Dimensions of Meaning and Understanding - Raphaël Millière

Explore the complex dimensions of meaning and understanding in this 35-minute lecture by Raphaël Millière at the Santa Fe Institute. Delve into a polarized debate surrounding the nature of understanding, examining two common pitfalls in the discussion. Investigate various candidate distinctions in the dimensions of understanding, including lexical semantic competence, inferential aspects, conceptual combination, and referential aspects. Analyze pragmatic competence through complex visual composition and analogical reasoning tasks. Distinguish between knowledge and understanding, using Newtonian Mechanics as an example. Reflect on the illusions of understanding and gain valuable insights into the multifaceted nature of comprehension and meaning.

Intro
A polarized debate
Two pitfalls
Dimensions of understanding
Candidate distinctions
Lexical semantic competence
Inferential aspect
Conceptual combination
Referential aspect
Pragmatic competence
Complex visual composition
Analogical reasoning tasks
Knowledge vs. Understanding
Understanding Newtonian Mechanics
Illusions of understanding
Concluding remarks