What are Mental Representations?

What are Mental Representations? PDF Author: Joulia Smortchkova
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0190686685
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 256

Get Book Here

Book Description
The topic of this book is mental representation, a theoretical concept that lies at the core of cognitive science. Together with the idea that thinking is analogous to computational processing, this concept is responsible for the "cognitive turn" in the sciences of the mind and brain since the 1950s. Conceiving of cognitive processes (such as perception, reasoning, and motor control) as consisting of the manipulation of contentful vehicles that represent the world has led to tremendous empirical advancements in our explanations of behaviour. Perhaps the most famous discovery that explains behavior by appealing to the notion of mental representations was the discovery of 'place' cells that underlie spatial navigation and positioning, which earned researchers John O'Keefe, May-Britt Moser, and Edvard I. Moser a joint Nobel Prize in 2014. And yet, despite the empirical importance of the concept, there is no agreed definition or theoretical understanding of mental representation. This book constitutes a state-of-the-art overview on the topic of mental representation, assembling some of the leading experts in the field and allowing them to engage in meaningful exchanges over some of the most contentious questions. The collection gathers both proponents and critics of the notion, making room for debates dealing with the theoretical and ontological status of representations, the possibility of formulating a general account of mental representation which would fit our best explanatory practices, and the possibility of delivering such an account in fully naturalistic terms. Some contributors explore the relation between mutually incompatible notions of mental representation, stemming from the different disciplines composing the cognitive sciences (such as neuroscience, psychology, and computer science). Others question the ontological status and explanatory usefulness of the notion. And finally, some try to sketch a general theory of mental representations that could face the challenges outlined in the more critical chapters of the volume.

Meaning and Mental Representations

Meaning and Mental Representations PDF Author: Umberto Eco
Publisher: Indiana University Press
ISBN: 9780253337245
Category : Semantics
Languages : en
Pages : 252

Get Book Here

Book Description
..". an excellent collection... " -- Journal of Language Social Psychology An important collection of original essays by well-known scholars debating the questions of logical versus psychologically-based interpretations of language.

The Construction of Mental Representations During Reading

The Construction of Mental Representations During Reading PDF Author: Herre van Oostendorp
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 1135688397
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 464

Get Book Here

Book Description
This volume presents in-depth investigations of the processes of meaning-making during reading at both local (discourse) and global (general knowledge) levels. It considerably extends our knowledge of how mental representations are constructed and updated during reading. The book also provides insight into the process of representation construction by using online measures and relating this process with final memory representations; provides detailed models of these processes; pays attention to the coordination of multiple representations constructed; focuses on the monitoring and updating of mental representations; and applies all this knowledge to richer and more complicated texts than are often used in laboratories.

Representation in Cognitive Science

Representation in Cognitive Science PDF Author: Nicholas Shea
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0198812884
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 305

Get Book Here

Book Description
Our thoughts are meaningful. We think about things in the outside world; how can that be so? This is one of the deepest questions in contemporary philosophy. Ever since the 'cognitive revolution', states with meaning-mental representations-have been the key explanatory construct of the cognitive sciences. But there is still no widely accepted theory of how mental representations get their meaning. Powerful new methods in cognitive neuroscience can now reveal information processing in the brain in unprecedented detail. They show how the brain performs complex calculations on neural representations. Drawing on this cutting-edge research, Nicholas Shea uses a series of case studies from the cognitive sciences to develop a naturalistic account of the nature of mental representation. His approach is distinctive in focusing firmly on the 'subpersonal' representations that pervade so much of cognitive science. The diversity and depth of the case studies, illustrated by numerous figures, make this book unlike any previous treatment. It is important reading for philosophers of psychology and philosophers of mind, and of considerable interest to researchers throughout the cognitive sciences.

Mental Representations

Mental Representations PDF Author: Ruth M. Kempson
Publisher: CUP Archive
ISBN: 9780521399050
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 244

Get Book Here

Book Description
This dynamic collection provides an overview of the relationship between linguistic form and interpretation as exemplified by the most influential of these paradigms - the current Chomskian Government and Binding paradigm, the conflicting Situation Semantics paradigm, the Davidsonian programme and, finally, the new relevance theory of cognition and pragmatics.

Symbolic Mental Representations in Arts and Mystical Experiences

Symbolic Mental Representations in Arts and Mystical Experiences PDF Author:
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 9780367505370
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 252

Get Book Here

Book Description
Symbolic Mental Representations in Arts and Mystical Experiences explains how the individual's conceptualization of reality is dependent on the development of their brain, body structure, and the experiences that are physiologically confronted, acted, or observed via learning and/or simulation, occurring in family or community settings. The book offers support for Jean Knox's reinterpretation of Jung's archetypal hypothesis, exposing the fundamentality of the body - in its neurophysiological development, bodily-felt sensations, non-verbal interactions, affects, emotions, and actions - in the process of meaning-making. Using information from disciplines such as Affective Neuroscience, Embodied Cognition, Attachment Theory, and Cognitive Linguistics, it clarifies how the most refined experiences of symbolic imagination are rooted in somatopsychic patterns. This book will be of great interest for academics and researchers in the fields of Analytical Psychology, Affective Neuroscience, Linguistics, Anthropology of Consciousness, Art-therapy, and Mystical Experiences, as well as Jungian and post-Jungian scholars, philosophers, and teachers.

