Fabrics are unique materials which consist of various properties affecting their performance and end-uses. A computerized fabric property evaluation and analysis method plays a crucial role not only in textile industry but also in scientific research. An accurate analysis and measurement of fabric property provides a powerful tool for gauging product quality, assuring regulatory compliance and assessing the performance of textile materials. This thesis investigated the solutions for applying computerized methods to evaluate and intelligently interpret the texture and material properties of fabric in an inexpensive and efficient way. Firstly, a method which allows automatic recognition of basic weave pattern and precisely measuring the yarn count is proposed. The yarn crossed-areas are segmented by a spatial domain integral projection approach. Combining fuzzy c-means (FCM) and principal component analysis (PCA) on grey level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) feature vectors extracted from the segments enables to classify detected segments into two clusters. Based on the analysis on texture orientation features, the yarn crossed-area states are automatically determined. An autocorrelation method is used to find weave repeats and correct detection errors. The method was validated by using computer simulated woven samples and real woven fabric images. The test samples have various yarn counts, appearance, and weave types. All weave patterns of tested fabric samples are successfully recognized and computed yarn counts are consistent to the manual counts. Secondly, we present a methodology for using the high resolution 3D surface data of fabric samples to measure surface roughness in a nondestructive and accurate way. A parameter FDFFT, which is the fractal dimension estimation from 2DFFT of 3D surface scan, is proposed as the indicator of surface roughness. The robustness of FDFFT, which consists of the rotation-invariance and scale-invariance, is validated on a number of computer simulated fractal Brownian images. Secondly, in order to evaluate the usefulness of FDFFT, a novel method of calculating standard roughness parameters from 3D surface scan is introduced. According to the test results, FDFFT has been demonstrated as a fast and reliable parameter for measuring the fabric roughness from 3D surface data. We attempt a neural network model using back propagation algorithm and FDFFT for predicting the standard roughness parameters. The proposed neural network model shows good performance experimentally. Finally, an intelligent approach for the interpretation of fabric objective measurements is proposed using supported vector machine (SVM) techniques. The human expert assessments of fabric samples are used during the training phase in order to adjust the general system into an applicable model. Since the target output of the system is clear, the uncertainty which lies in current subjective fabric evaluation does not affect the performance of proposed model. The support vector machine is one of the best solutions for handling high dimensional data classification. The complexity problem of the fabric property has been optimally dealt with. The generalization ability shown in SVM allows the user to separately implement and design the components. Sufficient cross-validations are performed and demonstrate the performance test of the system.

An analogue of the Riemannian structure of a manifold is created for an ultrametric Cantor set using the techniques of Noncommutative Geometry. In particular, a spectral triple is created that can recover much of the fractal geometry of the original Cantor set. It is shown that this spectral triple can recover the metric, the upper box dimension, and in certain cases the Hausdorff measure. The analogy with Riemannian geometry is then taken further and an analogue of the Laplace-Beltrami operator is created for an ultrametric Cantor set. The Laplacian then allows to create an analogue of Brownian motion generated by this Laplacian. All these tools are then applied to the triadic Cantor set. Other examples of ultrametric Cantor sets are then presented: attractors of self-similar iterated function systems, attractors of cookie cutter systems, and the transversal of an aperiodic, repetitive Delone set of finite type. In particular, the example of the transversal of the Fibonacci tiling is studied.

