Search Results (10)

This study examines how connectionist AI reshapes architectural rationality, focusing on the under-theorised epistemic implications of generative technologies. It positions latent space as the convergent medium of representation, cognition, and computation to investigate how learning-based models reorganise architectural reasoning. Employing a qualitative hermeneutic methodology suited to interpreting epistemic transformation, and analysing four emblematic cases, the study identified a tripartite shift: representation moves from symbolic abstraction to probabilistic, feature-based latent descriptions; cognition evolves from individual, rule-defined schemas to collective, data-inferred structures; and computation reorients from deterministic procedures to stochastic generative exploration. In this framework, type and style emerge not as fixed classifications but as continuous distributions of similarity, redefining the designer’s role from originator of form to curator of datasets, navigator of latent spaces, and interpreter of model outputs. Ultimately, the paper argues that connectionism introduces a distinct epistemic orientation grounded in correlation and probabilistic reasoning, thereby prompting critical reflection on the ethical, curatorial, and disciplinary responsibilities of AI-mediated design. Full article

Two theories that align with and support Usage-based approaches to language acquisition are Functionalism, which motivates the communicative functions of form-meaning connections produced by grammatical phenomena, and Connectionism, which provides a biologically-plausible framework for understanding language processes. An essential part of the learning process for second language (L2) learners is to understand how the target language differs in the ways it represents similar functionality, as well as functions not represented in learners’ first languages (L1s). In some cases, communicative functions served by the L1(s) are mirrored by similar-enough processes in the L2, so that the L1 processes can be utilized by the L2 system by entrenched L1 pathways. However, other communicative functions must develop their own processing pathways to accommodate differing L2 structures, because certain grammatical features allow for, or force particular ways of processing information. If the L2 learner does not notice and adopt the L2 processes needed for distinct linguistic structures, L1 processes connected to similar meanings will continue to be utilized. As a case in point, this paper outlines why L1 English learners of German as an L2 must change the ways they process syntactic role assignment away from syntactic cues towards ones embedded in morphology and morphosyntax. The goal of this paper is to explain how Functional and Connectionist theories, housed within a larger Usage-Based understanding of Second Language Acquisition, can account for frequently unsuccessfully or only partially acquired L2 German case marking, and why instructional interventions like Concept-Based Language Instruction and Processing Instruction all produce uptake of L2 German case marking to varying degrees. Full article

The integration of gamification into digital learning environments is reshaping educational models, advancing towards more adaptive and personalized teaching evolution. However, within large Chinese corpora, the transition mechanism from passive participation to adaptive gamified learning remains underexplored in a systematic manner. This study fills this gap by utilizing LDA topic modeling and sentiment analysis techniques to delve into user comment data on the Bilibili platform. The results extract five major themes, which include multilingual task-driven learning, early-age programming thinking cultivation, modular English competency certification, cross-domain cognitive integration and psychological safety, as well as ubiquitous intelligent educational environments. The analysis reveals that most themes exhibit highly positive emotions, particularly in applications for early childhood education, while learning models that involve certification mechanisms and technological dependencies tend to provoke emotional fluctuations. Nevertheless, learners still experience certain challenges and pressures when faced with frequent cognitive tasks. In an innovative manner, this study proposes a theoretical framework based on Self-Determination Theory and Connectivism to analyze how motivation satisfaction drives cognitive restructuring, thereby facilitating the process of adaptive learning. This model demonstrates the evolutionary logic of learners’ cross-disciplinary knowledge integration and metacognitive strategy optimization, providing empirical support for the gamification learning transformation mechanism in China’s digital education sector and extending the research framework for personalized teaching and self-regulation in educational technology. Full article

The relationship between philosophy and science has always been complementary. Today, while science moves increasingly fast and philosophy shows some problems in catching up with it, it is not always possible to ignore such relationships, especially in some disciplines such as philosophy of mind, cognitive science, and neuroscience. However, the methodological procedures used to analyze these data are based on principles and assumptions that require a profound dialogue between philosophy and science. Following these ideas, this work aims to raise the problems that a classical connectionist theory can cause and problematize them in a cognitive framework, considering both philosophy and cognitive sciences but also the disciplines that are near to them, such as AI, computer sciences, and linguistics. For this reason, we embarked on an analysis of both the computational and theoretical problems that connectionism currently has. The second aim of this work is to advocate for collaboration between neuroscience and philosophy of mind because the promotion of deeper multidisciplinarity seems necessary in order to solve connectionism’s problems. In fact, we believe that the problems that we detected can be solved by a thorough investigation at both a theoretical and an empirical level, and they do not represent an impasse but rather a starting point from which connectionism should learn and be updated while keeping its original and profoundly convincing core. Full article

In order to break through the dual impacts of lower birth rates and COVID-19, a majority of higher education institutions have commenced in providing a series of diversified Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) to effectively reduce these huge dual impacts. This research employed the Social Learning Theory (SLT) of educational doctrine for theoretical uses and the Factor Analysis (FA) approach of quantitative analysis and Trigonometrical Entropy Method (TEM) method of qualitative analysis for statistically purposes. These concepts were employed to explore the most critical social-media connection of global literacy abilities in MOOC. After a succession of assessed measurements, there are two most valuable findings. First, higher education institutions have to simultaneously and efficiently institute the Course Complete Rate of Course Assessment (CCR-CA), User Completely Unrestricted Operation of Course Operation (UCUO-CO) and Course Professionalization Technology Function of Course Function (CPTF-CF) into the course’s design. Specifically, higher education institutions need to establish MOOCs features in Course Evaluation Technology Function (CETF), Course Professionalization Technology Function (CPTF) and Aggregation Technology Function (ATF) of MOOCs features into the current MOOCs. This is done in order to effectively promote the Individual Social Feature (ISF) of “social-media connection of global literacy abilities” for overcoming these serious dual impacts. In addition, higher education institutions have to also construct the social-media connection of global literacy abilities evaluation model for appraising Individual Social Feature (ISF) of each MOOCs participant. Second finding, higher education institutions should develop Convenience of Course Operation (C-CP), Feedback Technology Function of Basic Function (FTF-BF) and Connectionization of Course Operation (C-CO) of higher education strategies of developed sustainability into the course’s structure. Further, they should also build Connectionization (CZ) of MOOCs features into the current MOOCs in order to efficiently foster Application Programming Interface (API) of social-media connection of global literacy abilities for conquering these serious dual impacts as well. Full article

