Semantics Finals Part 3

• 4 Theories of Concepts

  Image Theory, Classical Theory, Causal Theory, and Prototype Theory
• This theory suggests that concepts are REPRESENTED IN THE MIND through MENTAL IMAGES OR SENSORY REPRESENTATIONS

  Image Theory
• It emphasizes the role of SENSORY EXPERIENCES and MENTAL IMAGERY in conceptualization and categorization process

  Image Theory
• Ex: When people think about concepts like "dogs", they evoke mental images of dogs based on their past experiences and perceptions

  Image Theory
• The theory that proposes that concepts are defined by a SET OF NECESSARY AND SUFFICIENT CONDITIONS

  Classical Theory
• For something to be considered a member of a particular concept, it must POSSESS ALL THE DEFINING FEATURES

  Classical Theory
• Ex: Triangle dictates a shape that must have three straight lines and three angles. Anything that meets this criteria is classified as triangle, while shapes that deviates from these conditions are not

  Classical Theory
• It is the INITIAL NAMING EVENT and DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE DETAILS of the event

  Causal Theory
• Ex: Gold. A scientist may have discovered a gold and given it a name which is gold. A people who doesn't know its part use the word anyway in anything that looks like gold

  Causal Theory
• A cognitive theory that suggests concepts are represented in the mind by a prototype or TYPICAL EXAMPLE

  Prototype Theory
• These prototypes are formed through ___ and are considered the most ___ or representative example of a concept

  Experience, typical
• Ex: Bird. You might first think of sparrow or robin when you hear the word bird, not a penguin or an ostrich

  Prototype Theory
• It is the LANGUAGE BEING STUDIED OR ANALYZED

  Object Language
• It could be ANY LANGUAGE (Natural or Formal) that we WANT TO UNDERSTAND BETTER


  Object Language
• It is the LANGUAGE used to TALK ABOUT THE OBJECTS IN THE WORLD

  Object Language
• It is the LANGUAGE used to TALK ABOUT OR ANALYZE THE OBJECT LANGUAGE

  Metalanguage
• It is the tool we use to DESCRIBED the structure, meaning, and rules of the OBJECT LANGUAGE

  Metalanguage
• True or False. In theory, the Metalanguage may be IDENTICAL to ot include the Object Language

  True
• Types of Metalanguage

  Embedded Metalanguage, Ordered Metalanguage, and Nested Metalanguage
• It is a language that is FORMALLY, NATURALLY, AND FIRMLY FIXED in an object language

  Embedded Metalanguage
• An example of this are words such as "noun" , "verb" , and "word", which describes features and concepts PERTAINING TO ENGLISH LANGUAGE ITSELF

  Embedded Metalanguage
• It is similar to ORDERED LOGIC

  Ordered Metalanguage
• An example of ___ Metalanguage is the CONSTRUCTION of one Metalanguage TO DISCUSS AN OBJECT LANGUAGE

  Ordered Metalanguage
• SIMILAR to ordered metalanguage in that each level represents A GREATER DEGREE OF ABSTRACTION

  Nested Metalanguage
• Is an ABSTRACT IDEA or MENTAL REPRESENTATION that encompasses a set of related objects, events, or qualities

  Concepts
• The ___ of "bird" includes various species such as sparrows, eagles, etc, sharing common characteristics like having feathers, wings, etc.

  Concept
• Refers to the INTERNAL COGNITIVE STRUCTURES used to store and process concepts in the mind

  Mental Representations
• An example of ____ of a bird might involve combination of visual imagery, semantic features, and associations

  Mental Representation
• You might mentally VISUALIZE a bird with feathers, wings, beak, and talons

  Visual Imagery
• FEATURES ASSOCIATED with birds, such as the ability to fly, build nests, lay eggs, etc

  Semantic Features
• Freedom (associated with flight)

  Association
• The main way in which we reveal the meanings of LINGUISTIC EXPRESSION is, quite simply, by ___ them in language

  Describing
• The language WHOSE MEANINGS we are describing

  Object Language
• The language IN WHICH we describe these meanings

  Metalanguage
• Four Ways to Break the Cycle 


  Referential/Denotational Theory of Meaning, Conceptual Theory of Meaning, Brain State Theory, and The Use Theory
• The MEANING of an expression is what it refers to or DENOTES, emphasizing the RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LANGUAGE AND OBJECTS

  Referential/Denotational Theory of Meaning
• The problem of ___ of Meaning is that there are MANY WORDS WITHOUT PHYSICAL OBJECT they refer to

  Referential/Denotational Theory
• The MEANING of an expression is the IDEA OR CONCEPT ASSOCIATED WITH IT in the mind of anyone who knows and understands the expression

  Conceptual Theory of Meaning
• The problem of Conceptual Theory of Meaning is that (1) Large number of lexemes are not associated with concepts at all, and (2) People have different concepts based on how they perceive the world
• It proposes that MENTAL STATES ARE IDENTICAL WITH BRAIN STATES. This view tells us that your MENTAL PROPERTIES ARE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES of your brain

  Mental State Theory