Language Processing Problems

This cross-disciplinary volume provides an overview of how complexity theory and the tools of statistical mechanics can be applied to linguistic problems to help reveal language groups, and to model the evolution and competition of languages in space and time. Illustrated with a series of case studies and worked examples, it presents an interdisciplinary framework to enable researchers from the mathematical, physical and social sciences to collaborate on linguistic problems. It demonstrates the complexity of linguistic databases and provides a mathematical toolkit for analyzing and extracting useful information from them - helping to conceptualize empirical facts better than a mere ethnographic view. Providing an important bridge to facilitate collaboration between linguists and mathematical modelers, this book will stimulate new ideas and avenues for research, and will form a valuable resource for advanced students and academics working across complex systems, sociolinguistics, and la

Description logics (DLs) have a long tradition in computer science and knowledge representation, being designed so that domain knowledge can be described and so that computers can reason about this knowledge. DLs have recently gained increased importance since they form the logical basis of widely used ontology languages, in particular the web ontology language OWL. Written by four renowned experts, this is the first textbook on description logics. It is suitable for self-study by graduates and as the basis for a university course. Starting from a basic DL, the book introduces the reader to their syntax, semantics, reasoning problems and model theory and discusses the computational complexity of these reasoning problems and algorithms to solve them. It then explores a variety of reasoning techniques, knowledge-based applications and tools and it describes the relationship between DLs and OWL.

Wolfram's Parzival is one of the great medieval romances, but the complexities and obscurities of source, language and the Grail symbol have led to a virtual neglect by scholars of the problems of structure and characterisation. Medieval characterisation tended towards idealisation, symbolism and the view that the individual could be considered a member of a class or type; in Wolfram however the beginnings of individual characterisation can be seen. This 1966 book studies the types and techniques of character-portrayal in Parzival and of the emergence of the idea of individuality. Dr Blamires analyses each of the main characters - Gahmuret, Herzeloyde, Parzival, Gawan and Feirefiz - and shows how Wolfram presents them and the variety of methods he uses. From this approach he deals with the main problems the poem presents and brings out its closeness and complexity of texture.

The Skeptical Environmentalist challenges widely held beliefs that the environmental situation is getting worse and worse. The author, himself a former member of Greenpeace, is critical of the way in which many environmental organisations make selective and misleading use of the scientific evidence. Using the best available statistical information from internationally recognised research institutes, Bjørn Lomborg systematically examines a range of major environmental problems that feature prominently in headline news across the world. His arguments are presented in non-technical, accessible language and are carefully backed up by over 2500 footnotes allowing readers to check sources for themselves. Concluding that there are more reasons for optimism than pessimism, Bjørn Lomborg stresses the need for clear-headed prioritisation of resources to tackle real, not imagined problems. The Skeptical Environmentalist offers readers a non-partisan stocktaking exercise that serves as a useful co

This is an advanced 1997 text for first-year graduate students in physics and engineering taking a standard classical mechanics course. It was the first book to describe the subject in the context of the language and methods of modern nonlinear dynamics. The organising principle of the text is integrability vs. nonintegrability. Flows in phase space and transformations are introduced early and systematically and are applied throughout the text. The standard integrable problems of elementary physics are analysed from the standpoint of flows, transformations, and integrability. This approach then allows the author to introduce most of the interesting ideas of modern nonlinear dynamics via the most elementary nonintegrable problems of Newtonian mechanics. This text will be of value to physicists and engineers taking graduate courses in classical mechanics. It will also interest specialists in nonlinear dynamics, mathematicians, engineers and system theorists.

This is an advanced 1997 text for first-year graduate students in physics and engineering taking a standard classical mechanics course. It was the first book to describe the subject in the context of the language and methods of modern nonlinear dynamics. The organising principle of the text is integrability vs. nonintegrability. Flows in phase space and transformations are introduced early and systematically and are applied throughout the text. The standard integrable problems of elementary physics are analysed from the standpoint of flows, transformations, and integrability. This approach then allows the author to introduce most of the interesting ideas of modern nonlinear dynamics via the most elementary nonintegrable problems of Newtonian mechanics. This text will be of value to physicists and engineers taking graduate courses in classical mechanics. It will also interest specialists in nonlinear dynamics, mathematicians, engineers and system theorists.

