Semantics

• Semantics• 意味論

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• Semantics• 14 chapters• Please read them!• Look at the notes• The questions in the notes are the same as the

test!

Password (probably unnecessary)

imi

IMI

• In• My• Imagination

Does meaning exist?

• Yes• No• Maybe

Think of an example

John kicked the ball.

What does that mean?

• “John” refers to a specific person

For example -- him

• “kicked” means ….• Hit with foot

the ball

• “the”• Means we have some ball in mind• From context

ball

• What is “ball”?• And what isn’t “ball”?

this

Or this

Or this

This?

This??

John kicked the ball.

• The meaning• is• in your imagination

What about the word “ball”

• It can be written on paper• It can be spoken• It can be understood• If it can be understood …• Does it exist in your mind?

Say the word IS in your mind/brain …

• What information does it hold?• What is this information like?• For example “ball”• Is round• or• Is egg shaped

Only one is a ball

Ball?

How about soccer ball?

Soccer ball

Soccer ball

Heavy, leather soccer ball

So what about “soccer ball”

• Is round• Contains air• Has skin (leather or plastic or other synthetic

material)

What is the connection between soccer ball and round?

• Is round• Has_shape round

• So what is round?

Concepts

• Round is a concept• Air is a concept

Concepts

• Has_shape is also a kind of concept?• Has_shape somehow connects ball and round

Do these concepts really exist?

• Does the concept round exist anywhere?• Is it just in our heads?• Is it just created by words and thoughts?• Very very very old philosophical questions

Plato and Aristotle

Plato – not stupid

Plato

• Properties (concepts)• Qualities (property)• Relations (property)• Qualities: round, human, red, female etc• Relations: • is_the_daughter_of• Has_shape• Contains• etc

Plato

• Said these properties are real• And they exist independent of actual real

things• So roundness exists somewhere• It is not just connected to actual objects

Aristotle – not stupid

Aristotle

• Said these properties are real• But they only exist because of actual things in

the real world• They don’t exist anywhere else• Except maybe in our imagination

William of Ockham – not stupid

William of Ockham

• Said these properties do NOT exist• Only the actual individual things exist• These properties are just NAMES for things• So they only exist because of words and our

imagination

Immanuel Kant – not stupid

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel – not stupid

Kant and Hegel

• Said these properties are not real• Just in the mind• Just tools for thinking

William James – not stupid

William James

• Said these properties are not real• They are just tools• That we can use to know the truth• Imaginary tools to know the truth!!• Imaginary tools to know the truth!!• Imaginary tools to know the truth!!• Wow!!!!

• I’m impressed!!!!!!

So who knows the answer?

• Nobody• So have fun …. …. thinking for yourself.

What about in modern Semantics?

• Modern Semantics doesn’t have the answers either.

• But be aware of some background issues.

Mind/brain as a computer

Mind/brain as a computer

• Thought is just electrical activity• No relation to outside the brain• Thought must be like computer language

Make a sentence

• How did that sentence get in your head?• What came before the sentence?

• I am speaking now• I am saying sentences• I can make sentences in my head• But what are the thoughts like BEFORE the

sentence?

Is it like computer code?

Or something completely different?

Maybe our heads are more like radios?

Or a computer with wifi

Who knows?

• Not me• Or Plato• Or Aristotle• Kant• Hegel• Williams• Or anyone

• So feel free … …. to use your imagination.Because it is ALL …InMyImagination

What does meaning look like?

Like this?

Something in the brain

But what?

How much do we know?

Basically nothing

Or nothing

Scientists cannot explain …

… what meaning looks like in the brain

Models of meaning

• Scientists cannot explain even the basics• … how does meaning look in the brain?• We don’t know

• We’re just going to think about it