Notion Of Coherence Research Articles

Distinctively Political Normativity in Political Realism: Unattractive or Redundant

Political realists’ rejection of the so-called ‘ethics first’ approach of political moralists (mainstream liberals), has raised concerns about their own source of normativity. Some realists have responded to such concerns by theorizing a distinctively political normativity. According to this view, politics is seen as an autonomous, independent domain with its own evaluative standards. Therefore, it is in this source, rather than in some moral values ‘outside’ of this domain, that normative justification should be sought when theorizing justice, democracy, political legitimacy, and the like. For realists the question about a distinctively political normativity is important, because they take the fact that politics is a distinct affair to have severe consequences for both how to approach the subject matter as such and for which principles and values can be justified. Still, realists have had a hard time clarifying what this distinctively political normativity consists of and why, more precisely, it matters. The aim of this paper is to take some further steps in answering these questions. We argue that realists have the choice of committing themselves to one of two coherent notions of distinctively political normativity: one that is independent of moral values, where political normativity is taken to be a kind of instrumental normativity; another where the distinctness still retains a justificatory dependence on moral values. We argue that the former notion is unattractive since the costs of commitment will be too high (first claim), and that the latter notion is sound but redundant since no moralist would ever reject it (second claim). Furthermore, we end the paper by discussing what we see as the most fruitful way of approaching political and moral normativity in political theory.

Quantifying coherence with respect to general quantum measurements

Coherence is a cornerstone of quantum theory and a prerequisite for the advantage of quantum technologies. In recent work, the notion of coherence with respect to a general quantum measurement (POVM) was introduced and embedded into a resource-theoretic framework that generalizes the standard resource theory of coherence. In particular, POVM-incoherent (free) states and operations were established. In this work, we explore features of this framework which arise due to the rich structure of POVMs compared to projective measurements. Moreover, we introduce a rigorous, probabilisitic framework for POVM-based coherence measures and free operations. This leads to the introduction of new, strongly monotonic resource measures that neatly generalize well-known standard coherence measures. Finally, we show that the relative entropy of POVM-coherence is equal to the cryptographic randomness gain, providing an important operational meaning to the concept of coherence with respect to a general measurement.

Localizable quantum coherence

Coherence is a fundamental notion in quantum mechanics, defined relative to a reference basis. As such, it does not necessarily reveal the locality of interactions nor takes into account the accessible operations in a composite quantum system. In this paper, we put forward a notion of localizable coherence as the coherence that can be stored in a particular subsystem, either by measuring or just by disregarding the rest. We examine its spreading, its average properties in the Hilbert space and show that it can be applied to reveal the real-space structure of states of interest in quantum many-body theory, for example, localized or topological states.

Quantifying the Particle Aspect of Quantum Systems

The possibility of a quantum system to exhibit properties that are akin to both the classically held notions of being a particle and a wave, is one of the most intriguing aspects of the quantum description of nature. These aspects have been instrumental in understanding paradigmatic natural phenomena as well as to provide nonclassical applications. A conceptual foundation for the wave nature of a quantum state has recently been presented, through the notion of quantum coherence. We introduce here a parallel notion for the particle nature of a quantum state of an arbitrary physical system. We provide elements of a resource theory of particleness, and give a quantification of the same. Finally, we provide evidence for a complementarity between the particleness thus introduced, and the coherence of an arbitrary quantum state.

More than fish: Policy coherence and benefit sharing as necessary conditions for equitable aquaculture development

Aquaculture development is part of the Blue Economy narrative and it may offer opportunities for improving the well-being of coastal people and the wider population. However, unlocking its full potential is unlikely to occur through sole focus on increasing production. Using a framework for identifying the “people-policy gap” in aquaculture as a starting point, we introduce benefit sharing as a necessary and complementary concept to filling this gap, as well as the notion of policy coherence to achieve equitable aquaculture development. We examine these concepts in the context of mariculture development through an analysis of national mariculture policies and plans from a selection of Western Indian Ocean (WIO) countries. Our analysis shows that whilst important building blocks and a common thrust for equitable mariculture development exist at regional level, mechanisms through which the benefits from mariculture development are to reach stakeholders affected directly and indirectly by mariculture operations at national levels are not adequately considered. Lack of policy coherence at national level not only prevents progress towards closing the “people-policy gap” in mariculture development, but it may also jeopardise how the sector can live up to its expectations in the region. On the basis of these considerations, we extend our reflection to the aquaculture sector as a whole and argue that policy coherence and benefit sharing should become key considerations in the planning and future development of sustainable and equitable aquaculture.

