Timo Honkela: Turning quantity into quality and making concepts visible using computational means

Timo Honkela, Mickwitz seminariet, 9.2.2017

Helsinki 9th of Feb 2017

Turning quantity into qualityand making concepts visibleusing computational means

Timo Honkela


Timo Honkela

9 Feb 2017

University of Helsinki

Turning quantity into quality and making concepts visibleusing computational means

[email protected]

Mickwitz seminariet, Helsingfors (Helsinki)


Turning quantity into quality


Lindh-Knuutila & Honkela 2015


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Lindh-Knuutila & Honkela 2015


Quality and quantity

● Modeling language is challenging just due to the sheer quantities involved

● Language is a phenomenon that encompassesa number of areas and levels of abstraction

● In contrast to formal languages, ambiguity/polysemy is inherently involved

● Language is not an isolated formal system but an evolving system that is influenced bypsychoogical, cognitive, social and cultural factors


> 6000 languages,many more dialects Billions of people

blogs.state.gov

en.wikipedia.org

A large number ofdifferent cultures

en.wikipedia.org A vast number of ways to relatelanguage, concepts andthe world to each other

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=fpGjDAgwZeixRM&tbnid=HZkrscZ261waAM:&ved=0CAQQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogs.state.gov%2Findex.php%2Fsite%2Fentry%2Fworld_youth_conference_2010&ei=vW9QUeaXGsSstAa9toGAAQ&psig=AFQjCNEVcs0UjcwUK4P2YwfwF_PJ0QJlug&ust=1364312360901232

Simulating processes of language emergence and communication 11


Language as a system

● Considering natural language as a signal and dynamic system at cognitive and social levels (also in its written form) rather than a symbolic and logical system

● Importance of embodiment (cf. e.g. Harnad) and embeddedness (cf. e.g. Edelman)

● Learning and pattern recognition processes are essential (as opposed to the theories presented e.g. by Chomsky, Fodor, Pinker); much of the learning is bound to be unsupervised


Meaning is contextual

red winered skinred shirt

Gärdenfors: Conceptual Spaces

Hardin: Color for Philosophers

Simulating processes of language emergence and communication 13


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active dimensions

(Väyrynen, Lindqvist, Honkela 2007)


Förger & Honkela, 2013

WALKING

RUNNINGRUNNING

Consider how different languagesdivide the conceptual space

in different ways(cf. e.g. Melissa Bowerman et al.)


Making concepts visible


Maps of words in Grimm fairy tales

Honkela, Pulkki & Kohonen 1995


Dynamics ofconcepts

and words


Making concepts visible


Meaning is subjective

● Good● Fair● Useful● Scientific● Democratic● Sustainable● etc.

A proper theory ofmeaning has to takethis into account


Thank you for your attention

TackKiitos

Danke schönMerci謝謝

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Timo Honkela: Turning quantity into quality and making concepts visible using computational means

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