tjhorton@utai.UUCP (Timothy J. Horton) (01/30/88)
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
Cognitive Science Events, February 1988
February 1 (Monday)
McLuhan Literacy and Computing Seminar
J. Peter Denny (Psychology, U of Western Ontario)
"Contextualizing and Additive Structure in Discourse and Logical
Reasoning of Primary Oral Cultures"
McLuhan Coach House, 4pm
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February 3 (Wednesday)
Ebbinghaus Empire
Marisa Carrasco (Princeton)
Topic T.B.A.
Sidney Smith Hall, rm 570, 12:15 sharp
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February 3 (Wednesday)
Department of Psychology Colloquium
Tom Shultz (McGill)
"Causal Reasoning: Psychological and Computational Perspectives"
Sidney Smith Hall, rm 2135, 4pm
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February 3 (Wednesday)
Centre for Applied Cognitive Science, OISE
Alison Gopnik (Psychology)
"Children's understanding of the sources of their beliefs"
OISE building, 3rd Floor, rm 311, 12:15pm
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February 5 (Friday)
Erindale/McMaster Cognitive Seminar
Derek Besner (Psychology, Waterloo)
"Barking at print: the dogs at war"
McMaster University, Psychology bldg, rm 204, 3:30pm
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February 9 (Tuesday)
Artificial Intelligence Seminar
David J. Weir (Computer and Information Science, University of
Pennsylvania)
"Characterizing Mildly Context-Sensitive Grammatical Formalisms"
Sandford Fleming Buillding, rm 1105 2pm
Abstract: Recent research suggests that Context-Free Grammars (CFG's)
lack the necessary expressive power on which to base a linguistic
theory. This has led computational linguists to consider grammatical
formalisms whose generative power exceeds CFG's, but to only a limited
extent. We investigate the mathematical and computational properties of
several of these formalisms, comparing them on the basis of their weak
generative capacity, and aspects of their strong generative capacity.
In particular, we consider properties of their structural descriptions
(or tree sets); and the types of dependencies (nested, crossed, etc.)
that can be exhibited by each formalism.
Our work on structural descriptions leads us to characterize a class of
formalisms called Linear Context-Free Rewriting Systems (LCFRS's),
which includes a wide range of grammatical formalisms with restricted
power. We prove that all members of this family generate only
semilinear languages that can be recognized in polynomial time.
We show the weak equivalence of several LCFRS's that are notationally
quite different (Tree Adjoining Grammars, Head Grammars, and Linear
Indexed Grammars). These formalisms produce languages exhibiting nested
and serial dependencies, in addition to limited crossed-serial
dependencies, which occur in certain natural languages (e.g., Dutch).
By formalizing the relationship between crossed-serial dependencies and
the nested dependencies produced by CFG's we define an infinite
hierarchy of formalisms (belonging to LCFRS's). These formalisms
exhibit increasingly complex dependencies and generate more complex
structural descriptions, yet maintain the desirable linguistic and
computational properties of Context-Free Grammars.
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February 10 (Wednesday)
Ebbinghaus Empire
Daniel Keating (OISE)
"Cognitive processing correlates of ability measures"
Sidney Smith Hall, rm 570, 12:15 sharp
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February 12 (Friday)
Linguistics Atelier
Barry Miller (Linguistics, York University)
"Empty Operators and Tagalog Clause Structure"
Linguistics Dept, Robart's Library, 6th Floor, rm 6071, 3:30pm
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February 16 (Tuesday)
Centre for Applied Cognitive Science, OISE
Phil Shaw (principal of Floradale public school)
"School environments that promote literacy"
OISE building, 2nd Floor, rm 213, noon
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February 18 (Thursday) noon-3pm
IEEE satellite videoconference
"Practical Applications of Artificial Intelligence"
Local contacts: Joe Wahba (928-1657) or Stephen Vetter (596-1429).
This presentation will describe the use of knowledge-based expert
system techniques that are in production use in commercial
environments. The specific focus will be on programs that serve as
design aids. Elaine Rich will host.
The first part of the presentation will review common techniques for
building knowledge-based systems and examine issues that should be
considered in selecting task domains for which these techniques are
appropriate.
The central core segment will present three cases studies of expert
systems performing engineering design tasks. (Bill Blake of DEC on a
family of expert systems that performs the series of mapping tasks that
transform a high-level specification of a computer into a concrete
design; Robin Steel of Boeing on the Design Advisor - a program that
critiques standard cell chip designs; Sandy Marcus of NCR on an expert
system that schedules configurations of equipment in a flight
simulation lab)
The final part of the presentation will consist of a summary discussion
of several important issues that arise in the design, implementation,
validation, and maintenance of knowledge-based systems. The goal of
this discussion will be a realistic portrayal of the strengths and
weaknesses of current knowledge-based system technology.
