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13A Computational Theory of Perspective and Reference in NarrativeIn Janyce M. Wiebe & William J. Rapaport (eds.), A Computational Theory of Perspective and Reference in Narrative, Association For Computational Linguistics. 1988.Narrative passages told from a character's perspective convey the character's thoughts and perceptions. We present a discourse process that recognizes characters' thoughts and perceptions in third-person narrative. An effect of perspective on reference in narrative is addressed: References in passages told from the perspective of a character reflect the character's beliefs. An algorithm that uses the results of our discourse process to understand references with respect to an appropriate set of …Read more
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124Is Artificial General Intelligence Impossible?Cosmos+Taxis 12 (5+6): 5-22. 2024.In their Why Machines Will Never Rule the World, Landgrebe and Smith (2023) argue that it is impossible for artificial general intelligence (AGI) to succeed, on the grounds that it is impossible to perfectly model or emulate the “complex” “human neurocognitive system”. However, they do not show that it is logically impossible; they only show that it is practically impossible using current mathematical techniques. Nor do they prove that there could not be any other kinds of theories than those in…Read more
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210Non-Existent Objects and Epistemological OntologyGrazer Philosophische Studien 26 (1): 61-95. 1985.This essay examines the role of non-existent objects in "epistemological ontology"--the study of the entities that make thinking possible. An earlier revision of Meinong's Theory of Objects is reviewed, Meinong's notions of Quasisein and Aussersein are discussed, and a theory of Meinongian objects as "combinatorially possible" entities is presented.
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252Critical Review of Minds, Brains and ScienceNoûs 22 (4): 585-609. 1988.Critical Review of Searle's Minds, Brains and Science
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10Meinong and the Principle of Independence. Its Place in Meinong's Theory of Objects and Its Significance in Contemporary Philosophical LogicJournal of Symbolic Logic 51 (1): 248-252. 1986.
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515Computers Are Syntax All the Way Down: Reply to BozşahinMinds and Machines 29 (2): 227-237. 2019.A response to a recent critique by Cem Bozşahin of the theory of syntactic semantics as it applies to Helen Keller, and some applications of the theory to the philosophy of computer science.
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498Syntax, Semantics, and Computer ProgramsPhilosophy and Technology 33 (2): 309-321. 2020.Turner argues that computer programs must have purposes, that implementation is not a kind of semantics, and that computers might need to understand what they do. I respectfully disagree: Computer programs need not have purposes, implementation is a kind of semantic interpretation, and neither human computers nor computing machines need to understand what they do.
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24Jim Des Rivières and Hector J. Levesque. The consistency of syntactical treatments of knowledge. Theoretical aspects of reasoning about knowledge, Proceedings of the 1986 conference, edited by Joseph Y. Halpern, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Los Altos1986, pp. 115–130 (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 665-666. 1988.
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24Raymond M. Smullyan. Logicians who reason about themselves. Theoretical aspects of reasoning about knowledge, Proceedings of the 1986 conference, edited by Joseph Y. Halpern, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Los Altos1986, pp. 341–352 (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 668-669. 1988.
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14Leora Morgenstern. A first order theory of planning, knowledge, and action. Theoretical aspects of reasoning about knowledge, Proceedings of the 1986 conference, edited by Joseph Y. Halpern, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Los Altos1986, pp. 99–114 (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 664-665. 1988.
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10Jaakko Hintikka. Reasoning about knowledge in philosophy: the paradigm of epistemic logic. Theoretical aspects of reasoning about knowledge, Proceedings of the 1986 conference, edited by Joseph Y. Halpern, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Los Altos1986, pp. 63–80 (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 663-664. 1988.
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13Kurt Konolige. What awareness isn't: a sentential view of implicit and explicit belief. Theoretical aspects of reasoning about knowledge, Proceedings of the 1986 conference, edited by Joseph Y. Halpern, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Los Altos1986, pp. 241–250 (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 667-668. 1988.
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9Joseph Y. Halpern. Reasoning about knowledge: an overview. Theoretical aspects of reasoning about knowledge, Proceedings of the 1986 conference, edited by Joseph Y. Halpern, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Los Altos1986, pp. 1–17 (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 660-661. 1988.
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23Gordon Plotkin and Colin Stirling. A framework for intuitionistic modal logics. Theoretical aspects of reasoning about knowledge, Proceedings of the 1986 conference, edited by Joseph Y. Halpern, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Los Altos1986, pp. 399–406 (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 669. 1988.
