Why Syntax Matters

Why emotion matters

Although much is known about the representation and processing of concrete concepts, our knowledge of what abstract semantics might be is severely limited. In this paper we first address the adequacy of the two dominant accounts (dual coding theory and the context availability model) put forward in order to explain representation and processing differences between concrete and abstract words. W...

Why Ecology Matters

Why Functional Programming Matters

As software becomes more and more complex, it is more and more important to structure it well. Well-structured software is easy to write, easy to debug, and provides a collection of modules that can be re-used to reduce future programming costs. Conventional languages place conceptual limits on the way problems can be modularised. Functional languages push those limits back. In this paper we sh...

Why Bother With Syntax?

Rohit and I go back a long way. We started talking about Dynamic Logic back when I was a graduate student, when we would meet at seminars at MIT (my advisor Albert Meyer was at MIT, although I was at Harvard, and Rohit was then at Boston University). Right from the beginning I appreciated Rohit’s breadth, his quick insights, his wit, and his welcoming and gracious style. Rohit has been interest...

Why Monetary Policy Matters

This paper provides a non-technical introduction to monetary policy—what it is, how it works, and why it matters. It discusses inflation volatility and why this is damaging to the economy, as well as why increased stability of output growth is desirable. In both cases, changes in Canadian economic performance over the past few decades are examined. The paper also provides a detailed discussion ...