Overview of Time Synchronization for IoT Deployments: Clock Discipline Algorithms and Protocols.

Internet of Things (IoT) is expected to change the everyday life of its users by enabling data exchanges among pervasive things through the Internet. Such a broad aim, however, puts prohibitive constraints on applications demanding time-synchronized operation for the chronological ordering of information or synchronous execution of some tasks, since in general the networks are formed by entities of widely varying resources. On one hand, the existing contemporary solutions for time synchronization, such as Network Time Protocol, do not easily tailor to resource-constrained devices, and on the other, the available solutions for constrained systems do not extend well to heterogeneous deployments. In this article, the time synchronization problems for IoT deployments for applications requiring a coherent notion of time are studied. Detailed derivations of the clock model and various clock relation models are provided. The clock synchronization methods are also presented for different models, and their expected performance are derived and illustrated. A survey of time synchronization protocols is provided to aid the IoT practitioners to select appropriate components for a deployment. The clock discipline algorithms are presented in a tutorial format, while the time synchronization methods are summarized as a survey. Therefore, this paper is a holistic overview of the available time synchronization methods for IoT deployments.

The role of self-transcending knowledge in Senge’s understanding of learning organizations towards an interdisciplinary taxonomy of self-transcending knowledge

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the concept of self-transcending knowledge as one of P. Senge’s common themes underpinning his five disciplines approach. It will be shown that the notions of vision, purpose and transcendence, especially self-transcendence are closely related to each other. However, the aspect of self-transcendence has not been covered well yet in the existing literature. That is why this paper is guided by the following research question: What does a consolidated, integrative and interdisciplinary concept of self-transcending knowledge look like, and what are its defining and unifying features and characteristics with respect to learning organizations?Design/methodology/approachThis conceptual paper draws on (both theoretical and empirical) interdisciplinary evidence from a wide variety of fields, such as organization studies, psychology, philosophy, learning organizations, cognitive science and innovation studies. Key authors from the field of self-transcending knowledge and their approaches will be discussed to develop a unified interdisciplinary concept of self-transcending knowledge and its possible applications, which will be demonstrated in a case study.FindingsSelf-transcending knowledge turns out to be central in the fields of learning (organizations) and innovation, as it deals with future-oriented knowledge that is “not yet”, that transcends the boundaries of existing knowledge. It is based on self-detachment, the notion of potentials and the insight that novel knowledge is not only the result of a creative agent (or organization) but also can be found and cocreated through an attentive search in an unfolding reality.Originality/valueExisting literature in the field of P. Senge’s five disciplines (and beyond) does not offer a comprehensive concept of self-transcending knowledge. This paper addresses this issue by bringing together approaches from a wide range of fields related to this concept; it develops an interdisciplinary and coherent notion and taxonomy of self-transcending knowledge and shows its impact for learning organizations and innovation.

The dynamics of entropies at the onset of interactions

At the onset of an interaction between two initially independent systems, each system tends to experience an increase in its n-Rényi entropies, such as its von Neumann entropy (n = 1) and its mixedness (n = 2). We here ask which properties of a system determine how quickly its Rényi entropies increase and, therefore, how sensitive the system is to becoming entangled. We find that the rate at which the n-Rényi entropy increases in an interaction is determined by a quantity which we term the n-fragility of the system. The 2-fragility is closely related to the notion of 2-norm coherence, in that it too quantifies the extent to which a density matrix is ‘off-diagonal’ with respect to the eigenbasis of a reference operator. Nevertheless, the 2-fragility is not a coherence monotone in the resource theoretic sense since it depends also on the eigenvalues of the reference operator. It is this additional sensitivity to the eigenvalues of the reference operator, here the interaction Hamiltonian, which enables the 2-fragility to quantify the rate of entropy production in interactions. We give an example using the light–matter interaction and we anticipate applications to the study of the rates at which two systems exchange classical and quantum information when starting to interact.

A Dutch book coherence condition for conditional completely alternating Choquet expectations

Stemming from de Finetti’s coherence for finitely additive (conditional) probabilities, the paradigm of coherence has been extended to other uncertainty calculi. We study the notion of coherence for conditional completely alternating Choquet expectations, providing an avoiding Dutch book like condition.

