Environmental assessments of regional development projects have been used in Mexico to determine where conflicts between conservation of biodiversity and resource extraction are likely to occur. Speciesrich areas have been acknowledged as a priority for conservation. However, biological information is…

The problem of speeding up ínference has proved to be important in argumentative systems. When computing dialectical structures, several paths are searched (called argumentation lines), many of which will eventually prove useless. Morover, the performance of backward chainers degrades quickly…

This study investigates how Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), a medieval abbess used visions received during the prodromal stages of migraines to reconstruct herself symbolically. In her visions she believed that God, the "Living Light" instructed her "to write and say…

Human designers use previous designs extensively in solving new design problems and Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) provides a knowledge representation paradigm which attempts to model such process. In this thesis we present a case-based approach to solving design problems by retrieving…

This thesis presents a survey of the development of economic growth theory, including the latest developments in the relationship between international economic integration through international flows of goods and/or knowledge and endogenous economic growth. Based on the following literature review,…

This thesis considers the dimensional analysis theory in engineering. A Knowledge-Aided Design Tool is presented which permits the solution of many aspects of Dimensional Analysis for electromagnetics. The KAD Tool was coded in the language Lisp with Allegro Common Lisp…

This study focused on the comprehension and cognitive processing of texts in biology by 36 graduate science students for whom Chinese was their first (L1) and English their second language (L2). The students in the study were from two disciplines:…

This study retraces the steps of the 17th century architect and engineer Salomon de Caus through his written and built works, in an attempt to understand the relationship between what he made and the model by which his world was…

The numerous illustrations--or better yet demonstrations--in Viollet-le-Duc's Dictionnaire Raisonne of Gothic architecture were the most powerful means of implementing biological metaphors in order to transfer or situate the discourse of architecture within the realm of nineteenth century positivistic science. Viollet-le-Duc…

Contained within the parameters of postmodern thought, particularly feminist critical perspectives on western epistemology, this thesis proceeds from the following arguments: that knowledge is political: that it possesses a reflexive and dialectical nature and that it is based upon interpretations…