The emerging contemporary natural philosophy provides a common ground for the integrative view of the natural, the artificial, and the human-social knowledge and practices. Learning process is central for acquiring, maintaining, and managing knowledge, both theoretical and practical. This paper explores the relationships between the present advances in understanding of learning in the sciences of the artificial (deep learning, robotics), natural sciences (neuroscience, cognitive science, biology), and philosophy (philosophy of computing, philosophy of mind, natural philosophy). The question is, what at this stage of the development the inspiration from nature, specifically its computational models such as info-computation through morphological computing, can contribute to machine learning and artificial intelligence, and how much on the other hand models and experiments in machine learning and robotics can motivate, justify, and inform research in computational cognitive science, neurosciences, and computing nature. We propose that one contribution can be understanding of the mechanisms of ‘learning to learn’, as a step towards deep learning with symbolic layer of computation/information processing in a framework linking connectionism with symbolism. As all natural systems possessing intelligence are cognitive systems, we describe the evolutionary arguments for the necessity of learning to learn for a system to reach human-level intelligence through evolution and development. The paper thus presents a contribution to the epistemology of the contemporary philosophy of nature. Full article

An overview of neural network architectures is presented. Some of these architectures have been created in recent years, whereas others originate from many decades ago. Apart from providing a practical tool for comparing deep learning models, the Neural Network Zoo also uncovers a taxonomy of network architectures, their chronology, and traces back lineages and inspirations for these neural information processing systems. Full article

Early Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava theologians developed a unique path of Hindu devotion during the 16th century through which an aspirant cultivates a rapturous form of selfless love (premā) for Kṛṣṇa, who is recognized as the supreme and personal deity. In the course and consequence of cultivating this selfless love, the recommended practices of devotion are claimed to free one from the basic existential condition of bondage that is of concern for a wide range of South Asian religious and philosophical traditions. One of the principle cognitive tendencies characterizing this condition is to have thoughts and feelings of possessiveness over objects of the world, or what is referred to as the state of “my-ness” (mamatā), e.g., my home, my children, or my wealth. Using the therapeutic model of schema therapy as a heuristic analogue, this article explores the relationship between recommended practices of rule-based devotion (vaidhi-bhakti) and the modulation of thoughts and feelings of possessiveness towards mundane objects. I argue that such practices function as learning strategies that can systematically rework and modulate how one relates to and responds to these objects in theologically desirable ways. I conclude by suggesting that connectionist theories of cognition and learning may offer a promising explanatory framework for understanding the dynamics of this kind of relationship. Full article

Language capacities in dementia are increasingly studied. Major advances in cognitive neuro psychology and functional neuroanatomy have shown extensive language networks in frontal, parietal and temporal cortex and their subcortical connections mainly, but not exclusively, in the left hemisphere. The main aphasias following strokes or brain tumours that correspond to the classic Wernicke- Lichtheim connectionism model are, therefore, rarely encountered. Moreover, degenerative pathology is never restricted to a focal location and often associates both motor and semantic aspects of speech and language. Primary progressive aphasias including agrammatic/non-fluent, logopenic and semantic variants served as models of relatively pure language deficits and helped our understanding of other dementias. Agrammatic/nonfluent aphasia and/or speech apraxia constitute clinical criteria for corticobasal degeneration and supranuclear palsy, and can occur in isolation before corticobasal or supranuclear syndromes emerge. In the classic form of Alzheimer’s disease, word-retrieval anomia is frequent, as a result of lexico-semantic difficulties. Alterations in pragmatics are increasingly recognised. Verbal fluencies constitute the main language difficulties in sub cortical vascular dementia, which is still poorly studied. In the continuum Parkinson’s disease/ Parkinson’s disease with dementia / dementia with Lewy bodies, executive and working memory deficits at least partly explain discourse organisation difficulties and impaired sentence processing. Patients with the behavioural variant of frontotemporal dementia show verbal communication deficits secondary to pragmatic difficulties. In the near future, better phenotype-genotype correlations made using modern cognitive neuropsychological models and computerised magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI and in-vivo molecular neuro imaging will improve our diagnostic accuracy of the main dementias, help better to follow up patients and benefit communication of caregivers with patients. Full article

Focal cerebral lesions and aphasia: clinical presentations and assessments The assessment of episodes of aphasia has evolved in recent decades and has been enhanced by various theoretical contributions provided by linguistics, cognitive neuropsychology, connectionism and functional imaging techniques. The clinical reality, however, complies with the practical requirements, such as the patient’s general condition at the time of commencement of the aphasia and the context of the examination. After having reviewed some tests administered in the acute phase and tests batteries used in stabilised patients, we recall the classic examination structure, as well as the classification of aphasias. A brief history will enable us to understand how the integration of theories from cognitive neuropsychology and connec tionism currently enables us to overstep the linguistic analysis, in order to explore the various cognitive domains involved in aphasia. This approach will be illustrated by examples of denomination and repetition. Full article