Meaning

2019 ◽  
pp. 207-227
Author(s):  
Paul Thagard
Keyword(s):  
Possible Worlds ◽  
Mental Representations ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Meaning Of Life ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Social Meaning ◽  
The World ◽  
Sensory Motor ◽  
Multiple Levels ◽  
Different Levels

Philosophical problems about the meaning of language and the meaning of life turn out to have interesting commonalities. Neither has plausible solutions that draw on supernatural entities such as abstract meanings, possible worlds, and divine plans. Rather, both can be approached by looking at mechanisms at four different levels: molecular, neural, mental, and social. Meaning is not a thing but a process that depends on interactions of parts occurring at multiple levels, resulting in multilevel emergence. The Semantic Pointer Architecture illuminates the neural mechanisms that operate in languages and valuable lives. Words are meaningful because their mental representations as concepts are brain processes that combine sensory-motor interactions with the world and interactions with other concepts. The meaning of life is also three-dimensional, requiring people to interact with language, the world, and other people.

Mental Mechanisms

Mind-Society ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 22-47
Author(s):  
Paul Thagard
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Appraisal ◽  
Mental Representations ◽  
Special Kind ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Emotional Information ◽  
Sensory Inputs ◽  
The World ◽  
Sensory Motor ◽  
Human Thinking ◽  
High Level

Psychological explanations based on representations and procedures can be deepened by showing how they emerge from neural mechanisms. Neurons represent aspects of the world by collective patterns of firing. These patterns can be bound into more complicated patterns that can transcend the limitations of sensory inputs. Semantic pointers are a special kind of representation that operates by binding neural patterns encompassing sensory, motor, verbal, and emotional information. The semantic pointer theory applies not only to the ordinary operations of mental representations like concepts and rules but also to the most high-level kinds of human thinking, including language, creativity, and consciousness. Semantic pointers also encompass emotions, construed as bindings that combine cognitive appraisal with physiological perception.

Knowledge

2019 ◽  
pp. 58-91
Author(s):  
Paul Thagard
Keyword(s):  
Theory Of Mind ◽  
Mental Representations ◽  
Social Dimensions ◽  
Neural Firing ◽  
Motor Experience ◽  
The World ◽  
Sensory Motor

For the semantic pointer theory of mind, the bearers of knowledge are not abstract propositions but rather patterns of neural firing that constitute mental representations, including concepts, beliefs, nonverbal rules, images, and emotions. This neurocognitive perspective suggests new answers for questions about the generation of candidates for knowledge and their relations to the world via sensory-motor interactions. Semantic pointers support knowledge that beliefs are true or false, how to do things using multimodal rules, and of things via sensory-motor experience. The Semantic Pointer Architecture meshes well with coherence-based justification that abandons foundational certainty for fallible attempts to fit diverse elements of knowledge into the best overall explanation. Knowledge has important social dimensions.

Language

Brain-Mind ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 201-222
Author(s):  
Paul Thagard
Keyword(s):  
Mental Representation ◽  
Syntactic Structure ◽  
Parallel Architecture ◽  
Social Processes ◽  
Neural Mechanisms ◽  
Conceptual Blending ◽  
The World ◽  
Sensory Motor ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Combine Information

Semantic pointers handle syntactic structure in a way that integrates with other key aspects of language, including semantics, pragmatics, and phonology. Semantic pointers plausibly provide the underlying neural mechanisms for Jackendoff’s parallel architecture and for other theories of language that go beyond Chomsky’s syntax-first approach. In particular, they show how the mental representation of a word can efficiently combine information about sound, meaning, and grammar to enable the organization of words into sentences. Semantic pointers cast the meanings of words and sentences as multidimensional, relying not just on the relations of words to other words but also on the relation of words to the world through sensory-motor operations, with further contributions from genetic and social processes. The Semantic Pointer Architecture also provides neural mechanisms for explaining complex linguistic phenomena such as conceptual blending and metaphor.

How Brains Make Minds

Brain-Mind ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 18-49
Author(s):  
Paul Thagard
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Mental Representations ◽  
Sensory Experience ◽  
Parallel Process ◽  
Neural Cells ◽  
Multiple Constraints ◽  
The World ◽  
Sensory Motor ◽  
High Level ◽  
High Level Thinking

Brains make minds because mental representations and processes are performed by neural mechanisms. Mental representations work by patterns of firing in neural groups. More complicated representations that go beyond sensory experience can be formed by binding representations together, combining patterns of firing into new ones. In particular, binding can produce semantic pointers that coalesce and compress different kinds of information, including sensory, motor, emotional and verbal information. Semantic pointers retain connections to sensory and motor experience while also acquiring the autonomy that is usually attributed to symbols. Eliasmith’s semantic pointer hypothesis shows how neural cells can interact to produce high-level thinking. Different representations compete with each other to provide accounts of what is going on in the world through a parallel process of satisfaction of multiple constraints. Neural networks can learn by changing the synaptic connections between neurons.

Spaces

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dean Rickles
Keyword(s):  
Mental Representations ◽  
Laws Of Nature ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
General Concept ◽  
Intrinsic Structure ◽  
Physical Systems ◽  
The World ◽  
Abstract Spaces

The concept of space has many distinct uses in science. Not only does it denote the three-dimensional physical space we walk through (and our mental representations thereof), but also abstract spaces of various kinds and higher dimensionality. Spaces provide a means of systematically and exhaustively representing possible distinct states of physical or abstract systems, allowing one to chart the motions, relationships, and other qualities that they might undergo, enter into, or possess. Such spaces can encode the possibilities of physical systems relative to laws of nature allowing us both to probe modal aspects of the world and to discover symmetries and redundancies in a theory (identifying “intrinsic structure”). This chapter reviews these various elements, giving many examples from distinct fields and attempts to draw some broad lessons on the significance of this more general concept of space.

