springer@engrhub (03/01/91)
ANNOUNCEMENT OF A NEW BOOK:
QUALITATIVE SIMULATION MODELING AND ANALYSIS
edited by
Paul A. Fishwick and Paul A. Luker
(with a foreword by Herb A. Simon)
Volume 5 in the Series Advances in Simulation (edited by Paul A. Luker and
Bernd Schmidt)
Springer-Verlag, New York, 1991. Approx. 330 pages, 122 Illustr.; ISBN
0-387-97400-8; $44.00.
Qualitative simulation can be defined in a number of ways and from a variety of
perspectives. In general terms it can be defined as a classification of
simulation and modeling methods that are primarily non-numerical in nature. The
qualitative characterization of systems can apply to simulation input, output,
model structure, and analysis. Qualitative study does not preclude
quantitative approaches - instead it can augment them.
The study of how one can utilize symbolic forms in simulation modeling is a key
concern of qualitative simulation. Pictorial methods are important in
simulation modeling since these methods let users create system analogies by
using graph-based techniques. There is substantial evidence of qualitative
methodology in a wide variety of disciplines from ecological system modeling to
power flow modeling in mechanical engineering. This book brings together many
otherwise disparate sources under the umbrella of qualitative simulation and
analysis. The study of qualitative simulation, like simulation in general, is
highly inter-disciplinary, and so qualitative methods as described within each
chapter will have a wide range of utility to those who are seeking more
comprehensible and flexible simulation methods.
Chapters:
1. Invariance and Nominal Value Mapping as Key Themes for Qualitative
Simulation, Paul A. Fishwick 2. Aspects of Uncertainty in Qualitative
Systems Modelling, George J. Klir 3. General System Problem Solving
Paradigm, for Qualitative Modeling, Francois E. Cellier 4. A Qualitative
Approach to Causal Modeling, Richard Scheines, Peter Spirtes and Clark Glymour
5. Causal Ordering Analysis, Yumi Iwasaki 6. Qualitative Modeling in
Ecology: Loop Analysis, Signed Digraphs and Time Averaging, Charles J. Puccia
and Richard Levins 7. System Dynamics: Simulation for Policy Analysis from
a Feedback Perspective, George P. Richardson 8. Analogy Theory for a
Systems Approach to Physical and Technical Systems, P.M.A.L. Hezemans and Leo
van Geffen 9. Bondgraphs for Qualitative and Quantitative Systems
Modelling, Jean U. Thoma 10. Complex Dynamical Models, Ralph H. Abraham
11. Qualitative Modeling Using Natural Language: An Application in System
Dynamics,Wanda M. Austin and Behrokh Khoshnevis 12. Natural Language,
Cognitive Models, and Simulation, Howard Beck and Paul A. Fishwick.
_______________________________________________gupta@prlhp1.prl.philips.co.uk (Ashok Gupta) (03/01/91)
In article <9526@hub.ucsb.edu> springer@engrhub () writes: >ANNOUNCEMENT OF A NEW BOOK: > QUALITATIVE SIMULATION MODELING AND ANALYSIS > edited by > Paul A. Fishwick and Paul A. Luker >Springer-Verlag, New York, 1991. Approx. 330 pages, 122 Illustr.; ISBN >0-387-97400-8; $44.00. The address seems a bit strange ? springer@engrhub implies Springer-Verlag. Are they using Usenet to do some free advertising ? I don't mind if authors who have access to the Net, as Paul Fishwick at least does, plug their books in an appropriate way. Its useful to people who might otherwise not be aware of an interesting and relevant book. There's no big money to be made by such specialist books so I don't think its vulgar for authors to refer to their own publications in a discussion. For firms to use the net in such a way is however, another story. I think Usenet has a policy, formed as much out of deliberation and convention in this matter, which restricts advertising to groups such as comp.newprod. What do others think ? Before making premature accusations though, is this posting really by Springer ?