Distinction Through Diversity

Interpretive Diversity as a Source of Metaphor-Simile Distinction

In this paper, we argue that the metaphor form of a comparison (i.e., a topic-vehicle pair) is preferred over, and more comprehensible than, the simile form when the interpretive diversity for that comparison is high. Interpretive diversity refers to the richness of the figurative meaning of a comparison; it is high to the extent that more features or properties are related to the figurative me...

Robust Design through Diversity

Computer Science is in deep trouble. Structured design is a failure. Systems, as currently engineered, are brittle and fragile. They cannot be easily adapted to new situations. Small changes in requirements entail large changes in the structure and configuration. Small errors in the programs that prescribe the behavior of the system can lead to large errors in the desired behavior. Indeed, curr...

Strength through Diversity

The remarkable versatility of the mammalian brain is made possible by a huge diversity of cellular plasticity mechanisms. These include long-term potentiation and depression at both excitatory and inhibitory synapses, as well as a variety of intrinsic and homeostatic plasticity mechanisms. A fundamental challenge for the field is to assemble our detailed knowledge of these specific mechanisms i...

Managing Diversity through Institutional Design

The idea that political institutions can be deliberately shaped or “engineered” in order to achieve desired political outcomes is hardly new-the authors of the Constitution of the United States, for example, vigorously debated various configurations of rules, constraints, and incentives that might simultaneously disperse political power over a wide range of actors, while at the same time provid...

Dynamics of diversity: becoming better nurses through diversity awareness.