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February 20 (Saturday)
Toronto Semiotic Circle
Stephen Regoczei (Trent)
"The Role of Multiple Domains of Discourse in Knowledge Acquisition"
Northrop Frye Hall, rm 205, 10:30am
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February 23 (Tuesday)
Artificial Intelligence Seminar
Elisha Sacks (MIT)
Topic T.B.A.
Sandford Fleming Buillding, rm 1105 2pm
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February 24 (Wednesday)
Department of Psychology Colloquium
Robbie Case (OISE)
"The Role of Central Conceptual Structures in the Process of Cognitive
Development"
Sidney Smith Hall, rm 2135, 4pm
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February 25 (Thursday)
McLuhan Program/Computer Science,
Cognitive Science/AI "Language and Mind" Seminar
Michael Maratsos (Psychology, U of Minnesota)
"The State of the Innateness Hypothesis"
University College, rm 179, 4-6pm
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February 26 (Friday)
Scarboro Brown Bag Seminars
Peter Lindsay (Dept of Special Education, OISE)
"Computers and Writing: Unscrambling the Problem of dyslexic kids"
Scarboro College, Council Chamber, 12:15pm
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February 26 (Friday)
Linguistics Atelier
Tom Wilson (Linguistics, University of Toronto)
"The Function of Well Formedess Conditions in Phonolgy"
Linguistics Dept, Robart's Library, 6th Floor, rm 6071, 3:30 pm
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February 26 (Friday)
Dept of Measurement Evaluation and Computer Applications, OISE
Martin Lamb (Electrial Engineering and CSRI, Toronto)
"Graphical and Musical Tools for Software Design and Production" and
"Menulay User Interface Management Systems on the ICON"
OISE building, 8th Floor, rm 214, noon
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February 29 (Monday)
McLuhan Program/Computer Science,
Cognitive Science/AI "Language and Mind" Seminar
Thomas Bever (Psychology, U of Rochester)
"The Relation between Linguistic Structure and Associative Theories of
Language Learning - A Constructive Critique of some Connectionist
Learning Models"
University College, rm 179, 4-6pm
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March 1 (Tuesday)
Artificial Intelligence Seminar
Daniel Lehmann (Hebrew University, Jerusalem)
"Models for non-monotonic logics"
Sandford Fleming Buillding, rm 1105 2pm
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March 1 (Tuesday)
Centre for Applied Cognitive Science, OISE
Robbie Case (CACS and Applied Psychology, OISE)
probably on (neo-Piagetian) stage theories of cognitive development and
information processing
OISE building, 2nd Floor, rm 211, noon
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March 1 (Tuesday) of possible interest
McLuhan Computers and Society Seminar Series
David Lyon (Sociology, Bradford and Ilkley College and Open University,
England)
"The Coming of the Information Society: Reality or Illusion?"
Lyon is the author of \\The Silicon Society\\ (1986) and \\The
Information Society: Issues and Illusions\\, (forthcoming).
Library and Information Science, (140 St. George) 7th Floor Staff
Lounge
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March 4 (Friday)
Erindale/McMaster Cognitive Seminars
Mary Lou Smith (Psychology, Erindale)
"Aspects of Spatial Memory"
Erindale Campus, rm 3129, 3pm
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March 7 (Monday)
McLuhan Literacy and Computing Seminar Series
Mrs. Dale Willows
"The Role of Visual Processing and Visual Memory in Reading and
Spelling Disabilities"
McLuhan Coach House, 4pm
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March 8 (Tuesday)
McLuhan Program/Computer Science,
Cognitive Science/AI "Language and Mind" Seminar
Ray Jackendoff (Linguistics and Cognitive Science, Brandeis)
"Consciousness and the Computational Mind"
University College, rm 179, 4-6pm
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March 9 (Wednesday)
Department of Psychology Colloquium
Yaacov Trope (Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
Topic T.B.A.; will be about attrition theory.