Fractals are popular because of their ability to create complex images using only several simple codes. This is possible by capturing image redundancy and presenting the image in compressed form using the self similarity feature. For many years fractals were used for image compression. In the last few years they have also been used for face recognition. In this research we present new fractal methods for recognition, especially human face recognition. This research introduces three new methods for using fractals for face recognition, the use of fractal codes directly as features, Fractal image-set coding and Subfractals. In the first part, the mathematical principle behind the application of fractal image codes for recognition is investigated. An image Xf can be represented as Xf = A x Xf + B which A and B are fractal parameters of image Xf . Different fractal codes can be presented for any arbitrary image. With the defnition of a fractal transformation, T(X) = A(X - Xf ) + Xf , we can define the relationship between any image produced in the fractal decoding process starting with any arbitrary image X0 as Xn = Tn(X) = An(X - Xf ) + Xf . We show that some choices for A or B lead to faster convergence to the final image. Fractal image-set coding is based on the fact that a fractal code of an arbitrary gray-scale image can be divided in two parts - geometrical parameters and luminance parameters. Because the fractal codes for an image are not unique, we can change the set of fractal parameters without significant change in the quality of the reconstructed image. Fractal image-set coding keeps geometrical parameters the same for all images in the database. Differences between images are captured in the non-geometrical or luminance parameters - which are faster to compute. For recognition purposes, the fractal code of a query image is applied to all the images in the training set for one iteration. The distance between an image and the result after one iteration is used to define a similarity measure between this image and the query image. The fractal code of an image is a set of contractive mappings each of which transfer a domain block to its corresponding range block. The distribution of selected domain blocks for range blocks in an image depends on the content of image and the fractal encoding algorithm used for coding. A small variation in a part of the input image may change the contents of the range and domain blocks in the fractal encoding process, resulting in a change in the transformation parameters in the same part or even other parts of the image. A subfractal is a set of fractal codes related to range blocks of a part of the image. These codes are calculated to be independent of other codes of the other parts of the same image. In this case the domain blocks nominated for each range block must be located in the same part of the image which the range blocks come from. The proposed fractal techniques were applied to face recognition using the MIT and XM2VTS face databases. Accuracies of 95% were obtained with up to 156 images.

In this thesis we develop and use a continuum random walk framework to solve problems that are usually studied using a discrete random walk on a discrete lattice. Problems studied include; the time it takes for a random walker to be absorbed at a trap on a fractal lattice, the calculation of the spectral dimension for several different classes of networks, the calculation of the density of states for a multi-layered Bethe lattice and the relationship between diffusion exponents and a resistivity exponent that occur in relevant power laws. The majority of the results are obtained by deriving an expression for a Laplace transformed Green’s function or first passage time, and then using Tauberian theorems to find the relevant asymptotic behaviour. The continuum framework is established by studying the diffusion equation on a 1-d bar with non-homogeneous boundary conditions. The result is extended to model diffusion on networks through linear algebra. We derive the transformation linking the Green’s functions and first passage time results in the continuum and discrete settings. The continuum method is used in conjunction with renormalization techniques to calculate the time taken for a random walker to be absorbed at a trap on a fractal lattice and also to find the spectral dimension of new classes of networks. Although these networks can be embedded in the d- dimensional Euclidean plane, they do not have a spectral dimension equal to twice the ratio of the fractal dimension and the random walk dimension when the random walk on the network is transient. The networks therefore violate the Alexander-Orbach law. The fractal Einstein relationship (a relationship relating a diffusion exponent to a resistivity exponent) also does not hold on these networks. Through a suitable scaling argument, we derive a generalised fractal Einstein relationship which holds for our lattices and explains anomalous results concerning transport on diffusion limited aggregates and Eden trees.

Στην παρούσα διπλωματική υλοποιήθηκε ένα προγραμματιστικό περιβάλλον σε Matlab το οποίο θα μας επιτρέπει να αναλύσουμε σήματα (χρονοσειρές) με δύο τεχνικές: (Ι) με την τεχνική της εμβάπτισης του σήματος σε χώρους φάσεων υψηλών διαστάσεων με σκοπό τον υπολογισμό της φράκταλ (μορφοκλασματικής) διάστασης του ελκυστή που παράγεται στο χώρο φάσεων, χρησιμοποιώντας το θεώρημα εμβάπτισης του Takens και τη μέθοδο Grassberger & Procaccia, και (ΙΙ) με μοντελοποίηση του σήματος με τη μέθοδο NARMAX, ενσωματώνοντας Extended Kalman Filters και τη Θεωρία Διαμελισμού του Λαϊνιώτη για την εύρεση της τάξης (βαθμού πολυπλοκότητας) των NARMAX μοντέλων. Σκοπός της διπλωματικής είναι η σύγκριση των αντίστοιχων αποτελεσμάτων για διάφορες κατηγορίες σημάτων, με σκοπό να διαπιστωθεί κατά πόσο η φράκταλ διάσταση του σήματος σχετίζεται με την τάξη των NARMAX μοντέλων του σήματος. / In this thesis, we implemented in Matlab, a programming environment which allows us to analyze signals (time series) with two techniques: (I) with the technique of immersion of the signal in high-dimensional phase space to calculate the fractal dimension of the attractor generated in phase space, using the theorem of Takens and the method of Grassberger & Procaccia, and (II) signal modeling method NARMAX, incorporating Extended Kalman Filters and the Laynioti partition theorem for finding the degree of complexity of NARMAX models. The aim of the thesis is the comparison of the results for various categories of signals, in order to determine if the fractal dimension of the signal is associated with the degree of complexity of NARMAX models of the signal.