Petroleum engineers search through endless sources to understand oil and gas chemicals, find problems and discover solutions while operations are becoming more unconventional and driving towards more sustainable practice. Oil and Gas Chemistry Management Series brings an all-inclusive suite of tools to cover all the sectors of oil and gas chemicals from drilling to production, processing, storage, and transportation. The fourth reference in the series, Surface Process, Transportation, and Storage delivers the critical chemical oilfield basics while also covering latest research developments and practical solutions. Organized by the type of mitigation and recovery method, the engineer can fully understand how to effectively control chemistry issues, make sound decisions, and mitigate the challenges ahead. Basics include gas treating, CO2 recovery, produced water treatment, while more advanced topics cover hydrotesting water conditioning and black powder management. Supported by a list o

The theory of Hardy spaces is a cornerstone of modern analysis. It combines techniques from functional analysis, the theory of analytic functions and Lesbesgue integration to create a powerful tool for many applications, pure and applied, from signal processing and Fourier analysis to maximum modulus principles and the Riemann zeta function. This book, aimed at beginning graduate students, introduces and develops the classical results on Hardy spaces and applies them to fundamental concrete problems in analysis. The results are illustrated with numerous solved exercises that also introduce subsidiary topics and recent developments. The reader's understanding of the current state of the field, as well as its history, are further aided by engaging accounts of important contributors and by the surveys of recent advances (with commented reference lists) that end each chapter. Such broad coverage makes this book the ideal source on Hardy spaces.

Statistical Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach covers in a practical, readily understandable manner the underlying meaning of entropy, temperature and other thermodynamic concepts, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and the physical basis of gas, liquid and solid phase properties. It presents simply the relationship between macroscopic and microscopic thermodynamics. In addition, the molecular basis of transport phenomena and chemical kinetics are explored, as are basic concepts in spectroscopy. Modern computational tools for solving thermodynamic problems are explored, and the student is assured that he or she will gain knowledge of practical usefulness. This essential text is suitable for mechanical or aerospace engineering graduate students who have a strong background in engineering thermodynamics, those entering advanced fields such as combustion, high temperature gas dynamics, environmental sciences, or materials processing, and those who wish to build a background for un

This accessible yet in-depth textbook describes the step-by-step processes involved in biomedical device design. Integrating microfabrication techniques, sensors and digital signal processing with key clinical applications, it covers: the measurement, amplification and digitization of physiological signals, and the removal of interfering signals; the transmission of signals from implanted sensors through the body, and the issues surrounding the powering of these sensors; networks for transferring sensitive patient data to hospitals for continuous home-monitoring systems; tests for ensuring patient safety; the cost-benefit and technological trade-offs involved in device design; and current challenges in biomedical device design. With dedicated chapters on electrocardiography, digital hearing aids and mobile health, and including numerous end-of-chapter homework problems, online solutions and additional references for extended learning, it is the ideal resource for senior undergraduate s

This book presents an innovative new approach to studying source mechanisms of earthquakes, combining theory and observation in a unified methodology, with a key focus on the mechanics governing fault failures. It explains source mechanisms by building from fundamental concepts such as the equations of elasticity theory to more advanced problems including dislocation theory, kinematic models and fracture dynamics. The theory is presented first in student-friendly form using consistent notation throughout, and with full, detailed mathematical derivations that enable students to follow each step. Later chapters explain the widely-used practical modelling methods for source mechanism determination, linking clearly to the theoretical foundations, and highlighting the processing of digital seismological data. Providing a unique balance between application techniques and theory, this is an ideal guide for graduate students and researchers in seismology, tectonophysics, geodynamics and geomec

