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Topic: natural language as action or problem solving
topics >
communication >
beliefs and propositional attitudes
Topic:
commitment
Topic:
meaning by use
Topic:
natural language as a system
Topic:
natural language as communication
Topic:
phenomenology
Topic:
philosophy of mind
Topic:
problem solving
Summary
If meaning comes from use then natural language is a form of action. It is not representational of the world, although representation plays a supporting role. This make words as tools for expressing oneself, solving problems, and carrying on with life.As a result, language is really normative. The effectiveness of what one says or thinks depends on the context. If you use words in the right way, then they will work for you. Language is also fluid since the uses of words change with context and time.
Speech act theory is a systemization of this idea. If words are action, then how do you categorize those actions. An extreme form of speech act theory is Flore's and Winograd's emphasis on commitment. (cbb 5/94)
Subtopic: meaning is normative, not descriptive
Quote: you understand an expression when you know how to use it, although it may conjure up a picture [»wittL_1939]
Subtopic: meaning to achieve objective
Quote: the relation of meaning and intention to future action is normative, not descriptive; e.g., 68+57 should be 125 [»kripSA_1982]
Subtopic: language as activity
Quote: words are tools to convey meanings in order to achieve objectives Quote: message-passing semantics: meaning of a message depends on its effect on subsequent behavior [»hewiC4_1985] Quote: agency is a key component of first-person experience; even though may describe it without agents, the ability to do something is a criterion [»laurB_1991] Quote: the subjunctive corresponds to predicting outcomes, e.g., What would happen if ... [»stroT_1985]
Subtopic: movement as language
Quote: when hammering a nail, one does not need an explicit representation of the hammer; the ability to act comes first [»winoT_1986] Quote: language is a form of action instead of expressing assertions about the world through the denotations of words [»pitkHF_1972] Quote: there need not be a mental process of thinking, hoping, etc. independent of expressing a thought, a hope, etc. [»wittL_1958] Quote: if language is an activity rather than a collection of labels, systematic inconsistencies are essential; invalidates other assumptions [»pitkHF_1972]
Subtopic: mathematics as innate
Quote: movement is a quick and perfect translation from the language of spatial representation to the language of muscle formula [»bernNA_1947]
Subtopic: language as assertion
Quote: abstract knowledge of number and addition precedes, and may guide, language-based instruction in mathematics
Subtopic: language as problem solving
Quote: in uttering 'Witchgren is on the mat' the speaker is making an assertion whether or not Witchgren is on the mat [»ziffP_1960]
Subtopic: speech acts
Quote: the primary purpose of a language is to express oneself in a given problem area [»rossDT3_1957] Quote: a language helps to organize thinking about a problem area [»rossDT3_1957] Quote: a language represents the important features of a problem area and thus channels expressions [»rossDT3_1957] Quote: can not subdivide universe of problems into fixed areas, each with its own special notation [»holtAW5_1958] Quote: AED is a system for problem solving by lexical, parsing, modeling, and analysis phases; machine and language independence by changing the control information for each phase [»rossDT_1967]
Subtopic: language as commitment
Quote: by uttering a sentence we make a move in the language game; a linguistic act Quote: speech act theory--language and thought is ultimately based on social interaction [»winoT_1986] Quote: illocutionary speech acts consist of assertives, directives, commissives, declarations and expressives [»blaiDC6_1992] Quote: in uttering an utterance a speaker is performing various speech acts; e.g., referring, asserting, stating, ordering [»ziffP_1960] Quote: a speech act must satisfy certain conditions; e.g., a corpse won't normally do for a greeting [»ziffP_1960]
Quote: language is action, not communication; the basis of language is commitment within a social structure [»winoT_1986] Quote: communication is a process of commitment and interpretation, not one of transmitting information or symbols Quote: it is meaningless to discuss objects in the absence of concernful activity with a potential for breaking down [»winoT_1986] Quote: every language act has consequences; immediate actions and commitments for future action; if breakdown in commitment than a dialog [»winoT_1986] Quote: meaning arises in the commitment expressed in speech acts [»winoT_1986] Quote: cannot avoid acting, every representation is an interpretation, language is action [»winoT_1986]
Topic: beliefs and propositional attitudes (28 items)
Topic: commitment (31 items)
Topic: meaning by use (58 items)
Topic: natural language as a system (43 items)
Topic: natural language as communication (34 items)
Topic: phenomenology (37 items)
Topic: philosophy of mind (78 items)
Topic: problem solving
(32 items)