Asymmetric Hybrids: Dialogues for Computational Concept Combination

When people combine concepts these are often characterised as “hybrid”, “impossible”, or “humorous”. However, when simply considering them in terms of extensional logic, the novel concepts understood as a conjunctive concept will often lack meaning having an empty extension (consider “a tooth that is a chair”, “a pet flower”, etc.). Still, people use different strategies to produce new non-empty concepts: additive or integrative combination of features, alignment of features, instantiation, etc. All these strategies involve the ability to deal with conflicting attributes and the creation of new (combinations of) properties. We here consider in particular the case where a Head concept has superior ‘asymmetric’ control over steering the resulting concept combination (or hybridisation) with a Modifier concept. Specifically, we propose a dialogical approach to concept combination and discuss an implementation based on axiom weakening, which models the cognitive and logical mechanics of this asymmetric form of hybridisation.

Quantum Computing and Cognitive Simulation

In this chapter we look at three main areas in which quantum theory has beenapplied to understanding human cognition: the modelling of similarityjudgements; the modelling of decision making; and the modelling ofcategorisation and concept combination. We summarize the cognitive phenomenathat have been described by quantum theory. We describe how quantum theory hasbeen used to address each of these phenomena, as well as discussingquantum-theoretic approaches to modelling neuronal-level phenomena. Finally, wediscuss the implications for using quantum computing to model cognitivephenomena and artificial intelligence more generally.

Reasoning About Typicality and Probabilities in Preferential Description Logics

In this work we describe preferential Description Logics of typicality, a nonmonotonic extension of standard Description Logics by means of a typicality operator T allowing to extend a knowledge base with inclusions of the form T(C) ⊑ D, whose intuitive meaning is that “normally/typically Cs are also Ds”. This extension is based on a minimal model semantics corresponding to a notion of rational closure, built upon preferential models. We recall the basic concepts underlying preferential Description Logics. We also present two extensions of the preferential semantics: on the one hand, we consider probabilistic extensions, based on a distributed semantics that is suitable for tackling the problem of commonsense concept combination, on the other hand, we consider other strengthening of the rational closure semantics and construction to avoid the so called “blocking of property inheritance problem”.

SEMANTICS AND STRUCTURE OF COMPLEX WORD COMBINATIONS IN THE CONTEMPORARY KARAKALPAK LANGUAGE

The article deals with semantics and structure of complex and composite words appearing nowadays in the modern Karakalpak language. Complex words are formed from two or more words and denote a broad concept. Combination of their components are combined by meaning as fixed combinations and they perform a function of one member of a sentence. KEY WORDS: Composite terms, thematic classification, lexical-semantic classification, structure, paired words, abbreviated words, borrowed composite words, tracing.

Engineering Design Concept Generation: The Effect of Concept Combination and Classification

World economic forum reported that creativity is one of the most sought after skills by employers globally. Preliminary research lead to multiple initiatives on enhancing creativity and innovation. To contribute in this field, we investigated the effect of two interventions on the creativity of undergraduate engineering students, particularly on engineering design concept generation. The primary focus of this investigation was on assessing the effect of two interventions, combining and classifying concepts, on the originality and quantity of the concepts produced. In this research, we used the Decision Tree for Originality Assessment in Design (DTOAD) as a measure of concept originality. Statistical analysis showed that both the combine and the classify interventions lead to concept generation with higher originality. We also found that students produced higher number of the radically different concept, i.e. concepts with originality score 7.5 and above, however this effect was observed in all the test groups. These interventions made improvements and thus can be encouraged as a part of an ideation or an engineering problem solving task in the undergraduate engineering education to help the students develop creative skills.

Varia: On distinguishing between the predicative and the subject complement

In this article we review the current concepts of the Compound Nominal Predicate and the combinations of the Verbal Predicate and the Subject Complement. There are several aspects that need further investigation. We suggest that the combinations of verbs with diminished lexical meaning and a nominal, describing a property of the subject, be removed from the concept of Compound Nominal Predicate and included into a new concept: “Combination of Verbal Predicate and Subject Complement”. Thus the term “Compound Nominal Predicate” will be reserved for combinations of the verb “sam” (resp. its synonyms “bada”, „bivam”, “predstavliavam”, “sastavliavam” and “iaviavam se”) and a nominal describing the entity denoted by the subject of the sentence. In all other instances of a verb and a nominal, describing the subject of the sentence, they will be considered a Verbal Predicate and a Subject Complement, which are secondary parts of the sentence.

Іnnovations in Modern Ukrainian Maritime Terminology

Maritime terminology of the modern Ukrainian literary language nowadays is at the stage of intensive dynamics. This process is caused by development of the world maritime industry. It is accompanied by occurrence of terms – neologisms. This article is of high priority because there is no systemic and well-grounded research of innovations in modern Ukrainian maritime terminology. It is focused on the factors due to which new formations in modern Ukrainian maritime terminology are created; processes of occurrence of innovations at the level of research of general-linguistic and individual author’s neologisms are highlighted. The research describes and considers by examples the innovative processes which cause the occurrence of new abbreviated formations. They help to recreate terminological meaning of complicated maritime names, concepts and expressions to make it clear and precisely. This article also investigates metaphorical innovations which are actively applied in maritime terminology and are the key to understanding of many concepts. Special attention is paid to innovations which have arisen due to borrowings as a consequence of contacts between nations or indirectly through other languages. Active process of innovations is also promoted by the terms – word-combinations which reflect the meaning of new concepts of maritime industry. They are formed as a result of several words reflecting a certain terminological concept combination. Innovations in the modern Ukrainian maritime terminology promote to development of the modern Ukrainian literary language proving its mobility and consistency.