The growth of social media over the last decade has revolutionized the way individuals interact and industries conduct business. Individuals produce data at an unprecedented rate by interacting, sharing, and consuming content through social media. Understanding and processing this new type of data to glean actionable patterns presents challenges and opportunities for interdisciplinary research, novel algorithms and tool development. Social Media Mining integrates social media, social network analysis, and data mining to provide a coherent platform to understand the basics and potentials of social media mining. It introduces the unique problems arising from social media data and presents fundamental concepts, emerging issues, and effective algorithms for network analysis and data mining. Suitable for use in advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate courses as well as professional short courses, the text contains exercises of different degrees of difficulty that improve understanding

Fully updated and containing significant new material on photography, laser profiling and image processing, the third edition of this popular textbook covers a broad range of remote sensing applications and techniques across the Earth, environmental and planetary sciences. It focuses on physical principles, giving students a deeper understanding of remote sensing systems and their possibilities, while remaining accessible to those with less mathematical training by providing a step-by-step approach to quantitative topics. Boxed examples, additional photos and numerous colour images engage students and show them how the theory relates to the many real-world applications. Chapter summaries, review questions and additional problems allow students to check their understanding of key concepts and practise handling real data for themselves. Supplementary online material includes links to freely available software, animations, computer programs, colour images and other web-based resources of

Position estimation of wireless devices has many applications in short-range networks. Ultra-wideband (UWB) signals provide accurate positioning capabilities that can be harnessed in wireless systems to realise these applications. This text provides detailed coverage of UWB positioning systems, offering comprehensive treatment of signal and receiver design for ranging, range estimation techniques, theoretical performance bounds, ranging algorithms and protocols. Beginning with a discussion of the potential applications of wireless positioning, and investigating UWB signals for such applications, later chapters establish a signal processing framework for analysing UWB positioning and ranging systems. The recent IEEE 802.15.4a standard related to UWB is also studied in detail. Each chapter contains examples, problems and Matlab scripts to help readers grasp key concepts. This is an ideal text for graduate students and researchers in electrical and computer engineering, and practitioners

This 2000 book provides an introduction to the nature, occurrence, physical properties, propagation and uses of surfactants in the petroleum industry. It is aimed principally at scientists and engineers who may encounter or use surfactants, whether in process design, petroleum production, or research and development. The primary focus is on applications of the principles of colloid and interface science to surfactant applications in the petroleum industry, and includes attention to practical processes and problems. Applications of surfactants in the petroleum industry are of great practical importance and are also quite diverse, since surfactants may be applied to advantage throughout the petroleum production process: in reservoirs, in oil and gas wells, in surface processing operations, and in environmental, health and safety applications. In each case appropriate knowledge and practices determine the economic and technical successes of the industrial process concerned. The book inclu

Position estimation of wireless devices has many applications in short-range networks. Ultra-wideband (UWB) signals provide accurate positioning capabilities that can be harnessed in wireless systems to realise these applications. This text provides detailed coverage of UWB positioning systems, offering comprehensive treatment of signal and receiver design for ranging, range estimation techniques, theoretical performance bounds, ranging algorithms and protocols. Beginning with a discussion of the potential applications of wireless positioning, and investigating UWB signals for such applications, later chapters establish a signal processing framework for analysing UWB positioning and ranging systems. The recent IEEE 802.15.4a standard related to UWB is also studied in detail. Each chapter contains examples, problems and Matlab scripts to help readers grasp key concepts. This is an ideal text for graduate students and researchers in electrical and computer engineering, and practitioners

Probability and Statistics are as much about intuition and problem solving as they are about theorem proving. Because of this, students can find it very difficult to make a successful transition from lectures to examinations to practice, since the problems involved can vary so much in nature. Since the subject is critical in many modern applications such as mathematical finance, quantitative management, telecommunications, signal processing, bioinformatics, as well as traditional ones such as insurance, social science andengineering, the authors have rectified deficiencies in traditional lecture-based methods by collecting together a wealth of exercises with complete solutions, adapted to needs and skills of students. Following on from the success of Probability and Statistics by Example: Basic Probability and Statistics, the authors here concentrate on random processes, particularly Markov processes, emphasising modelsrather than general constructions. Basic mathematical facts are sup

