The dynamics of syntax acquisition: facilitation between syntactic structures

This paper sets out to show how facilitation between different clause structures operates over time in syntax acquisition. The phenomenon of facilitation within given structures has been widely documented, yet inter-structure facilitation has rarely been reported so far. Our findings are based on the naturalistic production corpora of six toddlers learning Hebrew as their first language. We use regression analysis, a method that has not been used to study this phenomenon. We find that the proportion of errors among the earliest produced clauses in a structure is related to the degree of acceleration of that structure's learning curve; that with the accretion of structures the proportion of errors among the first clauses of new structures declines, as does the acceleration of their learning curves. We interpret our findings as showing that learning new syntactic structures is made easier, or facilitated, by previously acquired ones

Dealing with similarity in argumentation

Le raisonnement argumentatif est basé sur la justification d'une conclusion plausible par des arguments en sa faveur. L'argumentation est un modèle prometteur pour raisonner avec des connaissances incertaines ou incohérentes, ou, plus généralement de sens communs. Ce modèle est basé sur la construction d'arguments et de contre-arguments, la comparaison de ces arguments et enfin l'évaluation de la force de chacun d'entre eux. Dans cette thèse, nous avons abordé la notion de similarité entre arguments. Nous avons étudié deux aspects : comment la mesurer et comment la prendre en compte dans l'évaluation des forces. Concernant le premier aspect, nous nous sommes intéressés aux arguments logiques, plus précisément à des arguments construits à partir de bases de connaissances propositionnelles. Nous avons commencé par proposer un ensemble d'axiomes qu'une mesure de similarité entre des arguments logiques doit satisfaire. Ensuite, nous avons proposé différentes mesures et étudié leurs propriétés. La deuxième partie de la thèse a consisté à définir les fondements théoriques qui décrivent les principes et les processus impliqués dans la définition d'une méthode d'évaluation des arguments prenant en compte la similarité. Une telle méthode calcule la force d'un argument sur la base de forces de ses attaquants, des similarités entre eux, et d'un poids initial de l'argument. Formellement, une méthode d'évaluation est définie par trois fonctions dont une, nommée "fonction d'ajustement", qui s'occupe de réajuster les forces des attaquants en fonction de leur similarité. Nous avons proposé des propriétés que doivent satisfaire les trois fonctions, ensuite nous avons défini une large famille de méthodes et étudié leurs propriétés. Enfin, nous avons défini différentes fonctions d'ajustement, montrant ainsi que différentes stratégies peuvent être suivies pour contourner la redondance pouvant exister entre les attaquants d'un argument.Argumentative reasoning is based on justifying a plausible conclusion with arguments in its favour. Argumentation is a promising model for reasoning with uncertain or inconsistent knowledge, or, more generally, common sense. This model is based on the construction of arguments and counter-arguments, the comparison of these arguments and finally the evaluation of the strength of each of them. In this thesis, we have tackled the notion of similarity between arguments. We have studied two aspects: how to measure it and how to take it into account in the evaluation of strengths. With regards to the first aspect, we were interested in logical arguments, more precisely in arguments built from propositional knowledge bases. We started by proposing a set of axioms that a similarity measure between logical arguments must satisfy. Then, we proposed different measures and studied their properties. The second part of the thesis was focused on defining the theoretical foundations that describe the principles and processes involved in the definition of an evaluation method for arguments, which takes similarity into account. Such a method computes the strength of an argument based on the strengths of its attackers, the similarities between them, and an initial weight of the argument. Formally, an evaluation method is defined by three functions, one of which (called the adjustment function) is concerned with readjusting the strengths of the attackers according to their similarity. We have proposed properties that the three functions must satisfy, after which we have defined a large family of methods and studied their properties. At last, we have defined different adjustment functions, showing that different strategies can be applied to avoid the redundancy that can exist between the attackers of an argument

Modelling the acquisition of syntactic categories

This research represents an attempt to model the child’s acquisition of syntactic categories. A computational model, based on the EPAM theory of perception and learning, is developed. The basic assumptions are that (1) syntactic categories are actively constructed by the child using distributional learning abilities; and (2) cognitive constraints in learning rate and memory capacity limit these learning abilities. We present simulations of the syntax acquisition of a single subject, where the model learns to build up multi-word utterances by scanning a sample of the speech addressed to the subject by his mother

