Generative world models (WMs) are increasingly used to synthesize controllable, sensor-conditioned driving videos, yet their reliance on physical priors exposes novel attack surfaces. In this paper, we present Physical-Conditioned World Model Attack (PhysCond-WMA), the first white-box world model attack that perturbs physical-condition channels, such as HDMap embeddings and 3D-box features, to induce semantic, logic, or decision-level distortion while preserving perceptual fidelity. PhysCond-WMA is optimized in two stages: (1) a quality-preserving guidance stage that constrains reverse-diffusion loss below a calibrated threshold, and (2) a momentum-guided denoising stage that accumulates target-aligned gradients along the denoising trajectory for stable, temporally coherent semantic shifts. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that our approach remains effective while increasing FID by about 9% on average and FVD by about 3.9% on average. Under the targeted attack setting, the attack success rate (ASR) reaches 0.55. Downstream studies further show tangible risk, which using attacked videos for training decreases 3D detection performance by about 4%, and worsens open-loop planning performance by about 20%. These findings has for the first time revealed and quantified security vulnerabilities in generative world models, driving more comprehensive security checkers.
Simulation-to-real transfer remains a central challenge in robotics, as mismatches between simulated and real-world dynamics often lead to failures. While reinforcement learning offers a principled mechanism for adaptation, existing sim-to-real finetuning methods struggle with exploration and long-horizon credit assignment in the low-data regimes typical of real-world robotics. We introduce Simulation Distillation (SimDist), a sim-to-real framework that distills structural priors from a simulator into a latent world model and enables rapid real-world adaptation via online planning and supervised dynamics finetuning. By transferring reward and value models directly from simulation, SimDist provides dense planning signals from raw perception without requiring value learning during deployment. As a result, real-world adaptation reduces to short-horizon system identification, avoiding long-horizon credit assignment and enabling fast, stable improvement. Across precise manipulation and quadruped locomotion tasks, SimDist substantially outperforms prior methods in data efficiency, stability, and final performance. Project website and code: https://sim-dist.github.io/
How does the brain predict physical outcomes while acting in the world? Machine learning world models compress visual input into latent spaces, discarding the spatial structure that characterizes sensory cortex. We propose isomorphic world models: architectures preserving sensory topology so that physics prediction becomes geometric propagation rather than abstract state transition. We implement this using neural fields with motor-gated channels, where activity evolves through local lateral connectivity and motor commands multiplicatively modulate specific populations. Three experiments support this approach: (1) local connectivity is sufficient to learn ballistic physics, with predictions traversing intermediate locations rather than "teleporting"; (2) policies trained entirely in imagination transfer to real physics at nearly twice the rate of latent-space alternatives; and (3) motor-gated channels spontaneously develop body-selective encoding through visuomotor prediction alone. These findings suggest intuitive physics and body schema may share a common origin in spatially structured neural dynamics.
World models have garnered significant attention as a promising research direction in artificial intelligence, yet a clear and unified definition remains lacking. In this paper, we introduce OpenWorldLib, a comprehensive and standardized inference framework for Advanced World Models. Drawing on the evolution of world models, we propose a clear definition: a world model is a model or framework centered on perception, equipped with interaction and long-term memory capabilities, for understanding and predicting the complex world. We further systematically categorize the essential capabilities of world models. Based on this definition, OpenWorldLib integrates models across different tasks within a unified framework, enabling efficient reuse and collaborative inference. Finally, we present additional reflections and analyses on potential future directions for world model research. Code link: https://github.com/OpenDCAI/OpenWorldLib
This study investigates the interaction between Millerite “Fake News” and James White’s “Present Truth” in shaping Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) identity through mediatization. Using the framework of anthropological mediality, it demonstrates how these historical constructs—Millerite fake news from failed apocalyptic predictions and Present Truth emphasizing ongoing revelation—continue to influence SDA culture and spirituality via print, broadcast, and digital media. While Millerite fake news fosters cultural resilience and historical reinterpretation, Present Truth promotes doctrinal clarity and adaptive spiritual engagement. The research addresses a gap in scholarship, as limited attention has been given to the mediatization of identity and authority, especially regarding the circulation of cultural misinformation in religious contexts. The study highlights the dialectical tension between static and dynamic narratives in digitally mediated religious communities.