Probability and Statistics are as much about intuition and problem solving as they are about theorem proving. Because of this, students can find it very difficult to make a successful transition from lectures to examinations to practice, since the problems involved can vary so much in nature. Since the subject is critical in many modern applications such as mathematical finance, quantitative management, telecommunications, signal processing, bioinformatics, as well as traditional ones such as insurance, social science andengineering, the authors have rectified deficiencies in traditional lecture-based methods by collecting together a wealth of exercises with complete solutions, adapted to needs and skills of students. Following on from the success of Probability and Statistics by Example: Basic Probability and Statistics, the authors here concentrate on random processes, particularly Markov processes, emphasising modelsrather than general constructions. Basic mathematical facts are sup

Iterative processing is an important technique with numerous applications. Exploiting the power of factor graphs, this detailed survey provides a general framework for systematically developing iterative algorithms for digital receivers, and highlights connections between important algorithms. Starting with basic concepts in digital communications, progressively more complex ideas are presented and integrated resulting in the development of cutting-edge algorithms for iterative receivers. Real-world applications are covered in detail, including decoding for turbo and LDPC codes, and detection for multi-antenna and multi-user systems. This accessible framework will allow the reader to apply factor graphs to practical problems, leading to the design of new algorithms in applications beyond digital receivers. With many examples and algorithms in pseudo-code, this book is an invaluable resource for graduate students and researchers in electrical engineering and computer science, and for pr

Basics of Holography is a general introduction to the subject written by a leading worker in the field. It begins with the theory of holographic imaging, the characteristics of the reconstructed image, and the various types of holograms. Practical aspects of holography are then described, including light sources, the characteristics of recording media and recording materials, as well as methods for producing different types of holograms and computer-generated holograms. Finally, important applications of holography are discussed, such as high-resolution imaging, holographic optical elements, information processing, and holographic interferometry. The book includes comprehensive reference sections and appendices summarizing some useful mathematical results. Numerical problems with their solutions are provided at the ends of chapters. This is an invaluable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students as well as researchers in science and engineering who would like to learn m

Basics of Holography is a general introduction to the subject written by a leading worker in the field. It begins with the theory of holographic imaging, the characteristics of the reconstructed image, and the various types of holograms. Practical aspects of holography are then described, including light sources, the characteristics of recording media and recording materials, as well as methods for producing different types of holograms and computer-generated holograms. Finally, important applications of holography are discussed, such as high-resolution imaging, holographic optical elements, information processing, and holographic interferometry. The book includes comprehensive reference sections and appendices summarizing some useful mathematical results. Numerical problems with their solutions are provided at the ends of chapters. This is an invaluable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students as well as researchers in science and engineering who would like to learn m

This 2000 book provides an introduction to the nature, occurrence, physical properties, propagation and uses of surfactants in the petroleum industry. It is aimed principally at scientists and engineers who may encounter or use surfactants, whether in process design, petroleum production, or research and development. The primary focus is on applications of the principles of colloid and interface science to surfactant applications in the petroleum industry, and includes attention to practical processes and problems. Applications of surfactants in the petroleum industry are of great practical importance and are also quite diverse, since surfactants may be applied to advantage throughout the petroleum production process: in reservoirs, in oil and gas wells, in surface processing operations, and in environmental, health and safety applications. In each case appropriate knowledge and practices determine the economic and technical successes of the industrial process concerned. The book inclu

Master the foundational concepts and skills necessary to become a successful clinical medical assistant! Written using clear and accessible language, Clinical Procedures for Medical Assistants, 11th Edition, guides you through essential medical assisting clinical procedures such as taking vital signs; collecting, processing, and testing laboratory specimens; preparing patients for examinations and procedures; administering medications; and assisting with office surgeries. This edition is thoroughly updated throughout to align with 2022 medical assisting competencies and includes a new art program, plus updated coverage of the medical record, nutritional guidelines, OSHA standards for infection control and prevention, emergency preparedness, and the latest medical assisting clinical guidelines. More than 90 procedures help you learn key medical assisting skills, with step-by-step instructions and clear illustrations. Learning features throughout focus on case-based critical thinking, pa