Fostering inclusion, embracing and integration of migrants: A migration biblical-theological understanding with a particular focus on Ezra-Nehemiah and migrants practical ministry guidelines

Migration is posing a huge challenge globally. Within this context, one of the challenges of theology is to develop theological approaches that respond to the situation in meaningful ways. There is increasing scepticism about some theological frameworks that attempt to consider the Bible and theology as a unified whole to provide coherence. In the midst of vexatious life challenges, people require coherence, logic and guidance in their existential situations. Notably, the notion of logic and coherence could be pathological in chaotic global situations where cause and effect seems not to hold. In such situations, the article argues that a responsive theological approach, which draws from the Bible, should engage a panoramic and systemic schema that take into account the various dynamics of people’s situations. In consideration of the subject of migration, a biblical redemptive historical theological schema is applied to Ezra-Nehemiah to discern a constructive and coherent understanding on texts that appear to encourage xenophobia in order to guide practical ministry. Implied in the article is a contention for maintaining diverse theological frameworks based on their utility, but subjecting such frameworks to academic and critical rigour to avoid the danger of fundamentalism. The article locates and problematises migration as a theological issue and then discusses the rationale for a redemptive historical framework. The framework is then applied to Ezra-Nehemiah, resulting in concrete lessons that guide practical ministry.

Calibration, Coherence, and Consilience in Radiometric Measures of Geologic Time

In 2012, the Geological Time Scale, which sets the temporal framework for studying the timing and tempo of all major geological, biological, and climatic events in Earth’s history, had one-quarter of its boundaries moved in a widespread revision of radiometric dates. The philosophy of metrology helps us understand this episode, and it, in turn, elucidates the notions of calibration, coherence, and consilience. I argue that coherence testing is a distinct activity preceding calibration and consilience, and I highlight the value of discordant evidence and trade-offs scientists face in calibration. The iterative nature of calibration, moreover, raises the problem of legacy data.

Wave-particle duality employing quantum coherence in superposition with non-orthogonal pointers

We propose the notion of quantum coherence for superpositions over states which are not necessarily mutually orthogonal. This anticipatedly leads to a resource theory of non-orthogonal coherence. We characterize free states and free operations in this theory, and connect the latter with free operations in the resource theory of quantum coherence for orthogonal bases. We show that the concept of non-orthogonal coherence naturally furnishes us with a wave-particle duality in quantum double-slit experiments where the channels beyond the slits are leaky between them. Furthermore, we demonstrate existence of a unique maximally coherent qubit state corresponding to any given purity. In addition, and in contradistinction with the case of orthogonal bases, there appears a non-trivial minimally coherent qubit state for a given purity. We also study the behavior of quantum coherence for some typical configurations of non-orthogonal bases which have no analogs for orthogonal bases. We further investigate the problem of determining the energy cost of creating non-orthogonal coherence, and find that it scales linearly with the non-orthogonal coherence created.

Two routes to idealism: Collier and Berkeley

ABSTRACT In this paper, I raise and analyze two rarely discussed stories about the development of idealism in early modernity. I seek to show that Arthur Collier reaches the conclusion that the mind-independent world is strictly impossible following through the implications of Malebranche’s intellectualist considerations. One important component of divine rationality accepted by both is that God has to act in the simplest way possible, which, for Collier, shows that the existence of an imperceptible matter is extrinsically or metaphysically impossible. By contrast, I will argue, George Berkeley resisted the temptation to construe the simplicity principle in an intellectualistic manner, even though it would have offered him an easy route to prove the impossibility of matter. Rather, when he argues that it is indeed God who is creating our perceptions directly on the basis that any belief in mind-independent substances is totally unjustifiable and we cannot form a coherent notion of it, he can be seen as radicalizing Locke’s voluntarism, according to which we have to appeal to the omnipotent God's arbitrary decisions with regard to various difficulties in philosophy. My proposal can also be read as an alternative to the well-known epistemological narrative about the emergence of idealism in the early modern period.

Double Slit with an Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen Pair

In this somewhat pedagogical paper we revisit complementarity relations in bipartite quantum systems. Focusing on continuous-variable systems, we examine the influential class of EPR-like states through a generalization to Gaussian states and present some new quantitative relations between entanglement and local interference within symmetric and asymmetric double-double-slit scenarios. This approach is then related to ancilla-based quantum measurements, and weak measurements in particular. Finally, we tie up the notions of distinguishability, predictability, coherence and visibility while drawing some specific connections between them.

