Referential intensions: modeling meanings by abstract algorithms

Yiannis N. Moschovakis

Department of Mathematics
UCLA and University of Athens

Montag, 19.07.2004, 16 Uhr c.t., Hörsaal 9
The referential intension of a sentence A is an abstract, idealized algorithm (or process) which computes the truth value of A. It is the key notion in an approach to understanding language which draws ideas from programming and perceived similarities between natural and programming languages. Its main aims are to construct a rigorous modeling of meaning that is closer to our intuitions than the standard approaches, including Carnap intensions; to give a rational account of synonymy and faithful translation between languages with radically different syntax; and to create new and (potentially) useful tools for semantic processing.

My main aim in this expository talk is to offer an introduction to the theory of referential intensions, focusing on its application to the fragments of language that are captured by Montague's Intensional Logic, i.e., the simple, typed lambda-calculus. There will be many (very simple) examples, and relatively little general theory.

Reference: A logical calculus of meaning and synonymy, to appear, draft posted at www.math.ucla.edu/~ynm/papers.htm.

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Wartung durch: Anke Weinberger (2004-07-13).