Rules of the Mind

Related to the earlier well-known ACT production system theory, this book's basic goal is to present evidence for the psychological reality of a production system model of mind. Distinguished from the original theory in three ways, this volume uses the rational analyses of Anderson (1990) to improve upon that theory and extend its scope. It also relates the theory to a great deal of new data on the performance and acquisition of cognitive skills. The new theory -- ACT-R -- involves a neurally plausible implementation of a production system architecture. Rational analysis is used to structure and parameterize the system to yield optimal information processing. The theory is applicable to a wide variety of research disciplines, including memory, problem solving, and skill acquisition. Using intelligent tutors, much of the data is concerned with the acquisition of cognitive skills. The book provides analyses of data sets describing the extended course of the acquisition of mathematical and computer programming skills.

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Anderson, John R. R.

Psychology & Counseling

Psychology Press

Now available in paper, The Architecture of Cognition is a classic work that remains relevant to theory and research in cognitive science. The new version of Anderson's theory of cognitive architecture - Adaptive Control of Thought (ACT*) - is a theory of the basic principles of operation built into the cognitive system and is the main focus of the book.

The Architecture of Cognition

Mental Health

The Adaptive Character of Thought (Studies in Cognition)

This important volume examines the phenomena of cognition from an adaptive perspective. Rather than adhering to the typical practice in cognitive psychology of trying to predict behavior from a model of cognitive mechanisms, this book develops a number of models that successfully predict behavior from the structure of the environment to which cognition is adapted. The methodology -- called rational analysis -- involves specifying the information-processing goals of the system, the structure of the environment, and the computational constraints on the system, allowing predictions about behavior to be made by determining what behavior would be optimal under these assumptions. The Adaptive Character of Thought applies this methodology in great detail to four cognitive phenomena: memory, categorization, causal inference, and problem solving.

Catalytic steam reforming has grown during the last two or three decades into one of the world's great catalytic processes. It is of major economic significance since the products from it form the feed for a number of other major processes. Nevertheless, catalytic steam reforming is a relatively difficult technology. It operates at high temperatures where problems of the maintenance of materials integrity and of catalyst stability and activity are severe, the establishment of high thermal efficiency of the plant is economically vital, and reactor operation is strongly influenced by mass and heat transport effects. The process is the subject of a thorough review by Dr. J. R. Rostrup-Nielsen who discusses both the basic cataly tic chemistry and the way in which this is interrelated with reactor and plant design. The use of catalytic converters for the purification of automotive exhaust gases is a relatively new technology which was brought into existence by social pressures for the preservation of acceptable environmental conditions. The majority of catalytic practitioners have been able to watch the growth of this technology from its inception to its current state of sophistication. Automotive catalytic converter technology is now in a mature state, and the chapter in this volume by Dr. K. C. Taylor provides a review which covers both the process chemistry and the most important converter design factors.

Catalysis: Science and Technology Volume 5

Comics & Graphic Novels

Boudart, Michel

Graphic Novels

Springer

Catalytic oxidation processes are bf central importance to a substantial part of large-scale chemical industry. Indeed, this area of industrial catalysis has an extremely long history which stretches back well into the last century. The development and growth of catalytic oxi­ dation processes for the manufacture of commodities such as sulfuric acid and nitric acid can be viewed as indicators for the growth of the early and middle years of the entire inorganic chemical industry, and in an analogous fashion the manufacture of products such as phthalic anhydride, maleic anhydride and ethylene oxide has been central to the development of an organic chemical industry. We should all be able" to learn from history, and present-day scientists and technologists will find considerable benefit in following the account of the historical development of catalytic oxidation processes presented in Chapter I by Drs. G. Chinchen, P. Davies and R. J. Sampson. Alkenes are important intermediates in many processes in organic chemical industry. Being mostly petroleum­ derived, the alkene availability pattern does not necessar­ ily match consumption requirements and an alkene inter­ conversion process such as metathesis is clearly of in­ dustrial importance. In fact alkene metathesis, in addi­ tion to its industrial significance, poses an interesting mechanistic problem. upon which considerable effort has been expended in recent years and which is now fairly well understood.

Catalysis: Science and Technology