Computation Tree Logic Model Checking of Multi-Agent Systems Based on Fuzzy Epistemic Interpreted Systems

Model checking is an automated formal verification method to verify whether epistemic multi-agent systems adhere to property specifications.Although there is an extensive literature on qualitative properties such as safety and liveness,there is still a lack of quantitative and uncertain property verifications for these systems.In uncertain environments,agents must make judicious decisions based on subjective epistemic.To verify epistemic and measurable properties in multi-agent systems,this paper extends fuzzy computation tree logic by introducing epistemic modalities and proposing a new Fuzzy Computation Tree Logic of Knowledge(FCTLK).We represent fuzzy multi-agent systems as distributed knowledge bases with fuzzy epistemic interpreted systems.In addition,we provide a transformation algorithm from fuzzy epistemic interpreted systems to fuzzy Kripke structures,as well as transformation rules from FCTLK formulas to Fuzzy Computation Tree Logic(FCTL)formulas.Accordingly,we transform the FCTLK model checking problem into the FCTL model checking.This enables the verification of FCTLK formulas by using the fuzzy model checking algorithm of FCTL without additional computational overheads.Finally,we present correctness proofs and complexity analyses of the proposed algorithms.Additionally,we further illustrate the practical application of our approach through an example of a train control system.

Programming with Conditionals: Epistemic Programming for Scientific Discovery

In order to provide scientists with a computational methodology and some computational tools to program their epistemic processes in scientific discovery, we are establishing a novel programming paradigm, named ‘Epistemic Programming’, which regards conditionals as the subject of computing, takes primary epistemic operations as basic operations of computing, and regards epistemic processes as the subject of programming. This paper presents our fundamental observations and assumptions on scientific discovery processes and their automation, research problems on modeling, automating, and programming epistemic processes, and an outline of our research project of Epistemic Programming.

Graduation formula: a new method to construct belief reliability distribution under epistemic uncertainty

In reliability engineering,the observations of the variables of interest are always limited due to cost or schedule constraints.Consequently,the epistemic uncertainty,which derives from lack of knowledge and information,plays a vital influence on the reliability evaluation.Belief reliability is a new reliability metric that takes the impact of epistemic uncertainty into consideration and belief reliability distribution is fundamental to belief reliability application.This paper develops a new method called graduation formula to construct belief reliability distribution with limited observations.The developed method constructs the belief reliability distribution by determining the corresponding belief degrees of the observations.An algorithm is designed for the graduation formula as it is a set of transcendental equations,which is difficult to determine the analytical solution.The developed method and the proposed algorithm are illustrated by two numerical examples to show their efficiency and future application.

Reliability Analysis for Complex Systems Based on Dynamic Evidential Network Considering Epistemic Uncertainty

Fault tolerant technology has greatly improved the reliability of modern systems on one hand and makes their failure mechanisms more complex on the other.The characteristics of dynamics of failure,diversity of distribution and epistemic uncertainty always exist in these systems,which increase the challenges in the reliability assessment of these systems significantly.This paper presents a novel reliability analysis framework for complex systems within which the failure rates of components are expressed in interval numbers.Specifically,it uses a dynamic fault tree(DFT)to model the dynamic fault behaviors and copes with the epistemic uncertainty using Dempster-Shafer(D-S)theory and interval numbers.Furthermore,an approach is presented to convert a DFT into a dynamic evidential network(DEN)to calculate the reliability parameters.Additionally,a sorting method based on the possibility degree is proposed to rank the importance of components represented by interval numbers in order to obtain the most critical components,which can be used to provide the guidance for system design,maintenance planning and fault diagnosis.Finally,a numerical example is provided to illustrate the availability and efficiency of the proposed method.

Epistemic-Based Investigation of the Probability of Hazard Scenarios Using Bayesian Network for the Lifting Operation of Floating Objects

