Emphasizing issues of computational efficiency, Michael Kearns and Umesh Vazirani introduce a number of central topics in computational learning theory... for researchers and students in artificial intelligence, neural networks, theoretical computer science, and statistics.Computational learning theory is a new and rapidly expanding area of research that examines formal models of induction with the goals of discovering the common methods underlying efficient learning algorithms and identifying the computational impediments to learning.Each topic in the book has been chosen to elucidate a general principle, which is explored in a precise formal setting. Intuition has been emphasized in the presentation to make the material accessible to the nontheoretician while still providing precise arguments for the specialist. This balance is the result of new proofs of established theorems, and new presentations of the standard proofs.The topics covered include the motivation, definitions, and fundamental results, both positive and negative, for the widely studied L. G. Valiant model of Probably Approximately Correct Learning; Occam's Razor, which formalizes a relationship between learning and data compression; the Vapnik-Chervonenkis dimension; the equivalence of weak and strong learning; efficient learning in the presence of noise by the method of statistical queries; relationships between learning and cryptography, and the resulting computational limitations on efficient learning; reducibility between learning problems; and algorithms for learning finite automata from active experimentation.

Thoroughly updated and revised for its second edition, this advanced textbook provides an introduction to the basic methods of computational physics,... and an overview of recent progress in several areas of scientific computing. Tao Pang presents many step-by-step examples, including program listings in JavaTM, of practical numerical methods from modern physics and related areas. Now including many more exercises, the volume can be used as a textbook for either undergraduate or first-year graduate courses on computational physics or scientific computation. It will also be a useful reference for anyone involved in computational research.

Thoroughly updated and revised for its second edition, this advanced textbook provides an introduction to the basic methods of computational physics,... and an overview of recent progress in several areas of scientific computing. Tao Pang presents many step-by-step examples, including program listings in JavaTM, of practical numerical methods from modern physics and related areas. Now including many more exercises, the volume can be used as a textbook for either undergraduate or first-year graduate courses on computational physics or scientific computation. It will also be a useful reference for anyone involved in computational research.

KEY BENEFIT: Now in its third edition, this book teaches physical concepts using computer simulations. The text incorporates object-oriented... programming techniques and encourages readers to develop good programming habits in the context of doing physics. Designed for readers at all levels , An Introduction to Computer Simulation Methods uses Java, currently the most popular programming language. Introduction, Tools for Doing Simulations, Simulating Particle Motion, Oscillatory Systems, Few-Body Problems: The Motion of the Planets, The Chaotic Motion of Dynamical Systems, Random Processes, The Dynamics of Many Particle Systems, Normal Modes and Waves, Electrodynamics, Numerical and Monte Carlo Methods, Percolation, Fractals and Kinetic Growth Models, Complex Systems, Monte Carlo Simulations of Thermal Systems, Quantum Systems, Visualization and Rigid Body Dynamics, Seeing in Special and General Relativity, Epilogue: The Unity of Physics For all readers interested in developing programming habits in the context of doing physics.  

Taking into account the long history and wide range of Confucian Studies, this book introduces Confucianism - initiated in China by Confucius (551... BC-479 BC) - primarily as a philosophical and religious tradition. It pays attention to Confucianism in both the West and the East, focussing on the tradition's doctrines, schools, rituals, sacred places and terminology, but also stressing the adaptations, transformations and new thinking taking place in modern times. Xinzhong Yao presents Confucianism as a tradition with many dimensions and as an ancient tradition with contemporary appeal. This gives the reader a richer and clearer view of how Confucianism functioned in the past and of what it means in the present. A Chinese scholar based in the West, he draws together the many strands of Confucianism in a style accessible to students, teachers, and general readers interested in one of the world's major religious traditions.

This book is a comprehensive introduction to the study of language contact and its outcomes, as well as the social and linguistic factors involved.... Provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of contact linguistics. Examines a wide range of language contact phenomena from both general linguistic and sociolinguistic perspectives. Offers an account of current approaches to all of the major types of contact-induced change. Discusses the general processes and principles that are at work in cases of contact.

This text on contact topology is the first comprehensive introduction to the subject, including recent striking applications in geometric and... differential topology: Eliashberg's proof of Cerf's theorem via the classification of tight contact structures on the 3-sphere, and the Kronheimer-Mrowka proof of property P for knots via symplectic fillings of contact 3-manifolds. Starting with the basic differential topology of contact manifolds, all aspects of 3-dimensional contact manifolds are treated in this book. One notable feature is a detailed exposition of Eliashberg's classification of overtwisted contact structures. Later chapters also deal with higher-dimensional contact topology where the focus mainly on contact surgery, but other constructions of contact manifolds are described, such as open books or fibre connected sums.