Sidney Smith Hall, rm 2135, 4pm
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March 11 (Friday)
Linguistics Atelier
Tom Dikinson (Zoology, University of Toronto)
"The Syntax of Bird Calls"
Linguistics Dept, Robart's Library, 6th Floor, rm 6071, 3:30 pm
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March 11 (Friday)
Scarboro Brown Bag Seminars
Gideon Keren (Instituete for Perception, Soesterberg)
"Gambling: Chance or Skill"
Scarboro College, Council Chamber, 12:15pm
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March 15 (Tuesday)
Artificial Intelligence Seminar
Bruce Porter (MCC, Austin Texas)
probably about Machine Learning (example based generalization)
Sandford Fleming Buillding, rm 1105 2pm
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March 16 (Wednesday)
Department of Psychology Colloquium
Norman White (McGill)
"The Effects of Glucose on Memory"
Sidney Smith Hall, rm 2135, 4pm
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March 18 (Friday)
Erindale/McMaster Cognitive Seminars
Janet Hinchley (McMaster)
"Developmental and Individual Differences in Story Processing"
McMaster University, Psychology bldg, rm 204, 3:30pm
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March 22
Center for Applied Cognitive Science, OISE
Irving Beck (visiting scholar from Switzerland)
T.B.A.
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March 25 (Friday)
Scarboro Brown Bag Seminars
Graeme Hirst (Computer Science, Toronto)
"Linguistic Ambiguity: What Research in Artificial Intelligence and
Psycholinguistics have to say to each other"
Scarboro College, Council Chamber, noon sharp
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March 30
Department of Psychology Colloquium
Warren Holmes (U of Michigan)
"Kin Recognition Rules and Early Social Experience"
Sidney Smith Hall, rm 2135, 4pm
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NEARBY
Feb 1 at SUNY Buffalo and Feb 3 at U of Waterloo: Don Norman (Institute
for Cognitive Science, UCSD), on "The Psychology of Everyday Things"
SUNY: Park 280, Amherst Campus 4pm
Waterloo: Math&Computer, rm 5158, 3:30pm
Feb 3 at UWO: Geoff Hinton, probably on connectionism
Social Sciences, rm 9420, 3:30pm
Feb 4 at Waterloo: Ms. Kathleen D. Cebulka (Delaware) on "Solving
Dynamic-Input Interpretation Problems"
Math&Computer, rm 6082. 3:30pm
Feb 22 at UWO: Terry Caelli on "Pattern and Object Perception"
room info unavailable; ask at Cog. Sci. Ctr, SS7332, (519) 661-2063)
3:30pm
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Some related events in Neuroscience [not printed in the newsletter]
February 4 (Thursday)
Physiology Seminar
Don Dixon (grad student, Physiology)
"Serotonin facilitation: an interplay of 2 second messengers" (about
modulation of synaptic transmission)
Medical Sciences Building, rm 3227, 4pm
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February 5 (Friday)
Physiology Neural Group Seminar
T. Drew (Physiology, UofMontreal)
"Super-spinal control of locomotion"
Medical Sciences Building, rm 3227/3221, noon
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February 9 (Tuesday)
Psychology
M. Ferra (Washington University School of Medicine)
"CNS Peptides and Feeding"
Sidney Smith Hall, rm 570, 4pm
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February 11 (Thursday)
Physiology Seminar
Mr. John Dugosz (Graduate Studies) and Dr. Otto Sirek (Physiology)
"The splanchnic area as a glucoregulatory endocrine system"
Medical Sciences Building, rm 3227, 4pm
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February 23 (Tuesday)
Psychology
Carol Greenwood (Nutrition, Toronto)
"Effects of Dietary Fat on Neuronal Membrane Composition and Behavior"
Sidney Smith Hall, rm 570, 4pm
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February 26 (Friday)
Physiology Seminar
R. Quirion (McGill)
"Brain Receptor Distribution: Possible relevance to function"
Medical Sciences Building, rm 3227/3221, noon
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March 4 (Friday)
Physiology Neural Group Seminar
Jan Huizinga (McMaster)
"Pacemaker activity in intestinal coronary vessels"
Medical Sciences Building, rm 3227/3221, noon
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March 11 (Friday)
Physiology Neural Group Seminar
M. Filion (Laval)
"Electrophysiological Studies in Parkinsonian (MPTP) monkeys"
Medical Sciences Building, rm 3227/3221, noon
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March 18 (Friday)
Physiology Neural Group Seminar
Julie Mendelson (postdoc in Physiology)
"Mechanisms of Sound Localization in Auditory Cortex"
Medical Sciences Building, rm 3227/3221, noon
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From "Toronto Intelligence" Research Newsletter, Vol 1, Iss 6
(A Forum for Research and Study in Cognitive Science around UofT)
Event announcements, paper subscriptions to Toronto Intelligence, contact:
tjhorton@ai.toronto.edu
Subscription is free to those who can be reached by Ontario Inter-University
Service mail. (Please note that we don't have a budget for surface mail).