Individual Understanding of Things: Distributed Meanings, Exemplars, and Unicepts
https://doi.org/10.18384/2949-5148-2024-1-33-43
Abstract
Aim. To explore the formation and existence of humans’ individual representations of things and their connection to linguistic categories.
Methodology. The research incorporates analysis of data on the activity of individual brain neurons, ideas from the cognitome theory and exemplar theories of categorization, as well as the philosophical concept of unicepts.
Results. Scientific evidence suggests the uniqueness of each individual’s representations of objects. Distributed hypernetworks of neurons correspond to specific elements of subjective experience for each person. Linguistic categories are based on subjective experience of interacting with specific exemplars. Communication is based not on universal concepts, but rather on unique individual representations – unicepts.
Research implications. For the first time, this study presents, in a generalized form, the idea of distributed coding of meaning, which combines the understanding of meaning encoding in neuropsychology, categorization theories, and the notion of unicepts.
About the Author
A. Ye. Serikov
Samara National Research University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Andrew Ye. Serikov – Cand. Sci. (Philosophy), Assoc. Prof., Department of Philosophy
ul. Moskovskoe shosse 34, Samara 443086
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