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SUMMARY:What is meaning? - Friedemann Pulvermuller (MRC CBSU)
DTSTART:20100125T160000Z
DTEND:20100125T173000Z
UID:TALK21953@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Mandy Carter
DESCRIPTION:What is meaning? Does it reside in the brain? And\, if yes\, w
 here?\n\nThe mechanism underlying the understanding of signs and symbols r
 epresents one of the most exciting topics of current neuroscience research
 . Most researchers attribute the binding between a sign and its meaning to
  a “binding area” or “semantic centre” in the cortex. However\, op
 inions differ widely as the where this area is localised and imaging resul
 ts indicate activation of a wide range of cortical areas during semantic t
 asks. Moreover\, patients with lesions in various brain areas show semanti
 c deficits\, for example in processing specific semantic classes of words.
  Should the concept of a mechanism for meaning therefore be abandoned?\n\n
 A solution lies in the nature of meaning itself. For a long time\, philoso
 phers have tried to define what “meaning” might be\, or what the word 
 “meaning” means. The result of this work is that a range of different 
 kinds of meaning exist and\, correspondingly\, there are a range of word k
 inds with different meaning characteristics. Traditionally\, the meaning o
 f a word is seen as the object it relates to\, but other words obviously r
 elate to actions and it is feasible that the different kinds of words call
  upon different brain areas.\n\nA model of category-specific semantic proc
 essing will be highlighted along with some empirical evidence supporting i
 t. The neuroscience results will also be related to their philosophical ro
 ots and the implications of neuroscience research for more general questio
 ns about language and thought may be touched upon in closing.\n\nSuggested
  reading to prepare for the lecture:\n\nPulvermüller\, F. (2005). Brain m
 echanisms linking language and action. Nature Reviews Neuroscience\, 6(7)\
 , 576-582.\n
LOCATION:Seminar Room\, MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences\, 15 Chaucer Road
 \, Cambridge
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