From Instability to Intelligence


Book Description

So far as the laws of mathematics refer to reality, they are not certain. And so far as they are certain, they do not refer to reality. -A. Einstein The word "instability" in day-to-day language is associated with some thing going wrong or being abnormal: exponential growth of cancer cells, irrational behavior of a patient, collapse of a structure, etc. This book, however, is about "good" instabilities, which lead to change, evolution, progress, creativity, and intelligence; they explain the paradox of irreversi bility in thermodynamics, the phenomena of chaos and turbulence in clas sical mechanics, and non-deterministic (multi-choice) behavior in biological and social systems. The concept of instability is an attribute of dynamical models that de scribe change in time of physical parameters, biological or social events, etc. Each dynamical model has a certain sensitivity to small changes or "errors" in initial values of its variables. These errors may grow in time, and if such growth is of an exponential rate, the behavior of the variable is defined as unstable. However, the overall effect of an unstable variable upon the dynamical system is not necessarily destructive. Indeed, there al ways exists such a group of variables that do not contribute to the energy of the system. In mechanics such variables are called ignorable or cyclic.







The Delinquent Boy


Book Description




Introduction to Intelligence Studies


Book Description

Introduction to Intelligence Studies (third edition) provides an overview of the US intelligence community, to include its history, organization, and function. Since the attacks of 9/11, the United States Intelligence Community (IC) has undergone an extensive overhaul. This textbook provides a comprehensive overview of intelligence and security issues, defining critical terms and reviewing the history of intelligence as practiced in the United States. Designed in a practical sequence, the book begins with the basics of intelligence, progresses through its history, describes best practices, and explores the way the intelligence community looks and operates today. The authors examine the "pillars" of the American intelligence system—collection, analysis, counterintelligence, and covert operations—and demonstrate how these work together to provide "decision advantage." The book offers equal treatment to the functions of the intelligence world—balancing coverage on intelligence collection, counterintelligence, information management, critical thinking, and decision-making. It also covers such vital issues as laws and ethics, writing and briefing for the intelligence community, and the emerging threats and challenges that intelligence professionals will face in the future. This revised and updated third edition addresses issues such as the growing influence of Russia and China, the recent history of the Trump and Biden administrations and the IC, and the growing importance of the cyber world in the intelligence enterprise. This book will be essential reading for students of intelligence studies, US national security, foreign policy and International Relations in general.




From Roman Speculatores to the NSA


Book Description

"From Roman Speculatores to the NSA: Evolution of Espionage and Its Impact on Statecraft and Civil Liberties" is a thrilling journey from the shadows of ancient espionage to the high-tech spy networks of today. It's a must-read for anyone captivated by the enigmatic world of spies, as depicted in iconic fiction like James Bond and John le Carré, but eager to peel back the curtain on the real-life drama of intelligence work. Dive into the clandestine operations that shaped history, from the cunning Speculatores of Rome to the cutting-edge surveillance of the NSA. This book doesn't just recount tales of daring exploits and shadowy figures; it delves deep into the moral and ethical mazes navigated by spies throughout history. As you traverse through time, you'll discover the intricate dance of espionage and statecraft, and how it has continuously morphed to adapt to technological advancements and shifting geopolitical landscapes. "From Roman Speculatores to the NSA" doesn't shy away from the dark side of espionage. It confronts the ethical quagmires, the personal sacrifices of those living double lives, and the impact of clandestine operations on individual freedoms. It's a thought-provoking exploration of how intelligence work, often glamorized in popular culture, grapples with issues like torture, privacy invasion, and the thin line between security and liberty. Perfect for fans of spy fiction seeking to understand the real-life complexities behind the glamour and action, this book is a fascinating guide through the evolution of espionage. It's an eye-opening read that reveals the high stakes and hard choices inherent in a world where knowledge is power, and secrecy is a necessary shield in the game of nations. Prepare to have your perceptions challenged and your understanding of the spy world transformed. The narrative is enriched with case studies and real-world examples, making it a valuable resource for understanding the complexities and challenges of modern intelligence work. The book also addresses the legal frameworks and oversight mechanisms that govern espionage activities, providing a comprehensive overview of the contemporary intelligence landscape. For professionals and scholars in the fields of international relations, security studies, political science, and history, "From Roman Speculatores to the NSA" offers a scholarly yet accessible analysis. It invites readers to critically engage with the strategic, ethical, and legal aspects of espionage and consider its future trajectory in an increasingly interconnected and digital world. This book is a thought-provoking contribution to the discourse on espionage and national security, offering a well-researched and balanced perspective on a subject that continues to be relevant in the field of international affairs




The Five Disciplines of Intelligence Collection


Book Description

Leading intelligence experts Mark M. Lowenthal and Robert M. Clark bring you an all new, groundbreaking title. The Five Disciplines of Intelligence Collection describes, in non-technical terms, the definition, history, process, management, and future trends of each intelligence collection source (INT). Authoritative and non-polemical, this book is the perfect teaching tool for classes addressing various types of collection. Chapter authors are past or current senior practitioners of the INT they discuss, providing expert assessment of ways particular types of collection fit within the larger context of the U.S. Intelligence Community.