The capability of predicting environmental dynamics underpins both biological neural systems and general embodied AI in adapting to their surroundings. Yet prevailing approaches rest on static world models that falter when confronted with novel or rare configurations. We investigate in-context learning (ICL) of world models, shifting attention from zero-shot performance to the growth and asymptotic limits of the world model. Our contributions are three-fold: (1) we formalize ICL of a world model and identify two core mechanisms: environment recognition (ER) and environment learning (EL); (2) we derive error upper-bounds for both mechanisms that expose how the mechanisms emerge; and (3) we empirically confirm that distinct ICL mechanisms exist in the world model, and we further investigate how data distribution and model architecture affect ICL in a manner consistent with theory. These findings demonstrate the potential of self-adapting world models and highlight the key factors behind the emergence of EL/ER, most notably the necessity of long context and diverse environments.
Lance Ying, Katherine M. Collins, Prafull Sharma
et al.
Human intelligence exhibits a remarkable capacity for rapid adaptation and effective problem-solving in novel and unfamiliar contexts. We argue that this profound adaptability is fundamentally linked to the efficient construction and refinement of internal representations of the environment, commonly referred to as world models, and we refer to this adaptation mechanism as world model induction. However, current understanding and evaluation of world models in artificial intelligence (AI) remains narrow, often focusing on static representations learned from training on massive corpora of data, instead of the efficiency and efficacy in learning these representations through interaction and exploration within a novel environment. In this Perspective, we provide a view of world model induction drawing on decades of research in cognitive science on how humans learn and adapt so efficiently; we then call for a new evaluation framework for assessing adaptive world models in AI. Concretely, we propose a new benchmarking paradigm based on suites of carefully designed games with genuine, deep and continually refreshing novelty in the underlying game structures -- we refer to this class of games as novel games. We detail key desiderata for constructing these games and propose appropriate metrics to explicitly challenge and evaluate the agent's ability for rapid world model induction. We hope that this new evaluation framework will inspire future evaluation efforts on world models in AI and provide a crucial step towards developing AI systems capable of human-like rapid adaptation and robust generalization -- a critical component of artificial general intelligence.
Video generation techniques have made remarkable progress, promising to be the foundation of interactive world exploration. However, existing video generation datasets are not well-suited for world exploration training as they suffer from some limitations: limited locations, short duration, static scenes, and a lack of annotations about exploration and the world. In this paper, we introduce Sekai (meaning "world" in Japanese), a high-quality first-person view worldwide video dataset with rich annotations for world exploration. It consists of over 5,000 hours of walking or drone view (FPV and UVA) videos from over 100 countries and regions across 750 cities. We develop an efficient and effective toolbox to collect, pre-process and annotate videos with location, scene, weather, crowd density, captions, and camera trajectories. Comprehensive analyses and experiments demonstrate the dataset's scale, diversity, annotation quality, and effectiveness for training video generation models. We believe Sekai will benefit the area of video generation and world exploration, and motivate valuable applications. The project page is https://lixsp11.github.io/sekai-project/.
This study explores Pikukuh Tilu, a fundamental philosophical belief system within the Baduy Tribe in Banten, Indonesia, and its role in shaping the community’s social, spiritual, and environmental practices. Rooted in the interconnectedness of God, humans, and nature, Pikukuh Tilu is a guiding principle that governs the Baduy people’s way of life, ensuring cultural continuity and ecological sustainability, particularly in relation to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), 13 (Climate Action), and 15 (Life on Land). This research adopts a qualitative approach, utilizing ethnographic fieldwork, in-depth interviews, and participant observation to analyze the practical applications of Pikukuh Tilu in governance, rituals, and daily conduct. To provide a comprehensive theoretical framework, the study integrates perspectives from Structuralism, Functionalism, Local Wisdom, and Deep Ecology, offering a multidimensional understanding of how Pikukuh Tilu functions as both a belief system and a mechanism for cultural resilience. The findings reveal that Pikukuh Tilu is crucial in reinforcing social cohesion, moral values, and environmental ethics, enabling the Baduy people to maintain their traditional identity despite external pressures from modernization and globalization. Furthermore, the study highlights how Pikukuh Tilu embodies a sustainable indigenous knowledge system that aligns with contemporary environmental discourses on conservation and deep ecology. This research contributes to broader discussions in anthropology, cultural studies, and environmental philosophy, emphasizing the significance of indigenous belief systems in fostering sustainable living. By shedding light on the enduring relevance of Pikukuh Tilu, the study advocates for preserving Baduy’s cultural heritage. It offers insights into how traditional wisdom can inform modern ecological and social sustainability approaches.
