Date of Award
12-1-2010
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Applied Linguistics
First Advisor
Baertsch, Karen
Abstract
While a symbol based system externally, there is evidence that, internally the realization of language is much different. Through revisiting the foundations of our perceptions and assumptions about language and cognition, the presented argument will coalesce into an illustration of the unsuitability of symbolic systems for recreating the functions which we call "mind". Simply stated, computational models of mind are the latest arguments of the Cartesian paradigm. The thesis concludes with an argument for the exploration of a symbol-less architecture of cognition based upon a model found repeatedly throughout nature: swarms. Discussions of some of the impacts are presented.
Access
This thesis is only available for download to the SIUC community. Current SIUC affiliates may also access this paper off campus by searching Dissertations & Theses @ Southern Illinois University Carbondale from ProQuest. Others should contact the interlibrary loan department of your local library or contact ProQuest's Dissertation Express service.