Distribution and Inference: What Philosophical and Computational Semantics can Learn from Each Other

Kód výsledku v IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985955%3A_____%2F16%3A00463407" target="_blank" >RIV/67985955:_____/16:00463407 - isvavai.cz</a>

Výsledek na webu

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DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Jazyk výsledku

angličtina

Název v původním jazyce

Distribution and Inference: What Philosophical and Computational Semantics can Learn from Each Other

Popis výsledku v původním jazyce

Distribution of a word across contexts has proved to be a very useful approximation of the word's meaning. This paper reflects on the recent attempts to enhance distributional (or vector space) semantics of words with meaning composition, in particular with Fregean compositionality. I discuss the nature and performance of distributional semantic representations and argue against the thesis that semantics is in some sense identical with distribution (which seems to be a strong assumption of the compositional efforts). I propose instead that distribution is merely a reflection of semantics, and a substantially imperfect one. That raises some doubts regarding the very idea of obtaining semantic representations for larger wholes (phrases, sentences) by combining the distributional representations of particular items. In any case, I reject the generally unquestioned assumption that formal semantics provides a good theory of semantic composition, which it would be desirable to combine with distributional semantics (as a theory that is highly successful on the lexical field). I suggest that a positive alternative to the strong reading of the distributional hypothesis can be seen in the philosophy of inferentialism with respect to language meaning. I argue that the spirit of inferentialism is reasonably compatible with the current practice of distributional semantics, and I discuss the motivations for as well as the obstacles in the way of implementing the philosophical position in a computational framework.

Název v anglickém jazyce

Distribution and Inference: What Philosophical and Computational Semantics can Learn from Each Other

Popis výsledku anglicky

Distribution of a word across contexts has proved to be a very useful approximation of the word's meaning. This paper reflects on the recent attempts to enhance distributional (or vector space) semantics of words with meaning composition, in particular with Fregean compositionality. I discuss the nature and performance of distributional semantic representations and argue against the thesis that semantics is in some sense identical with distribution (which seems to be a strong assumption of the compositional efforts). I propose instead that distribution is merely a reflection of semantics, and a substantially imperfect one. That raises some doubts regarding the very idea of obtaining semantic representations for larger wholes (phrases, sentences) by combining the distributional representations of particular items. In any case, I reject the generally unquestioned assumption that formal semantics provides a good theory of semantic composition, which it would be desirable to combine with distributional semantics (as a theory that is highly successful on the lexical field). I suggest that a positive alternative to the strong reading of the distributional hypothesis can be seen in the philosophy of inferentialism with respect to language meaning. I argue that the spirit of inferentialism is reasonably compatible with the current practice of distributional semantics, and I discuss the motivations for as well as the obstacles in the way of implementing the philosophical position in a computational framework.

Druh

J_x - Nezařazeno - Článek v odborném periodiku (Jimp, Jsc a Jost)

CEP obor

AA - Filosofie a náboženství

OECD FORD obor

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Projekt

<a href="/cs/project/GA13-21076S" target="_blank" >GA13-21076S: Základy logiky ve světle nových výsledků filosofie a vědy</a><br>

Návaznosti

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Rok uplatnění

2016

Kód důvěrnosti údajů

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Název periodika

Organon F

ISSN

1335-0668

e-ISSN

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Svazek periodika

23

Číslo periodika v rámci svazku

3

Stát vydavatele periodika

SK - Slovenská republika

Počet stran výsledku

25

Strana od-do

299-323

Kód UT WoS článku

000384511700002

EID výsledku v databázi Scopus

2-s2.0-84994155151