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Special Seminar
UNSW Cognitive Science Discussion Group
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Compositionality and semantic theory of human language
by
Stephen Crain & Francesco-Alessio Ursini
Macquarie Centre for Cognitive Science
Thursday, 29 May 2008
5pm - 7pm
Room: Central Lecture Block (CLB) Theatre 8
University of New South Wales
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ABSTRACT
When we talk, we convey information in a principled way. For instance,
suppose we say (1).
(1) The cat is on the mat
This string of sounds (of a certain 'form') are associated with a
meaning that is the same for all speakers and hearers. Intuitively,
each
`unit' of meaning contributes to the final interpretation. To
understand how this is accomplished, we face the problem of
'compositionality' - how
the meaning of a whole proposition is formed from the meanings of its
parts. In this talk, we will offer a brief overview on how (and
why) this problem is approached by the framework of formal semantics
- the application of set theory, algebra and other mathematical
('formal') tools
to the problems of providing a semantic theory of human languages.
This talk will cover some of the quirky 'life forms' of semantics,
such as events,
objects, propositions and properties. We will show for instance that,
in sentences like (2)
(2) Brutus stabbed Caesar three times
something is done three times. In this case, the notion of 'event'
allows us to obtain the right meaning for sentences like this.
Then, we will show that in a sentence like (3)
(3) Politicians are honest
the meaning is that politicians have, generally, the property of being honest.
Finally, we will show that in a sentence like (4)
(4) Every child eats a strawberry
there is no need, logically, to worry about circumstances in which
there are more strawberries than children, contrary to claims made in
the
literature beginning with Inhelder and Piaget.
Since we wish to give evidence supporting our abstract claims, we
will offer some evidence in the form of videos of children dealing
with sentences
like (4). Specifically, we will show a study in which we have
analyzed how 2 years old toddlers develop the right semantics for
such sentences. In this
way, we will offer some evidence for a formal approach to meaning and
some insights on the "logic instinct".
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--
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Dr. Peter Slezak
Program in Cognitive Science.
School of History & Philosophy of Science.
University of New South Wales
Sydney NSW 2052, AUSTRALIA
Tel: (+61 2) 9385-2422
Fax: (+61 2) 9385-8003
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Web Page:
http://hist-phil.arts.unsw.edu.au/staff/staff.php?first=Peter&last=Slezak
Series Editor
Perspectives on Cognitive Science
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/bookdescription.cws_home/702725/description
UNSW Cognitive Science Discussion/Reading Group
http://www.arts.unsw.edu.au/hps/hps_content/new/cog_sci/cog_sci_seminar.html
2003 Joint ASCS & ICCS International Conference on Cognitive Science
http://hps.arts.unsw.edu.au/cogsci_conf
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