Owing to the increase in unprecedented accidents with new root causes in almost all operational areas, the importance of risk management has dramatically risen. Risk assessment, one of the most significant aspects of risk management, has a substantial impact on the system-safety level of organizations, industries, and operations. If the causes of all kinds of failure and the interactions between them are considered, effective risk assessment can be highly accurate. A combination of traditional risk assessment approaches and modern scientific probability methods can help in realizing better quantitative risk assessment methods. Most researchers face the problem of minimal field data with respect to the probability and frequency of each failure. Because of this limitation in the availability of epistemic knowledge, it is important to conduct epistemic estimations by applying the Bayesian theory for identifying plausible outcomes. In this paper, we propose an algorithm and demonstrate its application in a case study for a light-weight lifting operation in the Persian Gulf of Iran. First, we identify potential accident scenarios and present them in an event tree format. Next, excluding human error, we use the event tree to roughly estimate the prior probability of other hazard-promoting factors using a minimal amount of field data. We then use the Success Likelihood Index Method(SLIM) to calculate the probability of human error. On the basis of the proposed event tree, we use the Bayesian network of the provided scenarios to compensate for the lack of data. Finally, we determine the resulting probability of each event based on its evidence in the epistemic estimation format by building on two Bayesian network types: the probability of hazard promotion factors and the Bayesian theory. The study results indicate that despite the lack of available information on the operation of floating objects, a satisfactory result can be achieved using epistemic data.

Epistemic Genres as a Conceptual Tool in the History of Chinese Medicine

This article summarizes the collaboration between two historians of medicine on Sino-European medical exchanges.Gianna Pomata researches the history of medicine in early modern Europe and Marta Hanson researches the history of medicine in early modern China.The following covers the concept of epistemic genres that Pomata first developed out of her research on the history of the genres historia,observationes,recipes,medical cases,and the commentary in Europe.She connected these genres variously to empiricism,erudition,scientific observation,norm-making,and recording practice.The paper then evaluates how Pomata and Hanson used epistemic genres as a method for doing cross-cultural research on 17th-18th-century Sino-European medical exchanges.Pomata then wrote a comparative history of the medical case in Europe and China.The article concludes with how Hanson applied the distinction of epistemic genres to analyze the history of Chinese medicine from a new perspective.

Application of Epistemic Utility Theory to Satisfactory Optimization

Satisficing control remains an important concept in decision making. In this paper, a new epistemic utility satisficing control theory is proposed for a new model of complex CMMO （ constrained multi-objective multi degree-of-freedom optimization） system. As well, an epistemic utility function is developed and used to adjust the feasible region of soft constraints. The theory proved in this paper indicates that the utility function not only expresses the subjectivity of the original satisfactory-degree function, but also takes the cost of searching for a solution into account. Thus, the satisfactory-degree function can be adjusted and its rationality can be validated. This theory contributes an analytical method to the inverse satisfactory optimization problem. The findings indicate that this theory has good convergence and outcomes desired for satisfactory-degree functions.

Humorous Communication and Comprehension:Manipulation and Epistemic Vigilance

This paper takes an integrative approach to the communication and comprehension of humor from the perspectives of the humorist’s manipulation and the recipient’s vigilance informed by relevance theory.It is proposed that,in order to communicate humor,the humorist manipulates the recipient’s expectation of relevance in the setup and in the punchline in two different but related ways:misleading and guiding.It is also proposed that,in order to comprehend and appreciate humor,the recipient exercises vigilance against his/her own shallow processing in the setup and exercises vigilance for special cognitive effects in the punchline.On this approach,humorous communication and comprehension is viewed as an interaction between manipulation and epistemic vigilance.Strategies of manipulation and vigilance are described,and some essential issues arising from the relevance-theoretic approach to humor are reconsidered with some implications drawn.This paper contributes to enhancing the explanatory power of relevance theory for the communication and comprehension of humor.

Re-exploring the Sentence-final Particle “LE” in the Propositional Domain, Epistemic Domain and Dialogic Domain

Previous studies interpreting the meanings of the sentence-final particle“LE”displayed two trends:either excessively complicated or excessively general.Since some scholars established a theoretical foundation of propositional domain,epistemic domain and dialogic domain for the sentence-final particle“LE”,the nature or orientation of its semantic property has become more clear.However,there are also defects in the current“Three Domains”research model.In the first place,this model defines the meanings of the sentence-final particle“LE”as“emergence of new propositional content”,“emergence of new epistemic content”,and“emergence of new dialogic content”.But,the definition is excessively abstract and extensive.As many sentences not concluded with the particle“LE”can also express the three mentioned meanings,it fails to explain the difference between sentences ended with particle“LE”and ones without it.Secondly,the model fails to explore and discuss the nature or generation mechanism of relevant meanings of the particle“LE”.This study attempts to find a practical solution to those defects.

