hi alex
>>> Organising things into geometric spaces, mapping paths around those
>>> spaces, giving names to areas, points and movements in them,
>>> carrying
>>> out symbolic operations on those names.
>
> I come clean -- these are ideas taken from Peter Gärdenfors' theory of
> Conceptual Spaces. The idea that there is a geometrical level of
> representation between (and complimentary to) symbolic representation
> and ANN-like representation. He sees the geometrical level as the
> conceptual one, where semantic meaning is represented.
Yes I notised the reference of Gärdenfors. I haven't read his book but
it strikes me as very top-down and disembodied view of thinking. But
this view is surely good news for AI as it might be possible to make
some
(human like) intelligence after all, if he is right.
>> - Someone speaks to me in a language that I don't understand. I feel
>> I understand.
>
> Meaning exists in the geometrical relationships in your head and
> not in
> the outside world.
That's a very French statement. Surely the person speaking is saying
something with meaning? We use language to convey meaning.
Of course the problem of hermeneutics enters the picture here.
> We try and harmonise with others but sometimes fail.
> Sometimes it doesn't matter.
>
> Or maybe you mean you didn't understand the symbolic language someone
> was speaking but you get some understanding from their movements, etc?
Yes as well.
>> - I'm playing table tennis, my shoelace is untied and I keep thinking
>> about it, but I play successfully.
>
> I'd have thought the pre-occupation with your shoelace would have
> distracted you from the movement of the ball. You are clearly a
> master
> of thought. :)
Or perhaps rather a master of table tennis? : )
>> - A 6 months old lies on his/her back and searches for his/her dummy.
>> She/he has a project.
>
> S/he has far too many muscles to control, the project is relating
> together all the possible muscle movements into a higher level, low
> dimensional space that s/he can move and think in.
I'd say that s/he is thinking already, s/he just doesn't have control
over the
body. Are you saying that only when she has mapped the muscle movements
to higher level that can be "thought" in, that she is thinking?
That's an
interesting thought.
>>>> * what is public thought ?
>>>
>>> Two or more people harmonising their geometric spaces together.
>>
>> Isn't that conversation?
>>
>> I don't know what public thought is either, but I'd say it would be
>> some system like traffic rules.
>
> Or a football team?
Yes, exactly!
Received on Fri Jul 11 2008 - 10:27:52 BST