Quantum coherence and the localization transition

A dynamical signature of localization in quantum systems is the absence of transport which is governed by the amount of coherence that configuration space states possess with respect to the Hamiltonian eigenbasis. To make this observation precise, we study the localization transition via quantum coherence measures arising from the resource theory of coherence. We show that the escape probability, which is known to show distinct behavior in the ergodic and localized phases, arises naturally as the average of a coherence measure. Moreover, using the theory of majorization, we argue that broad families of coherence measures can detect the uniformity of the transition matrix (between the Hamiltonian and configuration bases) and hence act as probes to localization. We provide supporting numerical evidence for Anderson and Many-Body Localization (MBL). For infinitesimal perturbations of the Hamiltonian, the differential coherence defines an associated Riemannian metric. We show that the latter is exactly given by the dynamical conductivity, a quantity of experimental relevance which is known to have a distinctively different behavior in the ergodic and in the many-body localized phases. Our results suggest that the quantum information-theoretic notion of coherence and its associated geometrical structures can provide useful insights into the elusive nature of the ergodic-MBL transition.

Metaphor Competition in the Book of Job by Lance R. Howley

Reviewed by: Metaphor Competition in the Book of Job by Lance R. Howley David A. Bosworth lance r. howley, Metaphor Competition in the Book of Job (JAJSup 26; Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2018). Pp. 256. $113. Scholars have long disagreed about whether the speakers in Job respond to one another or merely advance the speakers’ positions without interacting with prior speeches. Howley brings a clear method and tight focus to this question that advances scholarship and lays foundations that others may build on. He quotes Carol A. Newsom’s remark that the poetic dialogue in Job is “a struggle over metaphors” (Newsom, The Book of Job: A Contest of Moral Imaginations [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2003] 119). The speakers in Job make extensive use of metaphor, and H. examines whether their use of metaphor responds to prior metaphors. Metaphor competition occurs when a speaker reinterprets the metaphorical mapping introduced by a prior speaker, and this remapping emerges as a clear example of coherence across speeches. H.’s results are mixed but provide a clearer picture of coherence in Job than scholarly discussion has so far produced. In chap. 1, H. presents the scholarly debate about coherence in the Book of Job and lays out a path forward. He draws on cognitive linguistics to clarify the notion of coherence, which exists in the mind of a reader who engages the text. A dialogue may cohere with or [End Page 115] without progressing as long as the participants speak about the same concepts, which need not involve verbal repetition. At the end of chap. 1, H. outlines his method. He systematically analyzes two metaphors in the corpus of Job: speech as a target domain (metaphors about the topic of speech) and animals as a source domain (metaphors involving animals on any topic). Interlocutors in the book frequently critique one another’s speech and often use animal imagery. Furthermore, animals appear in God’s speech at the end, which allows H. to examine the divine speech as a response to the human dialogue. In chap. 2, H. describes conceptual metaphor theory using as a consistent example Job 13:12, “Your reminders are proverbs of ashes.” Metaphors may appear in a variety of syntactical forms (here a construct chain). Conceptual metaphor theory involves investigation of the ideas and views surrounding the terms. In the OT, the term “ashes” ( ) elicits at least four domains: mourning, destruction, humility, and weakness. Almost all OT references to ashes elicit metaphorical mappings that have little to do with literal meanings, making research on the conceptual signification necessary. The mapping between the concepts proverbs and ashes may work in various ways, and the context helps narrow the possibilities. In the verse, Job represents the wisdom of his friends as ephemeral rather than lasting reminders. The next line (“your defenses are defenses of clay”) activates weakness and worthlessness as qualities shared by ashes and clay. H. concludes with three criteria for identifying perceptually coherent metaphors that would indicate interactions between speakers. First, unconventional metaphors are more perceptible to audiences. Second, more specific metaphors are more perceptible than generic metaphors. Generic metaphors like “logical structures are physical structures” appear in many speeches, but the cognitive level of these metaphors is so generic that they pass unnoticed. Third, coherence is more difficult to perceive as the textual distance between metaphors is greater. In chap. 3, H. analyzes coherence in the speech metaphors. He begins with discussion of speech in Job and evaluations of speech (Job evaluates his own and his friends’ speech, and the friends evaluate their own speech). He analyzes metaphors in three categories: speech as destructive, strengthening, and windy words. H. does not see coherence across speeches except in the last category, where windy words cohere throughout the dialogue as a critique of Job’s speech that implicitly places him with the wicked fools. Job initiates the metaphor, asking if his friends think his words are wind (Job 6:26), and they pick up the image and develop it affirmatively (8:2; 15:2–3, 30), and Job finally rejects this characterization of his speech (16:3). In chap. 4, H. examines the several metaphors using animals as a source domain...