A Study of Epistemic Violence and Women’s Resistance in Tar Baby

In light of the postcolonial theory,this thesis attempts to analyze the marginal plight of the low class and women images in Tar Baby from the perspective of Gayatri C.Spivak’s epistemic violence.Under the influence of epistemic violence,the resistance strategy in Tar Baby is highlighted in order to interpret the resistance thought displayed by Toni Morrison in the Tar Baby.Toni Morrison expresses the appeal of an active strategy to resist epistemic violence against cultural hegemony and the white dominant society.

Measuring reliability under epistemic uncertainty:Review on non-probabilistic reliability metrics

In this paper, a systematic review of non-probabilistic reliability metrics is conducted to assist the selection of appropriate reliability metrics to model the influence of epistemic uncertainty. Five frequently used non-probabilistic reliability metrics are critically reviewed, i.e., evidence- theory-based reliability metrics, interval-analysis-based reliability metrics, fuzzy-interval-analysis- based reliability metrics, possibility-theory-based reliability metrics （posbist reliability） and uncertainty-theory-based reliability metrics （belief reliability）. It is pointed out that a qualified reli- ability metric that is able to consider the effect of epistemic uncertainty needs to （ 1 ） compensate the conservatism in the estimations of the component-level reliability metrics caused by epistemic uncertainty, and （2） satisfy the duality axiom, otherwise it might lead to paradoxical and confusing results in engineering applications. The five commonly used non-probabilistic reliability metrics are compared in terms of these two properties, and the comparison can serve as a basis for the selection of the appropriate reliability metrics.

Mixed Aleatory-epistemic Uncertainty Modeling of Wind Power Forecast Errors in Operation Reliability Evaluation of Power Systems

As the share of wind power in power systems continues to increase, the limited predictability of wind power generation brings serious potential risks to power system reliability. Previous research works have generally described the uncertainty of wind power forecast errors(WPFEs) based on normal distribution or other standard distribution models, which only characterize the aleatory uncertainty. In fact, epistemic uncertainty in WPFE modeling due to limited data and knowledge should also be addressed. This paper proposes a multi-source information fusion method(MSIFM) to quantify WPFEs when considering both aleatory and epistemic uncertainties. An extended focal element(EFE) selection method based on the adequacy of historical data is developed to consider the characteristics of WPFEs. Two supplementary expert information sources are modeled to improve the accuracy in the case of insufficient historical data. An operation reliability evaluation technique is also developed considering the proposed WPFE model. Finally,a double-layer Monte Carlo simulation method is introduced to generate a time-series output of the wind power. The effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed MSIFM are demonstrated through simulation results.

A novel method for importance measure analysis in the presence of epistemic and aleatory uncertainties

For structural systems with both epistemic and aleatory uncertainties, research on quantifying the contribution of the epistemic and aleatory uncertainties to the failure probability of the systems is conducted. Based on the method of separating epistemic and aleatory uncertainties in a variable, the core idea of the research is firstly to establish a novel deterministic transition model for auxiliary variables, distribution parameters, random variables, failure probability, then to propose the improved importance sampling （IS） to solve the transition model. Furthermore, the distribution parameters and auxiliary variables are sampled simultaneously and independently;therefore, the inefficient sampling procedure with an＇＇inner-loop＇＇ for epistemic uncertainty and an＇＇outer-loop＇＇ for aleatory uncertainty in traditional methods is avoided. Since the proposed method combines the fast convergence of the proper estimates and searches failure samples in the interesting regions with high efficiency, the proposed method is more efficient than traditional methods for the variance-based failure probability sensitivity measures in the presence of epistemic and aleatory uncertainties. Two numerical examples and one engineering example are introduced for demonstrating the efficiency and precision of the proposed method for structural systems with both epistemic and aleatory uncertainties.

A Comparative Study of Default Reasoning and Epistemic Processes

A comparative study between the theories of default reasoning and open logic is given.Some concepts of open logic,such as new premises,rejections by facts,reconstructions,epistemic processes, and its limit are introduced to describe the evolution of hypotheses.An improved version of the limit the- orem is given and proved.A model-theoretic interpretation of the closed normal defaults is given using the above concepts and the corresponding completeness is proved.Any extension of a closed normal default theory is proved to be the limit of a δ-partial increasing epistemic process of that theory,and vice versa.It Ls proved that there exist two distinct extensions of a closed normal default theory iff there is an δ-non-monotonic epistemic process of that theory.The completeness of Reiter's proof is also given and proved,in terms of the epistemic processes.Finally,the work is compared with G(?)rdenfors's theory of knowledge in flux.

