title: Five abstraction rules to remove transitions while preserving compositional synthesis results

authors: Mohajerani, Sahar

subjects: computer science

abstract: This working paper investigates under which conditions transitions can be removed from an automaton while preserving important synthesis properties. The work is part of a framework for compositional synthesis of least restrictive controllable and nonblocking supervisors for modular discrete event systems. The method for transition removal complements previous results, which are largely focused on state merging. Issues concerning transition removal in synthesis are discussed, and redirection maps are introduced to enable a supervisor to process an event, even though the corresponding transition is no longer present in the model. Based on the results, different techniques are proposed to remove controllable and uncontrollable transitions, and an example shows the potential of the method for practical problems.

text: Five abstraction rules to remove transitions while preserving compositional synthesis results This working paper investigates under which conditions transitions can be removed from an automaton while preserving important synthesis properties. The work is part of a framework for compositional synthesis of least restrictive controllable and nonblocking supervisors for modular discrete event systems. The method for transition removal complements previous results, which are largely focused on state merging. Issues concerning transition removal in synthesis are discussed, and redirection maps are introduced to enable a supervisor to process an event, even though the corresponding transition is no longer present in the model. Based on the results, different techniques are proposed to remove controllable and uncontrollable transitions, and an example shows the potential of the method for practical problems.

year: 2012-03

title: Islamic Law of Warfare and the Question of Suicide Terrorism: An Usuli Twelver Shia Perspective

authors: Mortaza, Shams

subjects: Islamic law

abstract: Terrorism in the name of religion and ethnicity is the most important security challenge facing the world since the cold war. Among different types of terrorism its suicide version is the most complicated one to combat. Because a very high number of the current suicide attacks against civilian targets are executed by Muslim militants, suicide terrorism is associated with the religion of Islam. Muslim militant groups use Islamic jurisprudential terms, including jihad, to justify their otherwise felonious acts of terrorism. This tactic of sanctification of criminal acts of terrorism by use of Islamic legal terms and language may lead one to decide that it is Islamic law per se that is the driving force behind the current phenomenon of suicide terrorism. Since it was the Twelver Shia Muslims of Lebanon who began the use of suicide tactics in its current form, Shia Islam, as the branch of the faith in which its followers are seen as pioneers of suicide operations, is naturally the major focus of interest in this regard. 
On account of the widespread use of juridical language by organisers and supporters of suicide terrorism, this thesis investigates whether suicide terrorism as such falls within the rules of legitimate warfare (jihad) as found in Usuli Twelver Shia Islamic law, or not. A detailed discussion of contested interpretations of Islam leads to an examination of Shia jurisprudence which then enables a critical evaluation of Jihad in Shia Jurisprudence and a critical discussion of jihad and suicide terrorism. Islamic jurisprudentialism, or fiqh mindedness, provides a language utilised by violent Muslim extremists who have recourse to, or who otherwise support, suicide terrorism. Furthermore, fatwas are also used by violent extremist Muslims to imbue their orders and prohibitions with a sense of religious holiness and sanction. This provides a context wherein their rulings are promoted as beyond dispute. Thus, with respect to Shia jurisprudence, the mechanism in which religious law is made will be laid bare and the criteria for distinguishing a valid fatwa will be illustrated. All elements of Usuli Shia Islamic law which are related to warfare (as armed violence) will be discussed, and their potential to be used as a justification for suicide terrorism will be closely examined, as will the non-jurisprudential justifications which are also used. It will be argued that, for the most part, current normative uses of Usuli Twelver Shia jurisprudential justification of suicide terrorism constitutes a departure from the authentic Shia tradition.

text: Islamic Law of Warfare and the Question of Suicide Terrorism: An Usuli Twelver Shia Perspective Terrorism in the name of religion and ethnicity is the most important security challenge facing the world since the cold war. Among different types of terrorism its suicide version is the most complicated one to combat. Because a very high number of the current suicide attacks against civilian targets are executed by Muslim militants, suicide terrorism is associated with the religion of Islam. Muslim militant groups use Islamic jurisprudential terms, including jihad, to justify their otherwise felonious acts of terrorism. This tactic of sanctification of criminal acts of terrorism by use of Islamic legal terms and language may lead one to decide that it is Islamic law per se that is the driving force behind the current phenomenon of suicide terrorism. Since it was the Twelver Shia Muslims of Lebanon who began the use of suicide tactics in its current form, Shia Islam, as the branch of the faith in which its followers are seen as pioneers of suicide operations, is naturally the major focus of interest in this regard. 
On account of the widespread use of juridical language by organisers and supporters of suicide terrorism, this thesis investigates whether suicide terrorism as such falls within the rules of legitimate warfare (jihad) as found in Usuli Twelver Shia Islamic law, or not. A detailed discussion of contested interpretations of Islam leads to an examination of Shia jurisprudence which then enables a critical evaluation of Jihad in Shia Jurisprudence and a critical discussion of jihad and suicide terrorism. Islamic jurisprudentialism, or fiqh mindedness, provides a language utilised by violent Muslim extremists who have recourse to, or who otherwise support, suicide terrorism. Furthermore, fatwas are also used by violent extremist Muslims to imbue their orders and prohibitions with a sense of religious holiness and sanction. This provides a context wherein their rulings are promoted as beyond dispute. Thus, with respect to Shia jurisprudence, the mechanism in which religious law is made will be laid bare and the criteria for distinguishing a valid fatwa will be illustrated. All elements of Usuli Shia Islamic law which are related to warfare (as armed violence) will be discussed, and their potential to be used as a justification for suicide terrorism will be closely examined, as will the non-jurisprudential justifications which are also used. It will be argued that, for the most part, current normative uses of Usuli Twelver Shia jurisprudential justification of suicide terrorism constitutes a departure from the authentic Shia tradition.

year: 2016

title: Boat electrofishing survey of fish abundance in the Ohau Channel, Rotorua, in 2016

authors: Hicks, Brendan J.

abstract: The aim of the survey was to provide on-going monitoring of the fish communities and abundance by boat electrofishing in the Ohau Channel, especially fish species that are taonga to Maori (tuna, or eels, morihana, or goldfish, and kōura, or freshwater crayfish). In the current study, we present the findings from the tenth year of sampling (2016) and a summary of previous surveys.

text: Boat electrofishing survey of fish abundance in the Ohau Channel, Rotorua, in 2016 The aim of the survey was to provide on-going monitoring of the fish communities and abundance by boat electrofishing in the Ohau Channel, especially fish species that are taonga to Maori (tuna, or eels, morihana, or goldfish, and kōura, or freshwater crayfish). In the current study, we present the findings from the tenth year of sampling (2016) and a summary of previous surveys.

year: 2017