This book focuses on various techniques of computational intelligence, both single ones and those which form hybrid methods. Those techniques are today commonly applied issues of artificial intelligence, e.g. to process speech and natural language, build expert systems and robots. The first part of the book presents methods of knowledge representation using different techniques, namely the rough sets, type-1 fuzzy sets and type-2 fuzzy sets. Next various neural network architectures are presented and their learning algorithms are derived. Moreover, the family of evolutionary algorithms is discussed, in particular the classical genetic algorithm, evolutionary strategies and genetic programming, including connections between these techniques and neural networks and fuzzy systems. In the last part of the book, various methods of data partitioning and algorithms of automatic data clustering are given and new neuro-fuzzy architectures are studied and compared.

Equilibrium Thermodynamics gives a comprehensive but concise course in the fundamentals of classical thermodynamics. Although the subject is essentially classical in nature, illustrative material is drawn widely from modern physics and free use is made of microscopic ideas to illuminate it. The overriding objective in writing the book was to achieve a clear exposition: to give an account of the subject that it both stimulating and easy to learn from. Classical thermodynamics has such wide application that it can be taught in many ways. The terms of reference for Equilibrium Thermodynamics are primarily those of the undergraduate physicist; but it is also suitable for courses in chemistry, engineering, materials science etc. The subject is usually taught in the first or second year of an undergraduate course, but the book takes the student to degree standard (and beyond). Prerequisites are elementary or school-level thermal physics.

Through a balanced selection of texts with commentaries, this work combines an approach to the renaissance of Hinduism and the reformation of Indian society.

Text World Theory is a cognitive model of all human discourse processing. In this introductory textbook, Joanna Gavins sets out a usable framework for understanding mental representations. Text World Theory is explained using naturally occurring texts and real situations, including literary works, advertising discourse, the language of lonely hearts, horoscopes, route directions, cookery books and song lyrics. The book will therefore enable students, teachers and researchers to make practical use of the text-world framework in a wide range of linguistic and literary contexts.

This book evolved from a series of courses developed by the author and taught in the areas of lasers and photonics. This thoroughly classroom-tested work fills a unique need for students, instructors, and industry professionals in search of an introductory-level book that covers a wide range of topics in these areas. Comparable books tend to be aimed either too high or too low, or they cover only a portion of the topics that are needed for a comprehensive treatment.

Safe Passage: Astronaut Care for Exploration Missions sets forth a vision for space medicine as it applies to deep space voyage. As space missions increase in duration from months to years and extend well beyond Earth’s orbit, so will the attendant risks of working in these extreme and isolated environmental conditions. Hazards to astronaut health range from greater radiation exposure and loss of bone and muscle density to intensified psychological stress from living with others in a confined space.

Béatrice Longuenesse considers the three aspects of Kant's philosophy, his epistemology and metaphysics of nature, moral philosophy, and aesthetic theory, under one unifying standpoint: Kant's conception of our capacity to form judgments. She argues that the elements which make up our cognitive access to the world have an equally important role to play in our moral evaluations and our aesthetic judgments. Her book will appeal to all interested in Kant and his thought, ranging over Kant's account of our representations of space and time, his conception of the logical forms of judgments, sufficient reason, causality, community, God, freedom, morality, and beauty in nature and art.

This Handbook examines the interplay between metamemory and memory. Each contributor discusses cutting-edge theory and research that, in some way, showcases the symbiotic relationship between metamemory and memory. Together, these chapters support a central thesis, which is that a complete understanding of either metamemory or memory is not possible without understanding their mutual influence.

Since its emergence in the seventeenth century, science fiction has been a sustained, coherent and subversive check on the promises and pitfalls of science. In their turn, invention and discovery have forced fiction writers to confront the nature and limits of reality. Different Engines explores how this fascinating symbiosis shapes what we see, do, and dream.

'You speak a language that I understand not.' Hermione's words to Leontes in The Winter's Tale are likely to ring true with many people reading or watching Shakespeare's plays today. For decades, people have been studying Shakespeare's life and times, and in recent years there has been a renewed surge of interest into aspects of his language. So how can we better understand Shakespeare? How did he manipulate language to produce such an unrivaled body of work, which has enthralled generations both as theater and as literature? David Crystal addresses these and many other questions in this lively and original introduction to Shakespeare's language.

This is a study of marriage litigation in the archiepiscopal court of York (1300-1500) and the episcopal courts of Ely (1374-1381), Paris (1384-1387), Cambrai (1438-1453), and Brussels (1448-1459). All these courts were, for the most part, correctly applying the late medieval canon law of marriage, but statistical analysis of the cases and results confirms that there were substantial differences both in the types of cases the courts heard and the results they reached.

This book provides an introduction and overview of methods used for rule extraction from support vector machines. The first part offers an introduction to the topic as well as a summary of current research issues. The second chapter surveys the field of rule extraction from SVMs, reviews areas of current research and introduces an application in the financial field.

Provides expanded information which includes sections on historic background, current principles, and anticipated future changes, and consideration of the latest knowledge of human and veterinary medicine in the field of zoonoses. A chapter summary and selected bibliography for each of the first six chapters.

This book deals with the application of fractal and nonlinear time-series analysis to seismicity and earthquakes within the framework of earthquake prediction research. Emphasis is on theoretical foundations as well as practical implementation and pitfalls to enable readers to conduct their own analyses. The theoretical parts include introductions to fractals and multifractals, the relation between fractal dimension and entropy, the Hurst phenomenon, basic ideas of low-dimensional chaotic dynamics and a roadmap of nonlinear time-series analysis. Practical implementation is discussed in each case and synthetic data sets are analyzed. Fractal methods are applied to landslide and seismicity patterns in space and time, nonlinear analysis is carried out for radon and strain data as well as earthquake intervals. Due to the comprehensive coverage of theoretical background and step-by-step applications, readers of all levels will benefit from this book.

This book presents first-year calculus roughly in the order in which it first was discovered. The first two chapters show how the ancient calculations of practical problems led to infinite series, differential and integral calculus and to differential equations. The establishment of mathematical rigour for these subjects in the 19th century for one and several variables is treated in chapters III and IV. The text is complemented by a large number of examples, calculations and mathematical pictures and will provide stimulating and enjoyable reading for students, teachers, as well as researchers.