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18Stanley J. Rosenschein and Leslie Pack Kaelbling. The synthesis of digital machines with provable epistemic properties. Theoretical aspects of reasoning about knowledge, Proceedings of the 1986 conference, edited by Joseph Y. Halpern, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Los Altos1986, pp. 83–98 (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 664. 1988.
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22Gerhard Lakemeyer. Steps towards a first-order logic of explicit and implicit belief. Theoretical aspects of reasoning about knowledge, Proceedings of the 1986 conference, edited by Joseph Y. Halpern, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Los Altos1986, pp. 325–340 (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 668. 1988.
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14Fred Landman. Pegs and alecs. An abridged version of LIII 656. Theoretical aspects of reasoning about knowledge, Proceedings of the 1986 conference, edited by Joseph Y. Halpern, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Los Altos1986, pp. 45–61 (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 662-663. 1988.
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16Brian Cantwell Smith. Varieties of self-reference. Theoretical aspects of reasoning about knowledge, Proceedings of the 1986 conference, edited by Joseph Y. Halpern, Morgan Kaufmann Publishers, Los Altos1986, pp. 19–43 (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 661-662. 1988.
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127Computers Are Syntax All the Way Down: Reply to BozşahinMinds and Machines 29 (2): 227-237. 2019.A response to a recent critique by Cem Bozşahin of the theory of syntactic semantics as it applies to Helen Keller, and some applications of the theory to the philosophy of computer science.
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270Meinongian Semantics and Artificial IntelligenceHumana Mente 6 (25): 25-52. 2013.This essay describes computational semantic networks for a philosophical audience and surveys several approaches to semantic-network semantics. In particular, propositional semantic networks are discussed; it is argued that only a fully intensional, Meinongian semantics is appropriate for them; and several Meinongian systems are presented.
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88What is a Computer? A SurveyMinds and Machines 28 (3): 385-426. 2018.A critical survey of some attempts to define ‘computer’, beginning with some informal ones, then critically evaluating those of three philosophers, and concluding with an examination of whether the brain and the universe are computers.
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6Review: Kurt Konolige, What Awareness Isn't: A Sentential View of Implicit and Explicit Belief (review)Journal of Symbolic Logic 53 (2): 667-668. 1988.
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89This is a draft of the written version of comments on a paper by David Cole, presented orally at the American Philosophical Association Central Division meeting in New Orleans, 27 April 1990. Following the written comments are 2 appendices: One contains a letter to Cole updating these comments. The other is the handout from the oral presentation
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538Quasi‐Indexicals and Knowledge ReportsCognitive Science 21 (1): 63-107. 1997.We present a computational analysis of de re, de dicto, and de se belief and knowledge reports. Our analysis solves a problem first observed by Hector-Neri Castañeda, namely, that the simple rule `(A knows that P) implies P' apparently does not hold if P contains a quasi-indexical. We present a single rule, in the context of a knowledge-representation and reasoning system, that holds for all P, including those containing quasi-indexicals. In so doing, we explore the difference between reasoning …Read more
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127An adverbial meinongian theoryAnalysis 39 (March): 75-81. 1979.A fundamental assumption of Alexius Meinong's 1904 Theory of Objects is the act-content-object analysis of psychological experiences. I suggest that Meinong's theory need not be based on this analysis, but that an adverbial theory might suffice. I then defend the adverbial alternative against an objection raised by Roderick Chisholm, and conclude by presenting an apparently more serious objection based on a paradox discovered by Romane Clark.
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453On cogito propositionsPhilosophical Studies 29 (1): 63-68. 1976.I argue that George Nakhnikian's analysis of the logic of cogito propositions (roughly, Descartes's 'cogito' and 'sum') is incomplete. The incompleteness is rectified by showing that disjunctions of cogito propositions with contingent, non-cogito propositions satisfy conditions of incorrigibility, self-certifyingness, and pragmatic consistency; hence, they belong to the class of propositions with whose help a complete characterization of cogito propositions is made possible.
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961Models and mindsIn Robert C. Cummins (ed.), Philosophy and AI: Essays at the Interface, Mit Press. pp. 215--259. 1991.Cognitive agents, whether human or computer, that engage in natural-language discourse and that have beliefs about the beliefs of other cognitive agents must be able to represent objects the way they believe them to be and the way they believe others believe them to be. They must be able to represent other cognitive agents both as objects of beliefs and as agents of beliefs. They must be able to represent their own beliefs, and they must be able to represent beliefs as objects of beliefs. These …Read more
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Areas of Specialization
Philosophy of Computation, Misc |
Philosophy of Cognitive Science |
Philosophy of Mind |
Philosophy of Language |
Areas of Interest
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