The Power of Business

2007 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Doris Fuchs ◽  
Markus ML Lederer
Keyword(s):  
Global Governance ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Levels Of Analysis ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Short Introduction ◽  
Business Power ◽  
The World ◽  
Structural Dimensions ◽  
Dimensional Assessment ◽  
Different Levels

The introduction to the special issue develops a systematic and theoretically grounded framework for assessing business power in global governance. It is shown that power is said to have shifted from the world of states to the world of business. However, in order to evaluate such a claim first a differentiation of power in its instrumental, structural, and discursive facets is necessary. It is furthermore explained that the strength of such a three-dimensional assessment is that it combines different levels of analysis and considers actor-specific and structural dimensions and their material and ideational sources. Following a short introduction to the more empirical articles is provided summarizing their commonalities and differences.

Tabletowe dzieci. Ile zła wyrządza małym dzieciom tablet reklamowany jako najlepsza zabawka dla twojego dziecka. Ku rozwadze dorosłym, którzy temu ulegają

2018 ◽  
Vol LXXVIII (5) ◽  
pp. 325-334
Author(s):  
Edyta Gruszczyk-Kolczyńska
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Virtual World ◽  
Mental Representations ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Three Dimensional Objects ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
The World ◽  
Real Objects ◽  
To Come ◽  
Insight Into

In the article, I present the findings of scientific insight into issues that I call tablet children. I provide alarming data on the number of children aged 6 months and a little bit older who are given access to tablets and smartphones by adults. I quote the most important findings included in the theory of representation by Jerome S. Bruner to explain the following: – What makes babies and toddlers use tablets and smartphones in a remarkably efficient way; – Adverse differences in representations created by children based on experiences gathered in the world of real objects and in the virtual world; – Distortions in the outlines of mental representations formed by young children when they watch images on tablet and smartphone screens too frequently. Being given access to these devices is particularly dangerous for young children, who have not yet created the outlines of the representations of three-dimensional objects and three-dimensional qualities of space in their minds. Distortions in the outlines of representations are difficult to fix as subsequent experiences only complement and expand the existing representations. Since the existing representations take part in creating new representations, the new ones are not fully correct either. I also argue the need for serious research that should aim to determine the far-reaching results of tablets and smartphones being available to babies and young children. This will help to come to terms with these devices educationally and also to determine when and for how long they can be made available to children so that they are safe for children's mental development.

Scanning electron microscopy of freeze-fractured prescapular lymph node of caprine

1984 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. 244-245
Author(s):  
O. Faroon ◽  
F. Al-Bagdadi ◽  
T. G. Snider ◽  
C. Titkemeyer
Keyword(s):  
Lymph Node ◽  
Lymph Nodes ◽  
Lymphatic System ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Meat Products ◽  
The Body ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
The World ◽  
Cellular Constituent ◽  
Scanning Electron

The lymphatic system is very important in the immunological activities of the body. Clinicians confirm the diagnosis of infectious diseases by palpating the involved cutaneous lymph node for changes in size, heat, and consistency. Clinical pathologists diagnose systemic diseases through biopsies of superficial lymph nodes. In many parts of the world the goat is considered as an important source of milk and meat products.The lymphatic system has been studied extensively. These studies lack precise information on the natural morphology of the lymph nodes and their vascular and cellular constituent. This is due to using improper technique for such studies. A few studies used the SEM, conducted by cutting the lymph node with a blade. The morphological data collected by this method are artificial and do not reflect the normal three dimensional surface of the examined area of the lymph node. SEM has been used to study the lymph vessels and lymph nodes of different animals. No information on the cutaneous lymph nodes of the goat has ever been collected using the scanning electron microscope.

Lived Catholicity

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 149-163
Author(s):  
Jeffrey S. Kirch
Keyword(s):  
Pope Francis ◽  
The World ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
Multiple Levels ◽  
The Church

Both Pope Francis and Robert Schreiter recognize that the world has been profoundly affected by conflict, globalization, and the breakdown of relationships on multiple levels. They also assert that the Church must address these situations. The ecclesiologies of both Schreiter and Francis offer effective tools for this work. This article will examine several key, shared concepts within their ecclesiologies. Specifically, their understandings of the missionary nature of the Church and their robust understanding of catholicity prove to be key concepts in the Church's response to a world marred by sin.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF EDUCATION AND TOLERANCE IN STUDENTS

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 112-119
Author(s):  
VLADIMIR GLEB NAYDONOV
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Rich Diversity ◽  
Interethnic Differences ◽  
The World ◽  
The Rich ◽  
Correct Understanding ◽  
Psychological Features ◽  
Different Levels

The article considers the students’ tolerance as a spectrum of personal manifestations of respect, acceptance and correct understanding of the rich diversity of cultures of the world, values of others’ personality. The purpose of the study is to investgate education and the formation of tolerance among the students. We have compiled a training program to improve the level of tolerance for interethnic differences. Based on the statistical analysis of the data obtained, the most important values that are significant for different levels of tolerance were identified.

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