On Toleration, Charity, and Epistemic Fallibilism

In this paper I examine some presuppositions of toleration and pluralism and explore two models, viz., a deontological and a consequentialist model, respectively, which could support the view that rational agents should act in a tolerant way. Against the background which is offered by the first model, I give two arguments in favor of the view that people are better off and more rational if they act in a tolerant way. The first argument draws upon aprinciple of charity which is usually applied in philosophy of mind and philosophy of language, but which could, equally well, work with regard to foundational issues in ethics and philosophy of action. The second argument is built upon the epistemic principle offallibilism and it is meant to show that acting in a tolerant way is the rational thing to do from this perspective.

Numerical analysis of the 2D acoustic field with epistemic uncertainty

Aiming at the problem that the epistemic uncertain parameters exist in an acoustic field, an evidence theory-based finite element method （ETFEM） is proposed by introducing the evidence theory, in which the focal element and basic probability assignment （BPA） are used to describe the epistemic uncertainty. In order to reduce the computational cost, the interval analysis technique based on perturbation method is adopted to acquire the approximate sound pressure response bounds for each focal element. The corresponding formulations of intervals of expectation and standard deviation of the sound pressure response with epistemic uncertainty are deduced. The sound pressure response of a 2D acoustic tube and a 2D car acoustic cavity with epistemic uncertain parameters are analyzed by the proposed method. The proposed method is verified through the comparison of the analysis results of random acoustic field with that of epistemic uncertain acoustic field. Numerical analysis results show that the proposed method can analyze the 2D acoustic field with epistemic uncertainty effectively, and has good prospect of engineering application.

Socrates’ Avowals of Knowledge and the Epistemic Asymmetry of Values

Socrates,taken as the figure in Plato’s so-called early dialogues,famously professes to be ignorant,but the nature and the scope of his ignorance have long been intensely debated and still remain obscure.In this paper,I try to contribute to the relevant discussions by pointing out and interpreting a generally overlooked,yet essential feature of Socrates’avowals of knowledge:in most cases,what Socrates claims to know falls under the category of(what I call)negative,as opposed to positive,ethical knowledge.The distinction between positive ethical knowledge and negative ethical knowledge is as follows:the former involves either definitions of what the good and virtues are,or knowledge that certain particular facts are good and virtuous;the latter refers to the knowledge of what the good and virtues are not,or the knowledge that certain particular facts are bad and evil.It will be argued that Socrates only avows negative ethical knowledge because he recognizes an asymmetry between the knowledge of the good and that of the bad:one may know a fact about the bad without knowing the corresponding fact about the good,but not vice versa.This epistemic asymmetry shows that knowledge of the good is more epistemically demanding than that of the bad,and thus it sheds further light on the scope of Socrates’ignorance and his view of the good and virtue.

英语情态动词的正确理解和翻译

正确的译文是建立在正确的理解上的。本文试图就英语情态动词的理解和翻译作一探讨。英语中的情态动词是个封闭系统，数量虽然有限，但其意义和用法有时却相当复杂，假如理解稍有偏差，翻译就很容易出错。例如下列两个句子在英国英语中含义是很不相同的，因此就有不同的汉...

Towards optimal recovery scheduling for dynamic resilience of networked infrastructure

Prior research on the resilience of critical infrastructure usually utilizes the network model to characterize the structure of the components so that a quantitative representation of resilience can be obtained. Particularly, network component importance is addressed to express its significance in shaping the resilience performance of the whole system. Due to the intrinsic complexity of the problem, some idealized assumptions are exerted on the resilience-optimization problem to find partial solutions. This paper seeks to exploit the dynamic aspect of system resilience, i.e., the scheduling problem of link recovery in the post-disruption phase.The aim is to analyze the recovery strategy of the system with more practical assumptions, especially inhomogeneous time cost among links. In view of this, the presented work translates the resilience-maximization recovery plan into the dynamic decisionmaking of runtime recovery option. A heuristic scheme is devised to treat the core problem of link selection in an ongoing style.Through Monte Carlo simulation, the link recovery order rendered by the proposed scheme demonstrates excellent resilience performance as well as accommodation with uncertainty caused by epistemic knowledge.

基命题:极小主义真理论解决说谎者悖论的策略

面对说谎者悖论的挑战,极小主义真理论以真谓词以及意义使用论为基础,以基命题作为甄别标准,通过限定等值模式的可接受实例,从而达到避免说谎者悖论的目的。为了弥补无基命题产生的不足,霍维奇进一步提出了语义认知方案,从语义层面配合基命题限定等值模式的可接受实例。