Activating, seeking, and creating common ground

2009 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Istvan Kecskes ◽  
Fenghui Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Mental Representation ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Emergent Property ◽  
Shared Knowledge ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
The Core ◽  
Communicative Process ◽  
Integrated Concept

This paper argues that current pragmatic theories fail to describe common ground in its complexity because they usually retain a communication-as-transfer-between-minds view of language, and disregard the fact that disagreement and egocentrism of speaker-hearers are as fundamental parts of communication as agreement and cooperation. On the other hand, current cognitive research has overestimated the egocentric behavior of the dyads and argued for the dynamic emergent property of common ground while devaluing the overall significance of cooperation in the process of verbal communication. The paper attempts to eliminate this conflict and proposes to combine the two views into an integrated concept of common ground, in which both core common ground (assumed shared knowledge, a priori mental representation) and emergent common ground (emergent participant resource, a post facto emergence through use) converge to construct a dialectical socio-cultural background for communication.
Both cognitive and pragmatic considerations are central to this issue. While attention (through salience, which is the cause for interlocutors’ egocentrism) explains why emergent property unfolds, intention (through relevance, which is expressed in cooperation) explains why presumed shared knowledge is needed. Based on this, common ground is perceived as an effort to converge the mental representation of shared knowledge present as memory that we can activate, shared knowledge that we can seek, and rapport, as well as knowledge that we can create in the communicative process. The socio-cognitive approach emphasizes that common ground is a dynamic construct that is mutually constructed by interlocutors throughout the communicative process. The core and emergent components join in the construction of common ground in all stages, although they may contribute to the construction process in different ways, to different extents, and in different phases of the communicative process.

Indirect reports as semantic-pragmatic games

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 463-475
Author(s):  
Sepideh Yasrebi
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Reported Speech ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Main Condition ◽  
Situational Context ◽  
Oxford University ◽  
The Common

Abstract This paper examines indirect reports from the lens of socio-cognitive approach (SCA) to pragmatics. Indirect reports have the capacity to re-mold the substance of the original utterance as a whole. In direct reporting, the original utterance is produced in an actual situational context, and then, it is being reported by a different speaker in a new situational context. So, the utterance which was initially produced is only interpretable in the light of the common ground A whereas the reported utterance is only interpretable in the light of common ground B. We have it from Kecskes (2013. Intercultural pragmatics. New York: Oxford University Press: 159) that “common ground is both an a priori existing and a cooperatively constructed mental abstraction. Likewise, the main condition of reporting is the need of the hearer: there would be no need for reported speech if the audience were already aware of the content of the report. For that reason, the process of meaning making in reporting, that is, the transmission and simultaneously creation of meaning is inextricably bound with the question of context, salience, common ground, pragmatics, semantics and syntax, not to mention all those bodily gestures and expressions that can, or more importantly, cannot be registered in language.

The Logicism of Frege, Dedekind, and Russell

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Demopoulos ◽  
Peter Clark
Keyword(s):  
A Priori ◽  
The Core ◽  
Common Thread ◽  
Synthetic A Priori ◽  
The Common

This article is organized around logicism's answers to the following questions: What is the basis for our knowledge of the infinity of the numbers? How is arithmetic applicable to reality? Why is reasoning by induction justified? Although there are, as is seen in this article, important differences, the common thread that runs through all three of the authors discussed in this article their opposition to the Kantian thesis that reflection on reasoning with mere concepts (i.e., without attention to intuitions formed a priori) can never succeed in providing satisfactory answers to these three questions. This description of the core of the view differs from more usual formulations which represent the opposition to Kant as an opposition to the contention that mathematics in general, and arithmetic in particular, are synthetic a priori rather than analytic.

The cognitive saliency of word associations of verbs of speech in English as a Lingua Franca interactions

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 417-443
Author(s):  
Yang Pang
Keyword(s):  
Common Ground ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Native English Speakers ◽  
Target Language ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Lingua Franca ◽  
Word Associations ◽  
Similar Word ◽  
Speech Communities

AbstractBuilding on the theoretical insights into the socio-cognitive approach to the study of interactions in which English is used as a lingua franca (ELF)), this paper reports on the idiosyncratic phenomenon that ELF speakers do not adhere to the norms of native speakers, but instead create their own particular word associations during the course of the interaction. Taking the verbs of speech talk, say, speak, and tell as examples, this study compares word associations from three corpora of native and non-native speakers. The findings of this study reveal that similar word associative patterns are produced and shared by ELF speech communities from different sociocultural backgrounds, and these differ substantially from those used by native English speakers. Idiom-like constructions such as say like, how to say, and speakin are developed and utilized by Asian and European ELF speakers. Based on these findings, this paper concludes that ELF speakers use the prefabricated expressions in the target language system only as references, and try to develop their own word associative patterns in ELF interactions. Moreover, the analysis of the non-literalness/metaphorical word associations of the verbs of speech in the Asian ELF corpus suggests that ELF speakers dynamically co-construct their shared common ground to derive non-literal/metaphorical meaning in actual situational context.

