Topic 4c - Language

Question 1

Main Idea

Answer 1

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Question 2

What you know and what you do with what you know

Answer 2

• Knowledge and reasoning are what’s important to symbolic systems
• We have information, and we have actions we take based on that
• Rules are reasoning, representations are knowledge

Question 3

Orange Crates

Answer 3

• 10 boxes of oranges, 20 oranges p/ box
• Rather than counting the oranges, we use representations (idea of 10, 20) and rules (how multiplication works) to get 200

Question 4

How does language relate to symbolic systems?

Answer 4

• Linguistics have meaning as opposed to other sounds (like coughing) because of the symbols (letters, words, phrases) we use
• Using symbols makes language more flexible (pictograms of abstract concepts?), but our brain has to make entirely arbitrary connections
• Sign language is more iconic than normal language, but not perfectly so

Question 5

Symbolic Systems - What is important?

Answer 5

• Knowledge and reasoning

- What you know and what you do with what you know

Question 6

Language - Three properties

Answer 6

• Representations: Letters/Words
• Transformations: Sentences/Grammar
• Serial Processing: Letters come in, meaning goes out