Semantics, conceptual spaces, and the meeting of minds

We present an account of semantics that is not construed as a mapping of language to theworld but rather as amapping between individual meaning spaces. The meanings of linguistic entities are established via a “meeting of minds.” The concepts in the minds of communicating individuals are modeled as convex regions in conceptual spaces. We outline a mathematical framework, based on fixpoints in continuous mappings between conceptual spaces, that can be used to model such a semantics. If concepts are convex, it will in general be possible for interactors to agree on joint meaning even if they start out from different representational spaces. Language is discrete, while mental representations tend to be continuous—posing a seeming paradox. We show that the convexity assumption allows us to address this problem. Using examples, we further show that our approach helps explain the semantic processes involved in the composition of expressions

Semantic spaces

Any natural language can be considered as a tool for producing large databases (consisting of texts, written, or discursive). This tool for its description in turn requires other large databases (dictionaries, grammars etc.). Nowadays, the notion of database is associated with computer processing and computer memory. However, a natural language resides also in human brains and functions in human communication, from interpersonal to intergenerational one. We discuss in this survey/research paper mathematical, in particular geometric, constructions, which help to bridge these two worlds. In particular, in this paper we consider the Vector Space Model of semantics based on frequency matrices, as used in Natural Language Processing. We investigate underlying geometries, formulated in terms of Grassmannians, projective spaces, and flag varieties. We formulate the relation between vector space models and semantic spaces based on semic axes in terms of projectability of subvarieties in Grassmannians and projective spaces. We interpret Latent Semantics as a geometric flow on Grassmannians. We also discuss how to formulate G\"ardenfors' notion of "meeting of minds" in our geometric setting.Comment: 32 pages, TeX, 1 eps figur

What are natural concepts? A design perspective

Conceptual spaces have become an increasingly popular modeling tool in cognitive psychology. The core idea of the conceptual spaces approach is that concepts can be represented as regions in similarity spaces. While it is generally acknowledged that not every region in such a space represents a natural concept, it is still an open question what distinguishes those regions that represent natural concepts from those that do not. The central claim of this paper is that natural concepts are represented by the cells of an optimally designed similarity space

Cognitive linguistics: a selected bibliography

Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 zostało dofinansowane ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej nauk

Kreiranje lozinki: između prototipne perpektive i konceptualnog prostora LJUBAVI

Aided by the instruments of prototype theory, the current study sets out to determine whether in password creation there is a common underlying cognitive pattern in the categorization of the elusive natural language concept of LOVE. Our framework combines free listing, a method providing critical information about the words that are more generally associated with a concept, and analysis of prototype rating surveys. The results obtained are compared to a dataset of randomly selected passwords to determine the semantic associations of the concept of LOVE and clarify the semantic processes involved in the structure of passwords. Results suggest that, in categorizing LOVE, password users have compatible representations that afford a meeting of minds. We conclude that LOVE acts as a fixpoint in the mental processing of this CONCEPTUAL SPACE and that it takes, with password users, idealized forms of representations rather than individual experience-based representations, as might be expected. Our investigation method has facilitated the collection of data on how LOVE prototypes specify more exhaustively the mode of synthesis and the cognitive mapping under which these may occur.Primjenjujući instrumente teorije prototipova, u ovoj se studiji nastoji utvrditi postoji li pri kreiranju lozinki zajednički kognitivni uzorak na temelju kojega se kategorizira pojam LJUBAVI. Analitičku okosnicu rada čini kombinacija metode slobodnog nabrajanja, kojom se izlučilo ključne informacije o riječima koje se općenito vezuju uz pojam i analize rezultata rangiranja prototipnosti. Dobiveni su rezultati uspoređeni s bazom nasumično odabranih lozinki kako bi se utvrdile semantičke asocijacije pojma LJUBAVI i razjasnili semantički procesi u strukturi lozinki. Rezultati ukazuju na to da u kategorizaciji LJUBAVI korisnici lozinki imaju sukladne konceptualne prikaze koji omogućuju susret umova. Zaključak je studije da LJUBAV djeluje kao svojevrsno sidršte u mentalnoj obradi dotičnog KONCEPTUALNOG PROSTORA te da ga u korisnika lozinki obilježava idealiziran oblik prikaza, a ne, protivno očekivanjima, prikazi temeljeni na pojedinačnim iskustvima. Naš je analitički pristup omogućio prikupljanje podataka o tome na koji način prototipovi LJUBAVI elaboriraju način sintetiziranja i kognitivnih preslikavanja unutar kojih se oni mogu pojaviti