Intelligent Environments 2009


Book Description

As computers are increasingly embedded into our everyday environments, the objects therein become augmented with sensors, processing and communication capabilities and novel interfaces. The capability for objects to perceive the environment, store and process data, pursue goals, reason about their intentions and coordinate actions in a holistic manner gives rise to the so-called Intelligent Environment (IE). In such environments, real space becomes augmented with digital content, thus transcending the limits of nature and of human perception. The result is a pervasive transparent infrastructure capable of recognizing, responding and adapting to individuals in a seamless and unobtrusive way. The realization of Intelligent Environments requires the convergence of different disciplines such as information and computer science, building architecture, material engineering, artificial intelligence, sociology, art and design. The 5th International Conference on Intelligent Environments (IE’09), held at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Castelldefels, Barcelona, Spain, provides a multidisciplinary forum for researchers and engineers from across the world to present their latest research and to discuss future directions in the area of Intelligent Environments. The IE’09 proceedings contain the complete conference program including full papers presented at special sessions and short papers from the doctoral colloquium and poster session. In addition, three thought provoking invited lectures on topics of current and future IE research are included.




Workshop Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Intelligent Environments


Book Description

Intelligent environments (IE) play an increasingly important role in many areas of our lives, including education, healthcare and the domestic environment. The term refers to physical spaces incorporating pervasive computing technology used to achieve specific goals for the user, the environment or both. This book presents the proceedings of the workshops of the 8th International Conference on Intelligent Environments (IE ‘12), held in Guanajuato, Mexico, in June 2012. The workshops which make up the conference range from regular lectures to practical sessions. They provide a forum for scientists, researchers and engineers from both industry and academia to engage in discussions on newly emerging or rapidly evolving topics in the field. Topics covered in the workshops include intelligent environments supporting healthcare and well-being; artificial intelligence techniques for ambient intelligence; large-scale intelligent environments; intelligent domestic robots; intelligent environment technology in education; multimodal interfaces applied in skills transfer, healthcare and rehabilitation; the reliability of intelligent environments and improving industrial automation using intelligent environments. IE can enrich user experience, better manage the environment's resources, and increase user awareness of that environment. This book will be of interest to all those whose work involves the application of intelligent environments.




Intelligent Systems for Stability Assessment and Control of Smart Power Grids


Book Description

Power systems are evolving towards the Smart Grid paradigm, featured by large-scale integration of renewable energy resources, e.g. wind and solar power, deeper participation of demand side, and enhanced interaction with electric vehicles. While these emerging elements are inherently stochastic in nature, they are creating a challenge to the system’s stability and its control. In this context, conventional analysis tools are becoming less effective, and necessitate the use alternative tools that are able to deal with the high uncertainty and variability in the smart grid. Smart Grid initiatives have facilitated wide-spread deployment of advanced sensing and communication infrastructure, e.g. phasor measurement units at grid level and smart meters at household level, which collect tremendous amount of data in various time and space scales. How to fully utilize the data and extract useful knowledge from them, is of great importance and value to support the advanced stability assessment and control of the smart grid. The intelligent system strategy has been identified as an effective approach to meet the above needs. This book presents the cutting-edge intelligent system techniques and their applications for stability assessment and control of power systems. The major topics covered in this book are: Intelligent system design and algorithms for on-line stability assessment, which aims to use steady-state operating variables to achieve fast stability assessment for credible contingencies. Intelligent system design and algorithms for preventive stability control, which aims at transparent and interpretable decision-making on preventive control actions to manipulate system operating condition against possible contingencies. Intelligent system design and algorithms for real-time stability prediction, which aims to use synchronized measurements to foresee the stability status under an ongoing disturbance. Intelligent system design and algorithms for emergency stability control, which aims at fast decision-making on stability control actions at emergency stage where instability is propagating. Methodologies and algorithms for improving the robustness of intelligent systems against missing-data issues. This book is a reference and guide for researchers, students, and engineers who seek to study and design intelligent systems to resolve stability assessment and control problems in the smart grid age.