The Oxford Handbook of Grammatical Number

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Mental Representation ◽  
Noun Phrases ◽  
Numeral Classifiers ◽  
Number Marking ◽  
The Core ◽  
Grammatical Number ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Linguistic Means

This volume offers an overview of current research on grammatical number in language. The chapters Part i of the handbook present foundational notions in the study of grammatical number covering the semantic analyses of plurality, the mass–count distinction, the relationship between number and quantity expressions and the mental representation of number and individuation. The core instance of grammatical number is marking for number distinctions in nominal expressions as in English the book/the books and the chapters in Part ii, Number in the nominal domain, explore morphological, semantic, and syntactic aspects of number marking within noun phrases. The contributions examine morphological marking of number the relationship between syntax and nominal number marking, and the interactions between numeral classifiers with semantic number and number marking. They also address cases of mismatches in form and meaning with respect to number displayed by lexical plurals and collective nouns. The final chapter reviews nominal number processing from the perspective of language pathologies. While number marking on nouns has been the focus of most research on number, number distinctions can also be found in the event domain. Part iii, Number in the event domain, presents an overview of different linguistic means of expressing plurality in the event domain, covering verbal plurality marking, pluractional modifiers of the form Noun preposition Noun, frequency adjectives and dependent indefinites. Part iv provides fifteen case studies examining different aspects of grammatical number marking in a range of typologically diverse languages.

Adaptive Geometry Representation of Turbine Vane Frames for Use in Optimization

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian F. Riebl ◽  
Christian Wakelam ◽  
Reinhard Niehuis
Keyword(s):  
Design Space ◽  
Cfd Simulation ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Optimization Method ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Adjustment Process ◽  
Turbine Vane ◽  
Integrated Concept

Abstract Turbine Vane Frames (TVF) are a way to realize more compact jet engine designs. Located between the high pressure turbine (HPT) and the low pressure turbine (LPT), they fulfill structural and aerodynamic tasks. When used as an integrated concept with splitters located between the structural load-bearing vanes, the TVF configuration contains more than one type of airfoil with sometimes pronouncedly different properties. This system of multidisciplinary demands and mixed blading poses an interesting opportunity for optimization. Within the scope of the present work, a full geometric parameterization of a TVF with splitters is presented. The parameterization is chosen as to minimize the number of parameters required to automatically and flexibly represent all blade types involved in a TVF row in all three dimensions. Typical blade design parameters are linked to the fourth order Bézier-curve controlled camber line-thickness parameterization. Based on conventional design rules, a procedure is presented, which sets the parameters within their permissible ranges according to the imposed constraints, using a proprietary developed code. The presented workflow relies on subsequent three dimensional geometry generation by transfer of the proposed parameter set to a commercially available CAD package. The interdependencies of parameters are discussed and their respective significance for the adjustment process is detailed. Furthermore, the capability of the chosen parameterization and adjustment process to rebuild an exemplary reference TVF geometry is demonstrated. The results are verified by comparing not only geometrical profile data, but also validated CFD simulation results between the rebuilt and original geometries. Measures taken to ensure the robustness of the method are highlighted and evaluated by exploring extremes in the permissible design space. Finally, the embedding of the proposed method within the framework of an automated, gradient free numerical optimization is discussed. Herein, implications of the proposed method on response surface modeling in combination with the optimization method are highlighted. The method promises to be an option for improvement of optimization efficiency in gradient free optimization of interdependent blade geometries, by a-priori excluding unsuitable blade combinations, yet keeping restrictions to the design space as limited as possible.

