Large-scale competitive P2P systems are threatened by the noncooperation problem, where peers do not forward queries to potential competitors. While non-cooperation is not a problem in current P2P free file-sharing systems, it is likely to be a problem in such P2P systems as pay-per-transaction file-sharing systems, P2P auctions, and P2P service discovery systems, where peers are in competition...

In this wide-ranging interview, Dave Elder-Vass discusses his main contributions to critical realist theory over two decades. the first half, he explains early work on emergence, agency, structure, concept of culture and norm circles, as well a broad array social theorists positions. Sometimes has involved differences with other realists, including Tony Lawson, Margaret Archer, Alison Sealey Bo...

INTRODUCTION: Critical realism (CR) provides a unique and robust philosophical framework for social work researchers by attending to the role of individual agency structure; however, little practical guidance is available regarding how ontology epistemology CR can be applied as methodological qualitative research. APPROACH: In this article, we explain what in relation other ontological epistemo...

The field of humanoids robotics is widely recognized as the current challenge for robotics research. Developing humanoids poses fascinating problems in the realization of manipulation capability, which is still one of most complex problem in robotics. The paper, starting from an overview of current activities in the development of humanoid robots, with special focus on manipulation, presents th...

The gap between advanced statistical approaches and epistemological discussion is certainly one of the most important problems in psychometrics to really improve psychological measures. An important issue in measurement models in social science is the debate about formative measurement models. For some years, the debate has been essentially focused on methodological issues. We aim in this short...

It has been argued that positivist and constructivist ontologies are irreconcilable. According to LINCOLN and GUBA (2000), positivism’s "naive realism" holds that reality is both "real" and "apprehendable," whereas constructivism maintains that meaning is generated by individuals and groups. This analysis implies that the quantitative and qualitative methodologies associated with positivism and...