This groundbreaking work offers a first-of-its-kind overview of legal informatics, the academic discipline underlying the technological transformation and economics of the legal industry. Edited by Daniel Martin Katz, Ron Dolin, and Michael J. Bommarito, and featuring contributions from more than two dozen academic and industry experts, chapters cover the history and principles of legal informatics and background technical concepts – including natural language processing and distributed ledger technology. The volume also presents real-world case studies that offer important insights into document review, due diligence, compliance, case prediction, billing, negotiation and settlement, contracting, patent management, legal research, and online dispute resolution. Written for both technical and non-technical readers, Legal Informatics is the ideal resource for anyone interested in identifying, understanding, and executing opportunities in this exciting field.

This book is an introduction to the emerging field of evolutionary cognitive neuroscience, a branch of neuroscience that combines the disciplines of evolutionary psychology and cognitive neuroscience. It outlines the application of cognitive neuroscientific methods (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging, transcranial magnetic stimulation, magneto- and electroencephalography, and the use of neuropsychiatric and neurosurgical patients) to answer empirical questions posed from an evolutionary meta-theoretical perspective. Chapters outline the basics of cognitive evolution and how the methods of cognitive neuroscience can be employed to answer questions about the presence of evolved cognitive adaptations. Written for graduate students and researchers, the book presents the major topics of study undertaken by evolutionary cognitive neuroscientists – such as language evolution, intelligence and face processing – and serves as a primer upon which to base further study in the discipline.

This book is an introduction to the emerging field of evolutionary cognitive neuroscience, a branch of neuroscience that combines the disciplines of evolutionary psychology and cognitive neuroscience. It outlines the application of cognitive neuroscientific methods (e.g., functional magnetic resonance imaging, transcranial magnetic stimulation, magneto- and electroencephalography, and the use of neuropsychiatric and neurosurgical patients) to answer empirical questions posed from an evolutionary meta-theoretical perspective. Chapters outline the basics of cognitive evolution and how the methods of cognitive neuroscience can be employed to answer questions about the presence of evolved cognitive adaptations. Written for graduate students and researchers, the book presents the major topics of study undertaken by evolutionary cognitive neuroscientists – such as language evolution, intelligence and face processing – and serves as a primer upon which to base further study in the discipline.

This 1993 work surveys and summarizes the results of more than seventy years of investigation, by factor analysis, of a variety of cognitive abilities, with particular attention to language, thinking, memory, visual and auditory perception, creativity and the production of ideas, and the speed and accuracy of mental processing. The author describes his detailed findings resulting from reanalysis of more than 460 data sets from the factor-analytic literature, followed by a presentation of a hierarchical, three-stratum theory of cognitive ability and its implications for further research. A set of three computer disks (IBM 3-1/2" 1.4 megabytes, ASCII format) containing the numerical data sets and Dr. Carroll's statistical results is also available. Representing over 4 megabytes of data or roughly 2000 printed pages the disks are major resources for the interested researcher.

This 1993 work surveys and summarizes the results of more than seventy years of investigation, by factor analysis, of a variety of cognitive abilities, with particular attention to language, thinking, memory, visual and auditory perception, creativity and the production of ideas, and the speed and accuracy of mental processing. The author describes his detailed findings resulting from reanalysis of more than 460 data sets from the factor-analytic literature, followed by a presentation of a hierarchical, three-stratum theory of cognitive ability and its implications for further research. A set of three computer disks (IBM 3-1/2" 1.4 megabytes, ASCII format) containing the numerical data sets and Dr. Carroll's statistical results is also available. Representing over 4 megabytes of data or roughly 2000 printed pages the disks are major resources for the interested researcher.