Population ageing and international migration

2019 ◽  
pp. 23-50
Author(s):  
Sandra Torres
Keyword(s):  
Old Age ◽  
International Migration ◽  
Common Ground ◽  
Population Aging ◽  
Population Ageing ◽  
The Core ◽  
Societal Challenges ◽  
Societal Challenge

This chapter aims to introduce ethnicity scholars to the societal challenge that is population aging, and social gerontologists to the challenges posed by the globalisation of international migration, and bytransnationalism. As such, this chapter aims to give the audiences that this book addresses a common ground from which future dialogues can be set in motion. It is, after all, these societal challenges that are at the core of the growing interest on the intersection of ethnicity/ race and ageing/ old age. This chapter argues also that one of the reasons why we should engage in the imaginative phase of discovery that theorising entails is that greater diversity can now be found in the older segments of our population and the scholarship in focus in this book needs to become more ethnicity/ race-astute.

scholarly journals Intentionality: A philosophical-cognitive approach to mental representations

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (39) ◽  
pp. 819
Author(s):  
Cleverson Leite Bastos ◽  
Tomas Rodolfo Drunkenmolle
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Psychology ◽  
Mental Representation ◽  
Philosophy Of Mind ◽  
Mental Representations ◽  
Hard Core ◽  
Explanatory Models ◽  
Cognitive Approach ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Points Of View ◽  
Definition Of

This article critically analyses the notion of intentionality from several philosophical cognitive points of view. The authors argue that the notion of mental representation in the wider sense and intentionality in the narrower sense remains elusive despite accommodated paradoxes, improved semantic precision and more sophisticated strategies in dealing with intentionality. We will argue that different approaches to intentionality appear to be coherent in their inferences. However, most of them become contradictory and mutually exclusive when juxtaposed and applied to borderline questions. While the explanatory value of both philosophy of mind as well as cognitive psychology should not be underestimated, we must note that not even hard-core neuroscience has been able to pin point what is going on in our minds, let alone come up with a clear cut explanation how it works or a definition of what thought really is. To date, however, intentionality is the best of all explanatory models regarding mental representations.

Analogism at Chavín de Huántar

2019 ◽  
pp. 79-98
Author(s):  
Nicco La Mattina
Keyword(s):  
A Priori ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Core Beliefs ◽  
Archaeological Record ◽  
The Core ◽  
Chavin De Huantar ◽  
Chavín De Huántar ◽  
A Site ◽  
Material Record

Approaches to understanding the core beliefs and worldviews of ancient peoples are not superficially facilitated by the archaeological record. Sometimes, pre-Columbian people are described by analogy to presumably similar contemporary people; that is, a theoretical framework applicable to certain modern peoples is applied a priori in the investigation of a site. This chapter argues that at Chavín de Huántar, interpretations centred around animism and shamanism employ these concepts a priori as ways of understanding the material record. Many of the references to shamanism make specific analogies to Amazonian practices and import these ideas to Chavín de Huántar. Furthermore, the chapter authors argue that, if the iconographic and material record at Chavín de Huánta are carefully evaluated, interpretations centred around animism and shamanism will not follow. The authors demonstrate that the analogist ontology formulated by Descola finds a firmer grounding in the iconographic and material record when these are considered together.

Drafting Enterprise Models

2019 ◽  
pp. 183-214
Author(s):  
Hector Florez ◽  
Mario Sanchez ◽  
Jorge Villalobos
Keyword(s):  
Imperfect Information ◽  
A Priori ◽  
The State ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Modeling Process ◽  
Enterprise Model ◽  
Enterprise Models ◽  
Require Information

Enterprise models are created to analyze, document, and communicate the state of an enterprise under multiple perspectives. In addition to being large and complex, the construction of these models presents several difficulties: firstly, they require information provided by sources that might be inaccurate, incomplete, or even obsolete; secondly, although they should be structured, it is not possible to completely define their metamodel a priori. To support this construction process, the usage of enterprise model drafts is proposed, which should have the capacity to conform to changing metamodels and should also support incomplete or imperfect information. Unfortunately, current frameworks and tools have limitations for supporting these two features. Therefore, a set of strategies for the construction of modeling environments that make it possible to properly handle drafts is also proposed. These strategies include the support of metamodel flexibility during the modeling process and an approach to model imperfect information.

Philosophy of Economics

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikaël Cozic
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Economics ◽  
Mathematical Models ◽  
A Priori ◽  
The Core ◽  
Philosophy Of Economics ◽  
Empirical Significance ◽  
Bona Fide ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Empirical Methodology ◽  
Recent Extension

Although there are no doubts regarding the impact of economics in society and politics, doubts regarding its epistemological status endure. Does economics provide us with bona fide empirical theories? Are its mathematical models on a par with those of the hard sciences, or is its scientific character exaggerated? This chapter focuses on the key problem of the philosophy of economics: the reconciliation of its claim to empirical significance with what often appears as a non-empirical methodology, favoring deduction from a priori principles and showing little sensitivity to refutation by observation and experiment. Several attempts at answering this problem are considered, both in the Millian tradition and following neo-positivist approaches. Finally, the empirical status of the discipline is put in perspective with its recent extension to new fields of inquiry, such as behavioral economics and neuroeconomics, where experiments seem to be part of the core methodology.

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