This study aims to delve into the profound meanings and functions of metaphor and symbolism in Surah al-Fatihah, particularly in the context of the concept of tauhid (monotheism) in Islam. Given the urgency of comprehending a sacred text that is frequently recited yet not fully understood theologically by many Muslims, this research seeks to bridge the gap between ritualistic practice and deep theological understanding. The methodology employed is linguistic analysis, integrating Lakoff and Johnson’s conceptual metaphor theory alongside Sperber and Wilson’s relevance theory to interpret the theological symbolism and linguistic use in this surah. The findings indicate that Surah al-Fatihah employs metaphor and symbolism not only to convey the fundamental principles of Islam but also to strengthen Muslims' understanding and belief in the concept of tauhid. This surah contains profound linguistic layers that facilitate comprehension of the oneness of Allah, divine justice, and human dependence on divine power through its rich linguistic structure and careful word choice. The discussion reveals that the metaphor and symbolism in Surah al-Fatihah are not merely aesthetic elements but also serve as powerful educational tools to deepen spiritual and theological understanding. As a recommendation, it is suggested that Islamic religious education place greater emphasis on linguistic analysis in interpreting sacred texts. This would not only enhance theological understanding but also reinforce the spiritual and intellectual connection of believers to the teachings of Islam.
Daniyar Aliyev, Zhomart Simtikov, Serik Niyazbekov
et al.
Religious freedom is a universal human right and a cornerstone of modern secular governance. Yet the way in which this freedom is guaranteed and experienced differs significantly across countries. This article compares the legal status, lived experience and theological responses of Christian communities in two very different settings – Finland, a predominantly Lutheran country in northern Europe, and Kazakhstan, a Muslim majority republic in Central Asia. Drawing on constitutions, church state legislation, demographic data, scholarly literature and recent human rights reports, the study analyses how religious freedom is defined in law, how governments regulate religious communities and how Christian groups respond to the opportunities and constraints of their environment. Finland provides extensive constitutional protection for freedom of religion and conscience and grants the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the Finnish Orthodox Church a special legal status as “public law corporations.” At the same time, Finnish society is highly secular, and the Lutheran church must renegotiate its role in a pluralistic democracy. In Kazakhstan, the 2011 Law on Religious Activities and Religious Associations imposes strict registration, licensing and censorship requirements on all religious organisations, and the state recognises only a handful of “traditional” religions as part of the national heritage. These policies restrict the activities of most Christian communities, particularly evangelical and Pentecostal groups, and encourage them to adopt quietist or inward looking strategies. The comparative analysis reveals that legal regimes shape not only the institutional rights of churches but also their theology, mission strategies and public engagement. The article concludes that genuine religious freedom requires governments to treat all confessions equally and to allow believers to manifest their faith publicly without fear. It also suggests that Christian churches can remain faithful to their traditions while affirming pluralism and engaging respectfully with other religions.
Weilin Xu, Sebastian Szyller, Cory Cornelius
et al.