The Structural Grammaticalization of the Biblical Hebrew Ethical Dative

This paper offers a structural analysis of the evolution of a grammatical phenomenon in Biblical Hebrew known as the Ethical Dative (ED). My analysis is rooted in the grammaticalization chain proposed by Talmy Givón wherein the Ethical Dative evolves incrementally from other dative forms, accounting for its lopsided distribution across the Bible. Via its similarity to the Personal Dative in Appalachian English, I propose a derivation for the ED whose locus is the specifier of a high Applicative Phrase, allowing us to account for Givón’s progression through the gradual reduction of merge-operations and feature-valuation at that node. My analysis bolsters the notion that the uneven distribution of EDs is indicative of diachronic evolution and not synchronic variation. Moreover, this paper enhances our understanding of a potential grammatical fingerprint within the Hebrew Bible that may aid in discerning authors, time periods, and the broader history of the Bible’s composition and redaction

Concepts, Introspection, and Phenomenal Consciousness: An Information-Theoretical Approach

This essay is a sustained information-theoretic attempt to bring new light on some of the perennial problems in the philosophy of mind surrounding phenomenal consciousness and introspection. Following Dretske (1981), we present and develop an informational psychosemantics as it applies to what we call <em>sensory concepts</em>, concepts that apply, roughly, to so-called secondary qualities of objects. We show that these concepts have a special informational character and semantic structure that closely tie them to the brain states realizing conscious qualitative experiences. We then develop an account of introspection which exploits this special nature of sensory concepts. The result is a new class of concepts, which, following recent terminology, we call <em>phenomenal concepts</em>: these concepts refer to phenomenal experience itself and are the vehicles used in introspection. On our account, the connection between sensory and phenomenal concepts is very tight: it consists in different semantic uses of the same cognitive structures underlying the sensory concepts, like RED. Contrary to widespread opinion, we show that information theory contains all the resources to satisfy internalist intuitions about phenomenal consciousness, while not offending externalist ones. A consequence of this account is that it explains and predicts the so-called conceivability arguments against physicalism on the basis of the special nature of sensory and phenomenal concepts. Thus we not only show why physicalism is not threatened by such arguments, but also demonstrate its strength in virtue of its ability to predict and explain away such arguments in a principled way. However, we take the main contribution of this work to be what it provides in addition to a response to those conceivability arguments, namely, a substantive account of the interface between sensory and conceptual systems and the mechanisms of introspection as based on the special nature of the information flow between them

Does Meaning Evolove?

A common method of improving how well understood a theory is, is by comparing it to another theory which has been better developed. Radical interpretation is a theory which attempts to explain how communication has meaning. Radical interpretation is treated as another time dependent theory and compared to the time dependent theory of biological evolution. Several similarities and differences are uncovered. Biological evolution can be gradual or punctuated. Whether radical interpretation is gradual or punctuated depends on how the question is framed: on the coarse-grained time scale it proceeds gradually, but on the fine-grained time scale it proceeds by punctuated equilibria. Biological evolution proceeds by natural selection, the counterpart to this is the increase in both correspondence and coherence. Exaption, mutations, and spandrels have counterparts metaphor, speech errors, and puns respectively. Homologous and analogs have direct counterparts in specific words. The most important differences originate from the existence of a unit of inheritance (the traditional gene) occurring in biological evolution - there is no such unit in language

Does Meaning Evolve?

A common method of making a theory more understandable, is by comparing it to another theory which has been better developed. Radical interpretation is a theory which attempts to explain how communication has meaning. Radical interpretation is treated as another time-dependent theory and compared to the time dependent theory of biological evolution. The main reason for doing this is to find the nature of the time dependence; producing analogs between the two theories is a necessary prerequisite to this and brings up many problems. Once the nature of the time dependence is better known it might allow the underlying mechanism to be uncovered. Several similarities and differences are uncovered, there appear to be more differences than similarities.Comment: title changed, completely rewritten, new version 37 pages previous version 28 pages, to appear in Behaviour and Philosoph