We investigate alternative notions of approximation for problems inside P (deter-ministic polynomial time), and show that even a slightly nontrivial information about a problem may be as hard to obtain as the solution itself. For example, we prove that if one could eliminate even a single

In this paper we discuss the construction of information systems ontologies. We summarize and discuss Barry Smith’s review of the field in the paper “Ontology”. In that essay Smith concludes with a plea for ontologies that reflect the categories of current scientific theories because they represent our best knowledge of the world. In this context, we develop an argument for a hermeneutic approach to ontologies – one compatible with the orientation introduced into information science by Winograd and Flores and that was later developed by many others. In order to do this, we argue that the literature in the philosophy and history of science supports a hermeneutic interpretation of the nature and growth of science. This, given Smith’s argument, shows the relevance of hermeneutics to the creation of information system ontologies. The problems associated with understanding and creating information systems ontologies can be addressed fruitfully only if one begins by acknowledging that databases are mechanisms for communication involving judgments and interpretations by intelligent and knowledgeable users. The main contributions of this paper are our conclusions that (1) information system ontologies should take into consideration a perspective of the philosophy and history of science and that (2) hermeneutics as construed by Gadamer constitutes a place from which we can understand the tasks of information ontologists and database users. 1.

Marcuzzo* Krishna Bharadwaj, following upon the work and insights of Sraffa, made substan-tial contributions to our understanding of what is implied in the neoclassical notion of change and its related notion of choice; in this respect she appears closer to the spirit of Sraffa’s critique

), this formulation provided for two agents to coordinate their activities without introducing any notion of irreducible joint intentions. However, it only treated activities that directly decomposed into single-agent actions, did not address the need for agents to commit to their joint activity, and did

story for each considered separately. Trade-offs among competing selective demands exert the onlv brake upon perfection; non-optimality is thereby rendered as a result of adaptation as well. We criticize this approach and attempt to reassert a competing notion (long popular in continental Europe

Following an idea of G. Nguetseng, the author defines a notion of "two-scale" convergence, which is aimed at a better description of sequences of oscillating functions. Bounded sequences in L2(f) are proven to be relatively compact with respect to this new type of convergence. A corrector

Current psychological theory and research affirm the positive affective and motivational consequences of having personal choice. These findings have led to the popular notion that the more choice, the better--that the human ability omanage, and the human desire for, choice isunlimited. Findings

surrounds the notion of “context” – what it means, what it includes, and what role it plays in interactive systems. This paper suggests that the representational stance implied by conventional interpretations of “context” misinterprets the role of context in everyday human activity, and proposes

This paper concerns the design of distributed algorithms for sharing network bandwidth resources among contending flows. The classical fairness notion is the so-called max-min fairness; F. Kelly [8] has recently introduced the alternative proportional fairness criterion; we introduce a third

This paper considers methods for modelling the producLion lLinction for cognitive achieve-ment in a way that captures theoretical notions thai child development is a cumulative process depending on the history of family and school inputs and on innate ability. It develops a general modelling