Adversarial examples in the digital domain against deep learning-based computer vision models allow for perturbations that are imperceptible to human eyes. However, producing similar adversarial examples in the physical world has been difficult due to the non-differentiable image distortion functions in visual sensing systems. The existing algorithms for generating physically realizable adversarial examples often loosen their definition of adversarial examples by allowing unbounded perturbations, resulting in obvious or even strange visual patterns. In this work, we make adversarial examples imperceptible in the physical world using a straight-through estimator (STE, a.k.a. BPDA). We employ STE to overcome the non-differentiability -- applying exact, non-differentiable distortions in the forward pass of the backpropagation step, and using the identity function in the backward pass. Our differentiable rendering extension to STE also enables imperceptible adversarial patches in the physical world. Using printout photos, and experiments in the CARLA simulator, we show that STE enables fast generation of $\ell_\infty$ bounded adversarial examples despite the non-differentiable distortions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work demonstrating imperceptible adversarial examples bounded by small $\ell_\infty$ norms in the physical world that force zero classification accuracy in the global perturbation threat model and cause near-zero ($4.22\%$) AP50 in object detection in the patch perturbation threat model. We urge the community to re-evaluate the threat of adversarial examples in the physical world.
High-luminosity particle collider experiments such as the ones planned at the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider require ever-greater vertexing precision of the tracking detectors, necessitating also reductions in the material budget of the detectors. Traditionally, the fractional radiation length ($x/X_0$) of detectors is either estimated using known properties of the constituent materials, or measured in dedicated runs of the final detector. In this paper, we present a method of direct measurement of the material budget of a CMS prototype module designed for the Phase-2 upgrade of the CMS detector using a 40-65 MeV positron beam. A total of 630 million events were collected at the Paul Scherrer Institut PiE1 experimental area using a three-plane telescope consisting of the prototype module as the central plane, surrounded by two MALTA monolithic pixel detectors. Fractional radiation lengths were extracted from scattering angle distributions using the Highland approximation for multiple scattering. A statistical technique recovered runs suffering from trigger desynchronisation, and several corrections were introduced to compensate for local inefficiencies related to geometric and beam shape constraints. Two regions of the module were surveyed and yielded average $x/X_0$ values of $(0.72 \pm 0.05)\%$ and $(0.95 \pm 0.09)\%$, which are compatible with empirical estimates for these regions computed from known material properties of 0.753% and 0.892%, respectively. Higher-granularity maps of the fractional radiation length were produced for both rectangular regions and regions of uniform material composition. The results bode well for the CMS Phase-2 upgrade modules, which will play a key role in the minimisation of the material budget of the upgraded detector.
Bestian Simangunsong, Hanna Dewi Aritonang, Resmalem Sembiring
et al.
This study focuses on efforts to build an eco-ecclesiology of liberation in Indonesia. The idea of restoring the earth is based on Leonardo Boff's ecological spirituality and KSPPM's ecological praxis. Ecological damage is a logical consequence of exploitative-destructive attitudes and actions of humans. This study promotes the spirit of defending or protecting the earth from the clutches of ecological destruction in Batak Land, Indonesia. This study uses a
descriptive qualitative method with a comparative study approach on the ecological work of Boff and KSPPM and serves as the basis for the development of liberating eco-ecclesiology. Ecology must become an integral part of Christian theology and it must offer a new perspective on the relationship between humans and the earth. The sacrifice of Christ who was crucified and suffered for the redemption of the world (John 3:16) should be a spirit for the Christian
community to initiate strong multi-faith and cultural cooperation to save the earth which has been granted to us. The church is also responsible for building an eco-literacy movement as a manifestation of faith in the context of vast ecological destruction, thus, the church as an ecological community should embrace the earth and the oppressed people through a transformative diaconia which is inspired by the love of Jesus Christ as the Saviour of the world. The church must expand its ministry mandate to answer the struggles of all creation.
Psychology emerged as an independent field of naturalistic inquiry during an era of dawning Western scholarly and popular interest in Buddhism. Over the past century-and-a-half psychologists, psychiatrists, and psychoanalysts have analysed, pathologized, misinterpreted, appreciated, assimilated, adapted, and/or converted to Buddhist ideas and practices. At the same time, psychological approaches to Buddhism have led to ‘naturalized’ and ‘psychologized’ forms of contemporary Buddhist practice, especially in ‘convert’ Buddhist communities. This article explores the relationship between Western psychology and Buddhist texts and teachers from the World Parliament of Religions in 1893 through the dramatic post-1960 expansion of possibilities for Westerners to engage in Buddhist practice, and beyond. It covers Buddhist influences on psychoanalytic, humanistic-existential, transpersonal, cognitive-behavioural, and positive psychologies, as well as on cognitive science and contemplative neuroscience. It examines the current interest in mindfulness-based interventions and the resurgence in psychedelic research. Finally, this article critically examines (1) the cultural and historical reasons for psychology’s continuing interest in Buddhism; (2) the problems inherent in adapting Buddhist metaphysical, soteriological, and ethical tenets into an empirical, naturalistic framework; and (3) the value of Buddhism’s contributions to Western psychology, and through Western psychology to Western culture writ large.