Decomposable coherence and quantum fluctuation relations

In Newtonian mechanics, any closed-system dynamics of a composite system in a microstate will leave all its individual subsystems in distinct microstates, however this fails dramatically in quantum mechanics due to the existence of quantum entanglement. Here we introduce the notion of a `coherent work process', and show that it is the direct extension of a work process in classical mechanics into quantum theory. This leads to the notion of `decomposable' and `non-decomposable' quantum coherence and gives a new perspective on recent results in the theory of asymmetry as well as early analysis in the theory of classical random variables. Within the context of recent fluctuation relations, originally framed in terms of quantum channels, we show that coherent work processes play the same role as their classical counterparts, and so provide a simple physical primitive for quantum coherence in such systems. We also introduce a pure state effective potential as a tool with which to analyze the coherent component of these fluctuation relations, and which leads to a notion of temperature-dependent mean coherence, provides connections with multi-partite entanglement, and gives a hierarchy of quantum corrections to the classical Crooks relation in powers of inverse temperature.

Coherence principles in interval-based dose finding.

This paper studies the notion of coherence in interval-based dose-finding methods. An incoherent decision is either (a) a recommendation to escalate the dose following an observed dose-limiting toxicity or (b) a recommendation to deescalate the dose following a non-dose-limiting toxicity. In a simulated example, we illustrate that the Bayesian optimal interval method and the Keyboard method are not coherent. We generated dose-limiting toxicity outcomes under an assumed set of true probabilities for a trial of n=36 patients in cohorts of size 1, and we counted the number of incoherent dosing decisions that were made throughout this simulated trial. Each of the methods studied resulted in 13/36 (36%) incoherent decisions in the simulated trial. Additionally, for two different target dose-limiting toxicity rates, 20% and 30%, and a sample size of n=30 patients, we randomly generated 100 dose-toxicity curves and tabulated the number of incoherent decisions made by each method in 1000 simulated trials under each curve. For each method studied, the probability of incurring at least one incoherent decision during the conduct of a single trial is greater than 75%. Coherency is an important principle in the conduct of dose-finding trials. Interval-based methods violate this principle for cohorts of size 1 and require additional modifications to overcome this shortcoming. Researchers need to take a closer look at the dose assignment behavior of interval-based methods when using them to plan dose-finding studies.

From coherence to coheritization: explaining the rise of policy coherence in EU external policy

ABSTRACTOver the past decade, the external policy of the European Commission has become increasingly entangled by the notion of policy coherence. Previously ‘siloed’ policy areas such as trade, agriculture, and development are increasingly approached as challenges only effectively resolved by addressing their positive and negative interlinkages. While the EC is critical of fundamental incoherencies between different policy areas, it simultaneously calls to harness synergies between them. To explain this ambiguous approach, we combine insights from speech act theory and cultural political economy. We aim for methodological triangulation by employing social network analysis, an explanatory narrative, and expert interviews. We argue that the Commission’s approach towards coherence can be understood as a process that reshapes the actor landscape around the discourse on coherence. By gradually pushing out the most outspoken actors, the Commission discursively resolves the inherent contradictions of reconciling free trade and development of the Global South.

Measuring coherence of quantum measurements

The superposition of quantum states lies at the heart of physics and has been recently found to serve as a versatile resource for quantum information protocols, defining the notion of quantum coherence. In this contribution, we report on the implementation of its complementary concept, coherence from quantum measurements. By devising an accessible criterion which holds true in any classical statistical theory, we demonstrate that noncommutative quantum measurements violate this constraint, rendering it possible to perform an operational assessment of the measurement-based quantum coherence. In particular, we verify that polarization measurements of a single photonic qubit, an essential carrier of one unit of quantum information, are already incompatible with classical, i.e., incoherent, models of a measurement apparatus. Thus, we realize a method that enables us to quantitatively certify which quantum measurements follow fundamentally different statistical laws than expected from classical theories and, at the same time, quantify their usefulness within the modern framework of resources for quantum information technology.