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2017-12-01T23:34:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 SergioRobertoDantas_DISSERT.pdf: 1439747 bytes, checksum: d876ed77a5433b952a46ba0482101886 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-12-05T21:54:18Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 SergioRobertoDantas_DISSERT.pdf: 1439747 bytes, checksum: d876ed77a5433b952a46ba0482101886 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-12-05T21:54:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SergioRobertoDantas_DISSERT.pdf: 1439747 bytes, checksum: d876ed77a5433b952a46ba0482101886 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-09-06 / Frequentemente, as superf?cies seletivas em frequ?ncias t?m recebido grande aten??o por parte de pesquisadores em todo o mundo, devido a suas caracter?sticas de filtragem. Essas estruturas evolu?ram em termos de fabrica??o. Assim, as geometrias utilizadas, inicialmente, eram fios em forma de grade e, posteriormente, diversos tipos de novas geometrias tais como: elementos retangulares, quadrados, circulares, an?is, espiras quadradas etc., foram utilizadas. Recentemente, elementos fractais e, mais recentemente, multifractais foram empregados. O emprego dessas geometrias ? feito com o objetivo de se obter uma resposta em frequ?ncia espec?fica. Par?metros importantes, como largura de banda e frequ?ncia de resson?ncia s?o atendidos a partir do emprego de uma determinada geometria. Neste trabalho ? proposta uma geometria multifractal com dupla similaridade, que tem como caracter?stica principal baixa sensibilidade ? varia??o da periodicidade com rela??o ? frequ?ncia de resson?ncia. Essa especificidade trar? ganho no que diz respeito ? elabora??o do projeto, pois o controle da largura de banda ? feito apenas com a altera??o da periodicidade. Diversas simula??es foram implementadas no Ansoft Designer e para efeito de comprova??o, estruturas tradicionais foram simuladas, visando ? demonstra??o do efeito da periodicidade na frequ?ncia de resson?ncia e, em seguida, dois prot?tipos foram constru?dos e feitas medi??es para validar experimentalmente as simula??es. / Often, frequency selective surfaces have received wide attention from researchers around the world because of their filtering characteristics. These structures evolved in terms of manufacturing. Thus, the geometries used, initially, were yarns in the form of a grid and later, several types of new geometries such as: rectangular, square, circular, rings, square, etc., were used. Recently, fractals and, more recently, multifractal elements have been employed. The use of these geometries is done in order to obtain a specific frequency response. Important parameters such as bandwidth and resonant frequency are met from the use of a given geometry. In this work a multifractal geometry with double similarity is proposed, which has as main characteristic low sensitivity to the variation of the periodicity with respect to the resonance frequency. This specificity will bring gain with regard to the elaboration of the project, because the control of the bandwidth is made only with the change of periodicity. Several simulations were implemented in Ansoft Designer and for the purpose of proving, traditional structures were simulated, aiming at demonstrating the effect of periodicity on the resonance frequency, and then two prototypes were constructed and measurements were taken to experimentally validate the simulations.

The notion of a curve played important role in the history of mathematical thought. This dissertation is focused on the conception of a curve in analysis, point set theory and topology. The rectification of curves and the notion of arc length are considered in connection with the history of analysis from antiquity to the beginning of the 20th century. "Measurement of curves" is also discussed from the measure-theoretic viewpoint and various definitions of linear measure and fractional dimension are described. Historically, there are two main approaches to understanding curves. Jordan defined a curve as a continuous image of a closed interval. However, his definition appeared to be too wide, since it was met by objects such as the Peano curve. In the point set theory, a curve is considered to be a one-dimensional continuum. The development of the dimension theory and the continuum theory, starting with the pioneering work of Bolzano, was motivated by the search for rigorous topological definition of a curve, a surface etc. Among "pathological" curves, that were often introduced as counterexamples in the development of modern analysis, we can find early examples of fractals. The fractal theory motivated further study of mathematical properties of these curves in the late 20th century, such as self-similarity and...