This introduction provides a highly readable critical overview of the main arguments and themes in twentieth-century and contemporary metaethics. It... traces the development of contemporary debates in metaethics from their beginnings in the work of G. E. Moore up to the most recent arguments between naturalism and non-naturalism, cognitivism and non-cognitivism. A highly readable critical overview of the main arguments and themes in twentieth century and contemporary metaethics. Asks: Are there moral facts? Is there such a thing as moral truth? Is moral knowledge possible? Traces the development of contemporary debates in metaethics from their beginnings in the work of G. E. Moore up to the most recent debates between naturalism and non-naturalism, cognitivism and noncognitivism. Provides for the first time a critical survey of famous figures in twentieth century metaethics such as Moore, Ayer and Mackie together with in-depth discussions of contemporary philosophers such as Blackburn, Gibbard, Wright, Harman, Railton, Sturgeon, McDowell and Wiggins.

`This text provides an up to date account of how things currently stand in political philosophy, and will provide an excellent introduction for students... from any background. It gives a lucid and careful account of the central controversies and sites of disagreement in political theory over the last thirty years and rather than sacrifice theoretical sophistication and nuance for the sake of clarity and accessibility, it admirably achieves both' - Catriona McKinnon, University of YorkThis comprehensive textbook provides a complete and accessible introduction to the main theorists and issues in contemporary political theory today. The text is organized into two major parts. The first, Contemporary Liberal Theory, outlines four distinct liberal theories of justice to introduce the work of Rawls, Nozick, Gauthier and Dworkin. The second, Alternative Traditions, introduces the theorists and themes associated with four key areas of contemporary debate: communitarianism, multiculturalism, deliberative democracy and feminism. By giving students questions for consideration and using applied examples throughout, the text illustrates the practical relevance of contemporary theoretical debates to everyday issues in policy and politics. The result is an essential overview of all the main traditions, issues and positions in political theory today that will serve as an invaluable resource for all students of contemporary political theory, political ideas and political philosophy. Colin Farrelly is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Waterloo, Canada. Introduction to Contemporary Political Theory will complement Contemporary Political Theory: A Reader edited by Colin Farrelly and also published by SAGE Publications.

A PRACTICAL, FULL-COLOR GUIDE TO REMOTE SENSING Written by an internationally renowned expert in the field, An Introduction to Contemporary Remote... Sensing introduces the latest developments in remote sensing and imaging science. This book covers basic principles and discusses essential technologies, such as aerial photography, radar, Lidar (light detection and ranging), photogrammetry, satellites, thermal radiation, and much more. Full-color images illustrate the concepts presented, and review questions at the end of each chapter help reinforce learning. This detailed resource provides the solid foundation in remote sensing required for developing diverse geospatial applications. Coverage includes: Geographic information system (GIS) Global positioning system (GPS), mobile mapping, and Google Earth Electromagnetic radiation principles Characteristics of remotely sensed data Spatial, spectral, radiometric, and temporal resolution Aerial photo interpretation Photogrammetry Remote sensors Earth observation satellites Digital image analysis Thermal remote sensing Active remote sensing

This textbook on continuum mechanics reflects the modern view that scientists and engineers should be trained to think and work in multidisciplinary... environments. The book is ideal for advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students. The book features: derivations of the basic equations of mechanics in invariant (vector and tensor) form and specializations of the governing equations to various coordinate systems; numerous illustrative examples; chapter-end summaries; and exercise problems to test and extend the understanding of concepts presented.

This book presents an introduction to the classical theories of continuum mechanics; in particular, to the theories of ideal, compressible, and viscous... fluids, and to the linear and nonlinear theories of elasticity. These theories are important, not only because they are applicable to a majority of the problems in continuum mechanics arising in practice, but because they form a solid base upon which one can readily construct more complex theories of material behavior. Further, although attention is limited to the classical theories, the treatment is modern with a major emphasis on foundations and structure

This short, concise book introduces students to basic contract drafting principles. It explains the standard provisions contained in most commercial... contracts and includes numerous examples excerpted from real contracts. The narrative portion of the book is followed by multiple practical exercises requiring students to apply and expand on the covered concepts.

<p><font size=2></font></p><br/><p>This introduction is designed to... give an overview of conversation analysis. It begins by locating conversation analysis as a methodology amongst other methodologies, and describing conversation analysis as body of knowledge which reveals the ways in which language works in communication. The chapters introduce every aspect of conversation analysis in a logical, step-by-step examination, including coverage of transcription, turn-taking, sequence organisation, repair, and storytelling. </p><br/><p>Comprehensive and accessible, An Introduction to Conversation Analysis is essential reading for undergraduate and graduate students in sociolinguistics, discourse analysis, sociology and applied linguistics courses. </p>>

The study of copulas and their role in statistics is a new but vigorously growing field. In this book the student or practitioner of statistics and... probability will find discussions of the fundamental properties of copulas and some of their primary applications. The applications include the study of dependence and measures of association, and the construction of families of bivariate distributions. This book is suitable as a text or for self-study.