Ontological Foundations for Geographic Information Science

We propose as a UCGIS research priority the topic of “Ontological Foundations for Geographic Information.” Under this umbrella we unify several interrelated research subfields, each of which deals with different perspectives on geospatial ontologies and their roles in geographic information science. While each of these subfields could be addressed separately, we believe it is important to address ontological research in a unitary, systematic fashion, embracing conceptual issues concerning what would be required to establish an exhaustive ontology of the geospatial domain, issues relating to the choice of appropriate methods for formalizing ontologies, and considerations regarding the design of ontology-driven information systems. This integrated approach is necessary, because there is a strong dependency between the methods used to specify an ontology, and the conceptual richness, robustness and tractability of the ontology itself. Likewise, information system implementations are needed as testbeds of the usefulness of every aspect of an exhaustive ontology of the geospatial domain. None of the current UCGIS research priorities provides such an integrative perspective, and therefore the topic of “Ontological Foundations for Geographic Information Science” is unique

GEOMETRIJA VS. ALGEBRA ZNAČENJA: GÄRDENFORS VS. JACKENDOFF

In this paper Gärdenfors’s geometric approach to meaning in natural language is compared to Jackendoff\u27s algebraic one, and this is done against the backdrop of formal semantics. Ultimately, the paper tries to show that Jackendoff\u27s framework is to be preferred to all others. The paper proceeds as follows. In Section 2, the common theoretical commitments of Gärdenfors and Jackendoff are outlined, and it is attempted to argue briefly that they are on the right track. In Section 3, the basics of the two frameworks to be compared are laid out, and it is assessed how they deal with some central issues in semantic theory, namely reference and truth, lexical decomposition, and compositionality. In Section 4, we get into the nitty-gritty of how Gärdenfors and Jackendoff actually proceed in semantic analysis, using an example of a noun and a verb (embedded in a sentence). In Section 5, the merits of Gärdenfors\u27s empiricism when it comes to word learning and concept acquisition are assessed and compared to the moderate nativism of Jackendoff, and it is argued that Jackendoff\u27s nativism is to be preferred. In the sixth section, the semantic internalism common to both frameworks is commented on.U ovom članku uspoređuje se Gärdenforsov geometrijski pristup značenju u prirodnom jeziku s Jackendoffovim algebarskim pristupom, i to na pozadini formalne semantike. U konačnici, tvrdi se da Jackendoffov teorijski okvir treba preferirati u odnosu na sve druge. Članak je organiziran kako slijedi. U prvom odjeljku, navode se teorijska gledišta zajednička Gärdenforsu i Jackendoffu, te se ukratko argumentira da su na dobrom tragu. U drugom odjeljku, iznose se osnove dvaju teorijskih okvira koji su predmetom usporedbe, te se razmatra na koji se način nose s nekim središnjim temama semantike, naime s referencijom i istinom, leksičkom dekompozicijom i kompozicionalnošću. U trećem odjeljku, ulazi se u detalje toga kako Gärdenfors i Jackendoff zaista postupaju pri semantičkoj analizi, služeći se primjerom imenice i glagola (uklopljenog u rečenicu). U četvrtom odjeljku, razmatraju se dosezi Gärdenforsovog empirizma glede učenja riječi i stjecanja pojmova i uspoređuju se s Jackendoffovim umjerenim nativizmom, te se tvrdi da Jackendoffovom nativizmu treba dati prednost. U završnom odjeljku, komentira se semantički internalizam koji je zajednički obama okvirima

The Linguistic Determination of Conscious Thought Contents

In this paper we address the question of what determines the content of our conscious episodes of thinking, considering recent claims that phenomenal character individuates thought contents. We present one prominent way for defenders of phenomenal intentionality to develop that view and then examine ‘sensory inner speech views’, which provide an alternative way of accounting for thought-content determinacy. We argue that such views fare well with inner speech thinking but have problems accounting for unsymbolized thinking. Within this dialectic, we present an account of the nature of unsymbolized thinking that accords with and can be seen as a continuation of the activity of inner speech, while offering a way of explaining thought-content determinacy in terms of linguistic structures and representation