Are Computational Transitions Sensitive to Semantics?
The formal conception of computation (FCC) holds that computational processes are not sensitive to semantic properties. FCC is popular, but it faces well-known difficulties. Accordingly, authors such as Block and Peacocke pursue a ‘semantically-laden’ alternative, according to which computation can...
| Published in: | Australasian Journal of Philosophy Vol. 90; no. 4; pp. 703 - 722 |
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| Format: | Article |
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Taylor & Francis Ltd
Dec2012
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=83845031&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: hlh uiTerm: 83845031 longDbName: Humanities International Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 00048402 BHK jtl: Australasian Journal of Philosophy issn: 00048402 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Dec2012 vid: 90 iid: 4 pid: 377 pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd artinfo: ui: 83845031 10.1080/00048402.2011.615333 ppf: 703 ppct: 19 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P size: 131KB tig: atl: Are Computational Transitions Sensitive to Semantics? aug: au: Rescorla, Michael affil: University of California, Santa Barbara su: Computational linguistics Semantics (Philosophy) Act psychology Syntax (Logic) Linguistics sug: subj: Computational linguistics Semantics (Philosophy) Act psychology Syntax (Logic) Linguistics keyword: computational theory of mind semantics syntax ab: The formal conception of computation (FCC) holds that computational processes are not sensitive to semantic properties. FCC is popular, but it faces well-known difficulties. Accordingly, authors such as Block and Peacocke pursue a ‘semantically-laden’ alternative, according to which computation can be sensitive to semantics. I argue that computation is insensitive to semantics within a wide range of computational systems, including any system with ‘derived’ rather than ‘original’ intentionality. FCC yields the correct verdict for these systems. I conclude that there is only one promising strategy for semantically-laden theorists: identify special computational systems that help generate their own semantic properties, and then show that computation within those systems is semantically-laden. Unfortunately, the few existing discussions that pursue this strategy are problematic. pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: Y custom: Copyright of Australasian Journal of Philosophy is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. item: Australasian Journal of Philosophy holder: Taylor & Francis Ltd dt: @attributes: year: 2012 holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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