The COVID-19 pandemic revealed individual and institutional anxieties about the apocalypse. Pastors and activists alike turned to the depiction of the apocalypse in popular media to describe the urgency of decisive action. Implicitly, these depictions offer a curious method for engaging and imagining children. Assata Shakur writes compelling poetry in her autobiography about her hopes for the world. In one poem, entitled For My Daughter Kakuya, I argue that Shakur engages in Afrofuturist speculative fiction as she envisions a future world for her daughter. This paper explores how writers living through these times themselves imagine Black children at the end of the world. What would happen if we took seriously the notion that the “end of the world” is always at hand for Black people? This article explores the stomach-turning warning that Jesus offers in Mark 13:14–19 regarding those who are “pregnant and nursing in those days”. Using a reproductive justice lens, this paper explores the eternal challenge of imagining and stewarding a future in which Black children are safe and thriving. It also explores the limits and possibilities of partnering with radical Black faith traditions to this end.
Game-based decision-making involves reasoning over both world dynamics and strategic interactions among the agents. Typically, empirical models capturing these respective aspects are learned and used separately. We investigate the potential gain from co-learning these elements: a world model for dynamics and an empirical game for strategic interactions. Empirical games drive world models toward a broader consideration of possible game dynamics induced by a diversity of strategy profiles. Conversely, world models guide empirical games to efficiently discover new strategies through planning. We demonstrate these benefits first independently, then in combination as realized by a new algorithm, Dyna-PSRO, that co-learns an empirical game and a world model. When compared to PSRO -- a baseline empirical-game building algorithm, Dyna-PSRO is found to compute lower regret solutions on partially observable general-sum games. In our experiments, Dyna-PSRO also requires substantially fewer experiences than PSRO, a key algorithmic advantage for settings where collecting player-game interaction data is a cost-limiting factor.
Introduction: This scholarly article explores the reconfiguration of religion and religious organizations within the framework of the world risk society. The emergence and proliferation of global risks have presented significant challenges to social structures and constructions. These risks, unlike those caused by natural forces or external factors, arise as unintended consequences and side effects of centuries of human attempts to rationalize, control, and determine the material world through science, technology, and rational institutions. Paradoxically, the very institutions once celebrated as drivers of progress and prosperity have now become major sources of threats and risks. The dominance of risks on a global scale has initiated a profound transformation, leading to a transition into a realm of indeterminacy, uncertainty, and fluidity. Consequently, numerous social institutions are undergoing metamorphosis, setting the stage for the reconfiguration of societies. Methodology: To accomplish the central goal of this research, i.e. the role of religion in the global risk society, a qualitative methodology, combined with document and library review, has been systematically employed. This methodological choice allows for a comprehensive exploration of the reconfiguration of religion in the context of the global risk society. The research methodology encompasses theoretical verifications, extensive library studies, analysis of available statistics and documents, in-depth examination of concrete cases, and a thorough review of existing studies. The main aim of this article is carried out in the form of addressing the following four central questions:1. What kind of transformation and challenges have social institutions encountered in the contemporary world, particularly under the influence of the global risk society?2. How can the reconfiguration of religion in the global risk society be investigated and understood? 3. What are the transformations and manifestations of religion in the global risk society? 4. What are the effects of the cosmopolitanization of risks on transnational religious organizations in the contemporary world?Addressing these questions will be done in the form of the following structure: Firstly, the general coordinates, characteristics, and fundamental forces of the global risk society are described. Next, the article evaluates the role of religion in relation to one of the most significant forces of this society, namely the distribution of the risks. Concrete examples are then examined to analyze the process of transnationalization of religion, the expansion of transnational religious organizations, the cosmopolitanization of the world, and their consequences. Results and Discussion: This article draws on the concept of the world risk society to shed light on the cognitive dynamics involved in understanding risk determination in the contemporary world. The article posits that the new world order is shaped by the avoidance and distribution of negative outcomes, i.e. bads, rather than the accumulation