Como resposta ao Ministério das Cidades que, em 2005, criou o Sistema Nacional de Habitação Social, com o objetivo de estabelecer diretrizes no nível Federal, e capacitar e financiar projetos de habitação social nos níveis estadual e local, o presente estudo desenvolve uma pesquisa que tem como principal objetivo produzir ferramentas inovadoras para ajudar no planejamento e gestão de habitação social. Tal pesquisa propõe e testa uma metodologia para localizar e caracterizar áreas com precariedades habitacionais, combinando Geoprocessamento de Dados, Sistemas de Informações Geográficos – SIG e análise da geometria fractal. Parâmetros fractais, como Dimensão Fractal e Lacunaridade, demonstraram ser capazes de diferenciar a morfologia urbana, os quais, integrados à infra-estrutura urbana, índices sócio-econômicos e indicadores espaciais, possibilitaram uma adequada estimativa dos problemas da habitação, ao passo que auxiliaram na classificação e gestão de ações que visam a melhoria das moradias nas cidades e regiões. Selecionada a cidade de Canela como estudo de caso, os resultados obtidos demonstraram que a estimativa da localização e nível de deficiências de habitação social em toda a região, usando o modelo proposto, em comparação com a situação real, alcançou altas correlações. Simples e com base em dados do Plano Local de Interesse Social de Canela, realizado pela UFRGS, através do NTU–SimmLab, o método também ajudou a superar as limitações da falta de informações e conhecimentos fragmentados da área relacionada às condições de alojamento por profissionais locais, constituindo uma importante contribuição, tendo em vista a predominância do uso de processos fracamente estruturados e demasiadamente intuitivos no mapeamento e hierarquização da precariedade habitacional urbana. / In response to the Ministry of Cities in 2005, created the National Social Housing, with the aim of establishing guidelines in the Federal level, and train and fund social housing projects in the state and local levels, this study develops a research main objective is to produce innovative tools to help in planning and managing social housing. This research proposes and tests a methodology to locate and characterize areas with precarious housing, combining GIS Data, Geographic Information Systems - GIS and analysis of fractal geometry. Fractal parameters, such as fractal dimension and lacunarity proved to be able to differentiate the urban morphology, which, integrated into the urban infrastructure, socioeconomic indices and indicators space, allowed an adequate estimation of housing problems, while assisted in classification and management actions aimed at improving housing in the cities and regions. Selected the city of Canela as a case study, the results showed that the estimate of the location and level of deficiencies of social housing across the region, using the proposed model, compared to the actual situation, achieved high correlations. Simple and based on data from Canela’s Local Plan for Social Housing, done by UFRGS, through NTU–SimmLab, the method also helped to overcome the limitations of lack of information and fragmented knowledge of the area related to housing conditions for local professionals, constituting an important contribution in view of the predominance of use of processes and too loosely structured intuitive mapping and ranking of precarious urban housing.

Nas últimas décadas uma considerável parcela das pesquisas nas áreas de Física e Matemática tem sido dedicada ao estudo de fenômenos não lineares. Uma possível explicação para isso foi o rápido desenvolvimento de sistemas computacionais, tanto em nível de hardware quanta em nível de software, algoritmos e técnicas de programação que propiciaram ao homem maiores facilidades no tratamento de sistemas não lineares, o que levou a um maior grau de entendimento de sua complexidade. Geralmente, aos sistemas não lineares esta associada uma geometria irregular, onde comum o aparecimento de regimes caóticos, com um conjunto atrator de órbitas cuja dimensão não é um inteiro positivo, mas sim um número real positivo. Por esta razão, tais atratores, são denominados estranhos e ditos possuírem uma geometria fractal. É possível, através de métodos cuidadosamente desenvolvidos, estimar-se as dimensões associadas à dinâmica de séries temporais. Uma das séries de maior dificuldade de análise através do computador, e de particular interesse na medicina, são as séries de sons pulmonares humanos. Desde quando o estetoscópio foi inventado até os dias de hoje não há uma ferramenta plenamente confiável para a análise destas séries. Recentemente, temos trabalhado com estas séries e verificamos que há uma geometria fractal. Esta tese propõe a utilização da análise não-linear para identificação de padrões sonoros. Além da geometria