Workshop
Emergent Semantic and Computational Processes in Distributed Information
Systems (DIS)
Coinciding with the 1998 meeting of the Principia
Cybernetica Project, this year in Santa Fe, we are organizing an invited
workshop involving the Knowledge/Information Systems community of New Mexico.
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We are committed to a view of Distributed Information Systems
(DIS) broadly conceived as computer-assisted information environments for
the representation and organization of knowledge, involving interactions
among communities of human users, non-human agents, and autonomous
computational processes.
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The growth of Cyberspace, the Internet, and the Web certainly
is a motivating force, and clearly primary examples of DIS include Webs
and Nets. But in an attempt to develop the scientific basis of such systems,
we explicitly seek to expand our conceptions to general computational and
informational models and examples.
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However, we assert that studying only the formal properties
(syntax) of such systems is not sufficient, but rather representations
of the meaning (semantics) and use by human communities (pragmatics)
of the information in such systems is also necessary.
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We assert that such DIS will be the transformative technology
of the 21st century, with an unprecedented capability in organizational
and societal problem solving resulting from symbiotic activity of human
communities and DIS.
Specific Topics
Participating Organizations
Workshop Organization
Workshop
Location, Facilities, and Logistics
Workshop Schedule, including
Participants and Abstracts
Specific Topics
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Structure and Dynamics of DIS
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Emergent Optimization in DIS
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Semantic and Ontological Representations in DIS
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Collaborative Environments for the Development of DIS
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Emergent Computation, Semantics, and Knowledge in DIS
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Adaptive and Evolutionary Mechanisms in DIS
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Hypertext and Comunicative Protocols for DIS
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Symbiotic Relations between Human Communities and DIS
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DIS, Social Evolution, and the Future of Humanity
Participating
Organizations
Organization
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We see this as an opportunity for these research groups to
introduce themselves to each other, and to lay the foundation for future
collaborative work.
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We envision a loose organization, with informal presentations
and significant time for discussion.
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We anticipate soliciting papers following the Workshop, initially
for publication as an internal LANL Report, but in time developing into
a significant new anthology on issues in emergent properties in DIS. Structure
and contents of publication will be discussed in the Workshop.
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Attendance by the general LANL community is encouraged.
Workshop Location,
Facilities, and Logistics
Location
Note: All non-US citizen visitors must receive a badge before
entering Lab property! Contact Cliff
or Luis to make arrangements
before arriving in Los Alamos! Then proceed first directly to the Badge
Office (see map
for location, and see driving directions).
Los Alamos is in northern New Mexico, high on the Pajarito
Plateau northwest of Santa Fe. See the directions
and general maps for information
on how to get to Los Alamos and the meeting rooms.
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Monday, August 10 (all day); and Tuesday, August 11, 9:00
- 1:00:
CMS Auditorium, TA3, Building 32, Room 134. See detailed
map for
location.
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Tuesday, August 11, 1:00 - 5:30:
MST 8 Auditorium, TA 3, Building 1698, Room A103. See
detailed map
for location.
Facilities
An overhead projector will be provided. We also intend to
provide a laptop computer with a projection system capabale of stand-alone
and PowerPoint presentations. But please check again with Cliff or Luis
closer to the workshop time!
Refreshments
Coffee and beverages will be provided. We'll make lunch arrangements
during the sessions. After the sessions we will adjourn to a local restaurant
for dinner and conversation.
Workshop Schedule
NOTE: All time slots are 50 minutes. We will be very insistent
that speakers stick to 30 minute talks, allowing 20 minutes for discussion.
MONDAY, AUGUST 10
WELCOMES AND INTRODUCTIONS
8:30 - 9:00: Coffee and informal introductions
9:00 - 9:15: Welcome to the Workshop
Computer Research and Applications,
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Symbiotic Intelligence
Project
Computer Research and Applications,
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Principia Cybernetica
Symbiotic Intelligence
Project
Center Leo Apostel, Free
University of Brussels
Principia Cybernetica
Fluid Dynamics, Los
Alamos National Laboratory
Symbiotic Intelligence
Project
Reinhard Laubenbacher
Mathematical Sciences, New Mexico State University
10:40 - 11:00: Coffee !
DIS FOR DECISION SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTS
Technical University of Vienna
Santa Fe Institute
11:50 - 12:40: "Higher Order Intelligence, Consensus Building, and Decision
Support for Complex Issues"
Geoanalysis, Los
Alamos National Laboratory
Symbiotic Intelligence
Project
Santa Fe Institute
12:40 - 1:40: Lunch!
FORMAL MODELS OF DIS
Michael Coombs, Reinhard Laubenbacher, and Karen Schlauch
Physical Science Laboratory, Mathematical Sciences, New
Mexico State University
2:30 - 3:20: "Formal Language Constrained Path Problems" (abstract)
(postscript 141K,
pdf 329K). (Viewgraphs
of a talk on the same material in May 1998: Postscript
188K, pdf 423K. (LA-UR-98-1739))
Computer Research and Applications,
Los Alamos National Laboratory
3:20 - 3:40: Coffee!
Center Leo Apostel, Free
University of Brussels
Principia Cybernetica
VISUALIZATION AND REPRESENTATION OF DIS
Distributed
Computing, Los Alamos National Laboratory
Symbiotic Intelligence
Project
Tuesday, August 11
EMERGENCE AND SELF-ORGANIZATION IN DIS
Computer Science, University of New Mexico
Santa Fe Institute
Center Leo Apostel, Free
University of Brussels
Principia Cybernetica
10:40 - 11:00: Coffee!
11:50 - 12:40: "Towards a Global Brain: techniques to support the emergence
of collective intelligence on the Net"
(abstract) (overheads)
12:40 - 1:40: Lunch!
SEMANTIC REPRESENTATIONS IN DIS
Computer Science, City
College of New York
Principia Cybernetica
3:20 - 3:40: Coffee!
3:40 - 4:30: "Formal Designed and Informal Emergent Ontologies in Webs
and Multi-User Virtual Environments (MUVEs)" (abstract)
(partial set of overheads)
FUTURE COLLABORATIVE WORK AND IMPLEMENTATIONS
4:30 - 5:20 Panel of all Invited Speakers
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The Collaborative Knowledge Space (CKS) - Luis Rocha, Reinhard
Laubenbacher, other KDI participants
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Agent implementations, Java applets - Johan Bollen, Alex
Riegler, other PCP participatns
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Other Topics: XML, PCP mirrors, Muds and MUVEs