations outlined
here. Armed with these strengths, the IACUC will be effective
in what may be unfamiliar surroundings and will have
a significant opportunity to cause improvements in animal
welfare.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/ethical-issues-concerning-animal-research-outside-the-laboratory Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:27:24 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/ethical-issues-concerning-animal-research-outside-the-laboratory Science http://pdfcast.org/pdf/lezione-6 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:02:49 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/lezione-6 Science http://pdfcast.org/pdf/lezione-5-1 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:01:11 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/lezione-5-1 Science http://pdfcast.org/pdf/lezione-5 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:59:13 -0500 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/lezione-5 Science