From Lullus to Cognitive Semantics: The Evolution of a Theory of Semantic Fields
ABSTRACT: The domain of cognitive semantics-insofar as it deals with semantic neighborhood and semantic fields-is discussed from a historical perspective. I choose four distinct stages in the evolution in philosophy of language: Raymundus Lullus and his Ars Magna (14th century); Giodano Bruno and his artificial memory system (16th century); Charles Sanders Peirce and his diagrammatic logic (19th century); and, Kurt Lewin and his topological psychology (20th century). Their proposals furnish steps toward a kind of space-oriented model of semantic neighborhood and semantic fields. Linguistic developments since 1920 (field linguistics) and more recently in cognitive semantics are compared to the evolution in the frame of philosophy as put forth above. The result is that we criticize cognitive semantics insofar as the field does not reflect the philosophical work done since Raymundus Lullus, which is highly relevant for contemporary cognitive science.
Introduction
Although field-semantics was only created at the beginning of the 20th century, some of its major features have precursors dating back to antiquity. Two disciplines have contributed to it: logic on the one hand and models of the world / cosmology on the other hand. My specific concern will be the rise of a space-orientated concept of a semantic field because, as the word "field" indicates, the ideas of dimensionality (one two- or multi-dimensionality) lies at the heart of the image-schema "field" in its theoretical use.
1 The circular fields of Llull
The first systematic spatial organization of lexical items (their concepts) was put forward by Raymundus Lullus (Ramón Llull: 1232-1314). All conceptual systems of his Ars Magna are arranged in a linear order with (normally) nine segments. Since the extremes of this 'belt' are joined, we have a circular field. Every concept has two neighbours, and by adding specific figures (triangles, squares, etc.) one can join three, four, etc. concepts to create a sub-network. The concepts of an area of knowledge may be organized into a set of such nine-tuple 'fields'. On top of all the more specific conceptual fields (arrays of nine concepts), stands a universal field, which contains those qualities of God that are at the origin of all further entities and their concepts. The semantic system has an ontological and metaphysical foundation in the tradition of Aristotelian and medieval logic.
The idea that concepts/words form linear arrays, that the extremes may be glued together, and that a hierarchy of such arrays exists, is a first realization of 'field-semantics'.
For decades, certain people have been contemplating on how to go about the issue of underage drinking; people of the government, parents, and other individuals concerned in global affairs. The problem is, the issue of underage drinking and the nationwide ineffectiveness of the drinking age law of twenty-one isn't debated and discussed as much and as aggressively as it should be. And the main components of discussion ought to be the matter of binge drinking among teenagers and college students, drinking issues and statistics in foreign countries, and finally, possible solutions for this problem. The main point is that the states of our country can only attempt to enforce the law rather than try approaching the problem in any other way. So for that reason, states should be allowed to figure out and experiment on possible ways to solve this matter on their own without government interference.
It turns out that one of the most helpful areas for studying linguistic relativity is that of th...
There has been an ongoing controversy in the United States on whether the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen like most of the world or if it should stay at twenty-one. Underage drinking has been a major controversial issue for years, yet why is it not under control? Teenagers are continuing to buy alcohol with fake identification cards, drink, get into bars, and drink illegally. As a teen I have proof that these things are going on not only in college but in high school as well. There are a lot of factors that come together to why the drinking age should be lowered to eighteen; the most obvious reason is too many people are drinking before they are twenty-one. Liquor stores, bars, and clubs all want to make money and if they can get away with selling to underage teens then they will. A study done by the Academic Search Premier agrees that, ?By now it is obvious that the law has not succeeded in preventing the under-21 group from drinking? (Michael Smith 1).
Main, Carla T. “Underage Drinking and the Drinking Age.” Policy Review. June/July 2009: 33-46. Wilson OmniFile Full Text Mega Edition. Web. 3 Mar. 2010.
At some point in our lives, we have wondered about the possibility of a computer being able to think. John Searle addresses this issue in his paper, “Can Computers Think?”, where he argues that computers cannot think because they are directed by formal information. This means that the information presented is only syntax with no semantics behind it. In this paper, I will elaborate more on Searle’s position and reasoning whilst critiquing his argument by saying that it is possible to derive semantics from syntax. Finally, I will analyze the significance of my criticism and present a possible response from Searle to defend his argument.
In addition, the nature of the universe can be also explained when Aquinas mentions that “the property, that the things signified by the words have themselves also a signification.”
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These denoting phrases can be classed into either one of two groups; those containing definite descriptions and those containing indefinite descriptions.
Goodrum, Charles and Dalrymple, Helen, Advertising in America: The First 200 Years. (New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, 1990). 37.
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Deixis is the single most obvious way in which the relationship between language and context is reflected in the structures of languages themselves. Deixis concerns on the interpretation of utterances depends on the analysis of that context of utterance.
Zalta, E. N. (2002). Stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. Stanford, Calif.: Metaphysics Research Lab, Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford University..
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