fractal, a análise por wavelets tem sido utilizada no estudo de sinais complexos, sobretudo naqueles que apresentam estruturas fractais. O conjunto de filtros construído através da translação, expansão ou compressão de uma função wavelet mãe tem uma estrutura auto-similar, mostrando-se particularmente apropriado para a verificação da auto similaridade dos sons. A técnica da estimativa dos expoentes de Lyapunov dependente do tempo, a qual e desenvolvida na tese, tem se mostrado bastante adequada para identificação de padrões sonoros de origem pulmonar. / It has been observed that in the last decades, considerable amount of the research in the areas of Physics and Mathematics have been dedicated to the study of nonlinear phenomena. A possible explanation for this fact is the fast development of computational systems occurring in the level of the hardware as in computer languages, algorithms and programming techniques. These developments propitiated to the researchers a broader contact with nonlinear systems, which led to a better understanding of their complexity. In general, for nonlinear systems an irregular geometry is associated, where the appearance of chaotic regimes has an associated attractor set of orbits whose dimension is not a positive integer number, but a real one. Such attractors are called strange and said to possess fractal geometry. It is possible, through carefully developed methods, to estimate the dimension associated to the dynamics of time series. One of the series with high difficulty to be analyzed through a computer and of particular interest in medicine, is the time series generated out of human pulmonary sounds. Since the creation of the stethoscope, there is not yet a fully trustworthy tool for the lung sound analysis. Recently, we have studied these series and verified that they have a fractal geometry nature. The purpose of this thesis is to investigate non-linear analysis as a tool for pattern recognition in lung sounds. In addition to fractal geometry, the wavelet analysis has been used in the study of complex signs, in particular for those presenting a fractal structure. The set of filters constructed through the translation, expansion or compression of a function wavelet mother has an auto-similar structure, being particularly useful for the verification of self similarity of pulmonary sounds. The largest time dependent Lyapunov exponent estimation technique that has been proposed in this thesis has shown a high degree of confidence for the identification of lung sound patterns.

Submitted by Puentes Torres Antônio (antoniopuentes@hotmail.com) on 2016-09-16T17:55:40Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_ZelosamenteHabitandoaTerra.EcovilaseLugaresZelosos_SANT.pdf: 4140354 bytes, checksum: 99ea9693e462ee9446444bbec64d7eed (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by NUBIA OLIVEIRA (nubia.marilia@ufba.br) on 2016-09-16T18:57:12Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_ZelosamenteHabitandoaTerra.EcovilaseLugaresZelosos_SANT.pdf: 4140354 bytes, checksum: 99ea9693e462ee9446444bbec64d7eed (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-16T18:57:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_ZelosamenteHabitandoaTerra.EcovilaseLugaresZelosos_SANT.pdf: 4140354 bytes, checksum: 99ea9693e462ee9446444bbec64d7eed (MD5) / Esta tese tem como objeto de estudo a formação e a atualidade do fenômeno socioespacial conhecido como ecovila, em especial na realidade brasileira. O modelo das ecovilas pode ser considerado como assentamento humano presencial composto por pessoas que se juntam para viver estilo de vida simples a partir de relações orgânicas e de baixo impacto com os ecossistemas e contextos socioculturais nos quais estão inseridas. Influenciados por legados tradicionais, contraculturais e intencionais, são grupos que se propõem a realizar experimentações de novos arranjos espaço-temporais, misturados, em situações de confrontos paradigmáticos. Em primeiro plano, a tese investiga as ecovilas e grupos afins como paradigmas socioespaciais que propõem mudanças na atual dissociação entre sociedade e natureza, um dos motivos da crise civilizatória atual. O modo zeloso de ser e de habitar, com base na sustentabilidade emancipada e no comunitarismo engajado, é pensado filosoficamente como contraponto à crise da modernidade. Em segundo, a tese apresenta revisão histórica e crítica do conceito e do movimento das ecovilas bem como constrói marco teórico para a concepção da ecovila genuína. Em terceiro nível, situa as ecovilas genuínas junto a outros movimentos e agentes no meio técnico-científico-informacional globalizado tendo em vista a necessidade de transformações em diversos níveis (econômicos, culturais, políticos, socioespaciais) do contexto civilizatório capitalista moderno. Percebe