How does a lawyer think? Does legal intuition exist? Do lawyers need imagination? Why is legal language so abstract? It is no longer possible to answer these questions by applying philosophical analysis alone. Recent advances in the cognitive sciences have reshaped our conceptions of the human mental faculties and the tools we use to solve problems. A new picture of the functioning of the legal mind is emerging. In The Legal Mind, Bartosz Brożek uses philosophical arguments and insight from the cognitive sciences to depict legal thinking as a close cooperation between three cognitive mechanisms - intuition, imagination, and language - and addresses the question of how to efficiently use these mental tools. This novel and provocative approach provides a fresh perspective on legal thinking and gives rise to important questions pertaining to the limits of legal interpretation and rationality in the law.

This Element presents a concise and accessible view of the central arguments of Wittgenstein's Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. Starting from the difficulties found in historical and current debates, drawing on the background of Russell's philosophy, and grounded in the ladder structure expressed in the numbering system of the book, this Element presents the central arguments of the Tractatus in three lines of thought. The first concerns the role of the so-called 'ontology' and its relationship to the method of the Tractatus and its logical symbolism, which displays the formal essence of language and world. The second deals with the symbolic unity of language and its role in the 'ladder structure' and explains how and why the book is not self-defeating. The third elucidates Wittgenstein's claim to have solved in essentials all philosophical problems, whose very formulation, he says, rests on misunderstandings.

How does a lawyer think? Does legal intuition exist? Do lawyers need imagination? Why is legal language so abstract? It is no longer possible to answer these questions by applying philosophical analysis alone. Recent advances in the cognitive sciences have reshaped our conceptions of the human mental faculties and the tools we use to solve problems. A new picture of the functioning of the legal mind is emerging. In The Legal Mind, Bartosz Brożek uses philosophical arguments and insight from the cognitive sciences to depict legal thinking as a close cooperation between three cognitive mechanisms - intuition, imagination, and language - and addresses the question of how to efficiently use these mental tools. This novel and provocative approach provides a fresh perspective on legal thinking and gives rise to important questions pertaining to the limits of legal interpretation and rationality in the law.

Written in lucid language, this valuable textbook brings together fundamental concepts of data mining and data warehousing in a single volume. Important topics including information theory, decision tree, Naïve Bayes classifier, distance metrics, partitioning clustering, associate mining, data marts and operational data store are discussed comprehensively. The textbook is written to cater to the needs of undergraduate students of computer science, engineering and information technology for a course on data mining and data warehousing. The text simplifies the understanding of the concepts through exercises and practical examples. Chapters such as classification, associate mining and cluster analysis are discussed in detail with their practical implementation using Weka and R language data mining tools. Advanced topics including big data analytics, relational data models and NoSQL are discussed in detail. Pedagogical features including unsolved problems and multiple-choice questions are

Aristotle's theory of truth, which has been the most influential account of the concept of truth from Antiquity onwards, spans several areas of philosophy: philosophy of language, logic, ontology and epistemology. In this 2004 book, Paolo Crivelli discusses all the main aspects of Aristotle's views on truth and falsehood. He analyses in detail the main relevant passages, addresses some well-known problems of Aristotelian semantics, and assesses Aristotle's theory from the point of view of modern analytic philosophy. In the process he discusses most of the literature on Aristotle's semantic theory to have appeared in the last two centuries. His book vindicates and clarifies the often repeated claim that Aristotle's is a correspondence theory of truth. It will be of interest to a wide range of readers working in both ancient philosophy and modern philosophy of language.

Aristotle's theory of truth, which has been the most influential account of the concept of truth from Antiquity onwards, spans several areas of philosophy: philosophy of language, logic, ontology and epistemology. In this 2004 book, Paolo Crivelli discusses all the main aspects of Aristotle's views on truth and falsehood. He analyses in detail the main relevant passages, addresses some well-known problems of Aristotelian semantics, and assesses Aristotle's theory from the point of view of modern analytic philosophy. In the process he discusses most of the literature on Aristotle's semantic theory to have appeared in the last two centuries. His book vindicates and clarifies the often repeated claim that Aristotle's is a correspondence theory of truth. It will be of interest to a wide range of readers working in both ancient philosophy and modern philosophy of language.