Measurement in Sport and Exercise Psychology

Measurement in Sport and Exercise Psychology PDF Author: Gershon Tenenbaum
Publisher: Human Kinetics
ISBN: 1492582697
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 724

Get Book Here

Book Description
Measurement in Sport and Exercise Psychology provides a complete analysis of the tools and methods used in sport and exercise psychology research. Each chapter of this accessible text presents key measurement variables and concepts, including their definitions; an evaluation of the measurement constructs and tools available; and an explanation of any controversies in each topic. The text includes access to an online resource that presents 14 measurement instruments in their entirety. This resource also contains additional web links to many other measurement instruments. Drawing on their experience as leading researchers in the field, editors Tenenbaum, Eklund, and Kamata have selected a team of recognized scholars to bring both breadth and depth to this essential resource. By thoroughly examining each measurement tool, Measurement in Sport and Exercise Psychology assists readers in determining strengths and limitations of each tool and discovering which tools are best suited to their research projects. Readers will also gain critical knowledge to expand the field by recognizing opportunities for new methods of measurement and evaluation. The text begins with a historical review of measurement in sport and exercise psychology followed by a comprehensive description of theories and measurement issues. It provides detailed information regarding ethical and cultural issues inherent in the selection of specific testing protocols as well as issues in interpreting meta-analysis. This is followed by discussion of the commonly used constructs and inventories in three areas: cognition, perception, and motivation measurement; emotion (affect) and coping measurement; and social and behavioral measurement. Recommendations for researchers and practitioners included at the end of each chapter provide starting points for considering ways to incorporate chapter content into research projects and professional practice. Tables located at the end of each chapter summarize key information for quick reference and provide online sources, when available, so that readers can access each measurement tool. Original source information is provided for those tools not available online. Measurement in Sport and Exercise Psychology assists readers in evaluating the effectiveness of specific measurement tools. As the most complete and up-to-date directory of tools and inventories in the field of sport and exercise, this text offers a thorough explanation of considerations, controversies, recommendations, and locations for accessing these measurement tools.

Representation Reconsidered

Representation Reconsidered PDF Author: William M. Ramsey
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521859875
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 284

Get Book Here

Book Description
Publisher description

Partitioned Representations

Partitioned Representations PDF Author: John Dinsmore
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9780792313489
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 356

Get Book Here

Book Description
One: Nuts and Bolts.- 1. Mental Representation.- Symbolism: The Classical Paradigm.- Cracks in the Symbolic Paradigm.- Connectionism: The Other Paradigm.- Methods of Models.- Assessing Theories of Mental Representation.- 2. Partitioned Representations.- General Overview.- The Contents of Spaces.- Parochial Reasoning.- Primary Contexts.- Partitioned Semantics.- Coherence.- Consolidation.- Secondary Contexts.- A Typology of Spaces.- Where Partitioned Representations Get Their Power.- Summary and Conclusions.- 3. Language: Process and Structure.- A Simple Philosophy of Language.- Linguistic Explanation.- The Process of Language Understanding.- Linguistic Evidence for Mental Representations.- 4. Three Levels of Language Processing.- Parochial Processing.- Distribution.- Contextualization.- An Example Discourse.- Conclusions.- Two: Studies in Language.- 5. Pedro's Donkey and Oedipus's Mother.- Some Common Parochial Linguistic Processes.- Some Common Cases of Distribution.- Interaction of Distribution and Parochial Processes.- Summary and Conclusions.- 6. Satisfying Presuppositions in Discourse.- The Problem of Presupposition.- Presupposition and Parochial Processing.- What Happens in Complex Sentences?.- Conclusions.- 7. Space Frogs and Henry Ford.- Linguistic Evidence for Contextualization.- The Semantic Contributions of Space Cues.- Summary.- 8. Temporal Aspect.- Reference Time: Temporal Perspective.- Semantics and Construction.- Reference Time: Contextualization.- The Case of the Present Perfect.- Conclusion.- 9. General Conclusions.- An Assessment of Partitioned Representations.- Prospectus.- The Importance of Partitioned Representations.- Appendices: Formal Models.- 10. A Logic of Partitioned Representations.- The Syntax of PR.- Rules of Inference for PR.- The Semantics of PR.- Soundness.- Conclusions.- 11. Generalized Natural Deduction.- Generalized Natural Deduction.- Time and Action.- Frames.- Summary and Conclusions.- 12. A Computational Model.- The Design of Spaceprobe.- Customizing Digestion.- Restructuring Rules for Distribution.- Handling Queries.- Language Understanding in Spaceprobe.- Summary.- References.- Author Index.

The Philosophy of Animal Minds

The Philosophy of Animal Minds PDF Author: Robert W. Lurz
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139481029
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 321

Get Book Here

Book Description
This volume is a collection of fourteen essays by leading philosophers on issues concerning the nature, existence, and our knowledge of animal minds. The nature of animal minds has been a topic of interest to philosophers since the origins of philosophy, and recent years have seen significant philosophical engagement with the subject. However, there is no volume that represents the current state of play in this important and growing field. The purpose of this volume is to highlight the state of the debate. The issues which are covered include whether and to what degree animals think in a language or in iconic structures, possess concepts, are conscious, self-aware, metacognize, attribute states of mind to others, and have emotions, as well as issues pertaining to our knowledge of and the scientific standards for attributing mental states to animals.