que o surgimento de um novo sujeito-pessoa a partir de uma visão holística, fractal e situada, indica novas configurações ontológicas entre sociedades, terra e cosmos as quais formam as condições material e imaterial para o crescimento dos lugares zelosos. Nesse contexto, novos sistemas técnicos e valorativos, como a permacultura, são propostos e praticados. Com base nas informações empíricas encontradas, o quarto nível de análise compreende o processo de desenvolvimento prático de diversos grupos e projetos relacionados ao modelo das ecovilas. A contextualização regional e a relação entre urbano-rural na distribuição de ecovilas e grupos afins no Brasil são aspectos destacados. Outros destaques são: análise da organização interna e habitacional dos grupos bem como desafios e estratégias encontrados na construção factível do ethos-lugar zeloso. Os capítulos da tese seguem esses níveis de análise. Por fim, a concepção da ciência como projeto aberto de construção do conhecimento propõe um caminho sensível, integrativo e plural no ato da pesquisa e, para isto, conecta diferentes abordagens epistemológicas e metodológicas. Entre o complexo-fractal e o dialético, o dialógico e o fenomenológico, os resultados da tese se encontram na relação receptiva do pesquisador com o pesquisado e no vínculo direto entre teoria e a realidade multidimensional encontrada empiricamente. No núcleo do mosaico metodológico proposto, o ethos zeloso se torna o elo ontológico, ético e político das ecovilas genuínas enquanto lugares zelosos na geografia do mundo e no devir da Terra e do cosmos. / ABSTRACT This thesis h s s object of study the form tion nd the st te of socio-sp ti l phenomenon known s ecovill ge, p rticul rly within the Br zili n re lity. The ecovill ge model c n be considered s f ce- to-f ce hum n settlement composed of people who come together in order to le d simple lifestyle b sed on org nic nd low-imp ct rel tionships with ecosystems nd socio-cultur l contexts in which they re integr ted. Influenced by tr dition l, countercultur l nd intention l leg cies, they re groups of people who propose to c rry out tri ls of new nd hybrid sp tio-tempor l rr ngements f cing p r digm tic situ tions. In the foreground, the thesis investig tes the ecovill ges nd its rel ted groups s socio-sp ti l p r digms th t suggest tr nsfigur tions for the current dissoci tion between society nd n ture – which is one of the c uses of the current civiliz tion crisis. The ze lous mode of being nd of living, b sed on em ncip ted sust in bility nd eng ged communit ri nism, is ex mined philosophic lly s counterpoint to the crisis of modernity. Secondly, the thesis presents historic l nd critic l review of ―ecovill ge‖ s theoretic l concept nd s soci l movement. Moreover, it est blishes theoretic l fr mework for the notion of genuine ecovill ge. On the third level, the thesis pl ces the genuine ecovill ge mong with other movements nd gents, in the technic l-scientific-inform tion l glob lized environment t king into ccount the need for ch nge t v rious levels – economic, cultur l, politic l, socio-sp ti l – in the context modern civiliz tion of c pit lism. The thesis lso t kes into ccount th t the emergence of new subject-person out of holistic, fr ct l nd situ ted view, indic tes new ontologic l settings between societies, E rth nd Cosmos which constitute the m teri l nd imm teri l conditions for the growth of ze lous pl ces. In this context, new technic l nd cultur l systems s perm culture, re proposed nd pr cticed. B sed on empiric l findings, the fourth level of the n lysis reviews the pr ctic l development process of v rious groups nd projects rel ted to the model of ecovill ges. The region l context nd the rel tionship between urb n-rur l distribution of ecovill ges nd rel ted groups in Br zil re one of highlighted spect in ddition to: n lysis of the intern l org niz tion nd housing of the groups s well s ch llenges nd str tegies found in the fe sible construction of ze lous ethos-pl ce. The ch pters of the thesis follow these levels of n lysis. Fin lly, the notion of science s n open project of knowledge-construction proposes sensible, plur l nd integr tive p th of rese rch nd, s such, it connects different epistemologic l nd methodologic l ppro ches. Amongst the complex-fr ct l nd the di lectic, the di logic nd the phenomenologic l, the results of the thesis re found in the receptive rel tion between rese rcher nd rese rched nd in the direct connection between theory nd the multidimension l re lity n lyzed empiric lly. At the he rt of the proposed methodologic l mos ic, the ze lous ethos becomes the ontologic l, ethic l nd politic l link of the genuine ecovill ges s c ring pl ces on the horizon of the geogr phy of the world nd in ccord nce with the f te of the E rth nd of the Cosmos.