This collection of essays presents the work on Germany's stormy and problematic encounter with mass politics from the time of Bismarck to the Nazi era. The authors - sixteen scholars from the United States, Canada, Great Britain and Germany - consider this problem from novel and sometimes surprising viewpoints. The history of elections, narrowly conceived, is abandoned in favor of a broader inquiry into roots of German political loyalties and their relationship to the historic cleavages of class, gender, language, religion, generation and locality. The essays not only present archival findings, but they also pursue more theoretical or conjectural paradigms, and raise questions. Collectively, the authors explore the twin problems of electoral politics and social dislocation with language that is intentionally familiar, inventive, and allusive all at once - in a sense reflecting the Germans' own unfinished search for political consensus and social stability.

Written in lucid language, this valuable text discusses fundamental concepts of von Neumann algebras including bounded linear operators in Hilbert spaces, finite von Neumann algebras, linear forms on algebra of operators, geometry of projections and classification of von Neumann algebras in an easy to understand manner. The revised text covers new material including the first two examples of factors of type II^1, an example of factor of type III and theorems for von Neumann algebras with a cyclic and separating vector. Pedagogical features including solved problems and exercises are interspersed throughout the book.

Carnap, Quine, and Putnam held that in our pursuit of truth we can do no better than to start in the middle, relying on already-established beliefs and inferences and applying our best methods for re-evaluating particular beliefs and inferences and arriving at new ones. In this collection of essays, Gary Ebbs interprets these thinkers' methodological views in the light of their own philosophical commitments, and in the process refutes some widespread misunderstandings of their views, reveals the real strengths of their arguments, and exposes a number of problems that they face. To solve these problems, in many of the essays Ebbs also develops new philosophical approaches, including new theories of logical truth, language use, reference and truth, truth by convention, realism, trans-theoretical terms, agreement and disagreement, radical belief revision, and contextually a priori statements. His essays will be valuable for a wide range of readers in analytic philosophy.

The language of special responsibilities is ubiquitous in world politics, with policymakers and commentators alike speaking and acting as though particular states have, or ought to have, unique obligations in managing global problems. Surprisingly, scholars are yet to provide any in-depth analysis of this fascinating aspect of world politics. This path-breaking study examines the nature of special responsibilities, the complex politics that surround them and how they condition international social power. The argument is illustrated with detailed case-studies of nuclear proliferation, climate change and global finance. All three problems have been addressed by an allocation of special responsibilities, but while this has structured politics in these areas, it has also been the subject of ongoing contestation. With a focus on the United States, this book argues that power must be understood as a social phenomenon and that American power varies significantly across security, economic and

The language of special responsibilities is ubiquitous in world politics, with policymakers and commentators alike speaking and acting as though particular states have, or ought to have, unique obligations in managing global problems. Surprisingly, scholars are yet to provide any in-depth analysis of this fascinating aspect of world politics. This path-breaking study examines the nature of special responsibilities, the complex politics that surround them and how they condition international social power. The argument is illustrated with detailed case-studies of nuclear proliferation, climate change and global finance. All three problems have been addressed by an allocation of special responsibilities, but while this has structured politics in these areas, it has also been the subject of ongoing contestation. With a focus on the United States, this book argues that power must be understood as a social phenomenon and that American power varies significantly across security, economic and

Quantum physics is believed to be the fundamental theory underlying our understanding of the physical universe. However, it is based on concepts and principles that have always been difficult to understand and controversial in their interpretation. This book aims to explain these issues using a minimum of technical language and mathematics. After a brief introduction to the ideas of quantum physics, the problems of interpretation are identified and explained. The rest of the book surveys, describes and criticises a range of suggestions that have been made with the aim of resolving these problems; these include the traditional, or 'Copenhagen' interpretation, the possible role of the conscious mind in measurement and the postulate of parallel universes. This new edition has been revised throughout to take into account developments in this field over the past fifteen years, including the idea of 'consistent histories' to which a completely new chapter is devoted.