of conceived goods. It identifies three main categories of risk—environmental, technological, and societal risks—and underscores their critical role in the emergence of the world risk society. Furthermore, the article explores the world risk theory as a social theory of modernization, emphasizing the influence of organizational types, the modern division of labor, and scientific and technological engagements with nature as primary sources of global risks in the present era. The impact of the rise of the world risk society on religion is examined in the third section of the article. This exploration focuses on the dominant force of risk society—the distribution and globalization of risks. The article argues that the ascendancy of risks triggers various and sometimes contradictory responses from different religions, ranging from resistance, innovation, criticism, and retreat to destruction, reconstruction, and revival. The indeterminacy and fluidity induced by the world risk society have led to the emergence of diverse religious configurations across different times and spaces. The article investigates the emergence of religious fundamentalism in the context of the world risk society and analyzes the influence of individualization and globalization of risks on religious configurations, presenting specific examples. Transnationalization is identified as a key manifestation of religious reconfiguration in the world risk society. The study provides empirical and concrete examples to analyze the impacts and manifestations of this process on religious configurations. Conclusion: In conclusion, this article argues that the emergence and restructuring of transnational religious organizations represent a significant aspect of the reconfiguration of religion in the world risk society. The unique characteristics of these organizations in the context of globalized risks are outlined, and their global operations in various domains are introduced. The article examines the different elements and parameters of these organizations, including transnational networks, global governance structures, technological utilization, religious practices and beliefs, human resources, financial networks, communication infrastructures, leadership structures, and membership regimes. Through the application of criteria such as geographical reach, membership and support base, ideology and belief system, organizational structure, external relations, engagement with global risks, and use of technology, a comprehensive classification of transnational religious organizations in the world risk society is presented, accompanied by empirical examples. Finally, the article highlights the exponential growth of transnational cyber religious organizations, attributing it to the globalization of risks, reconfiguration of religion, and expansion of cyber communities. The salient features of these organizations and communities are delineated, and significant examples are introduced.
This article not only discusses the ideas of Mircea Eliade, but also draws attention to the human need for spiritual experience. It is possible that the ideas of this historian of religions may be surprisingly contemporary in the context of spirituality today. Eliade’s assumption was that the essence of humanity is religious, which means that our perception of the world is originally holistic, in a sense that it is necessary for us to perceive the sacred side of the world. One of the criticisms aimed at Eliade’s work is the idea that Eliade’s philosophy of sacred is comprehensible only to a religious person. However, Eliade did not speak only to believers. On the contrary, if we want to perceive his readers in a limited way, we can say that he spoke more to the educated ones and those who are interested in philosophy or science in general. But in the context of today’s spirituality, Eliade’s work may be particularly interesting for anyone who shows interest, since his philosophy of time, or the demand for imagination can open up possibilities for insight into the essence of all spiritual phenomena.
This critical study scrutinizes methods that scholars of the Qur'an apply to their research, with a specific emphasis on the major contributions of Michael Cook. The first part of this study starts with a survey of the historiography of Qur'an Studies particularly with the methodological approaches that have significantly contributed to the study of the Qur'an. The narration of prominent works in Qur'anic Studies covers the development of methodologies through the ages by analyzing the crucial contributions of various scholars in the field. Moreover, the study investigates the intellectual achievements of Michael Cook, looking into his conceptual framework and landmark discoveries. Through the application of highly evolved techniques such as text-linguistic analysis, textual exegesis, and comparative religious studies, it evaluates the strengths and weaknesses
of Cook's method. It contrasts these with the strengths and weaknesses of alternative methodologies. With this inquiry, we advance the field of Qur'anic Studies by examining Cook's method and also pave the path for further research. This paper seeks to launch discourses on the methodology within the field. This study will encourage researchers to engage in profound and multidisciplinary studies exploring the Qur'an from varied approaches.