Functional models of cognition

"What is the function of concepts pertaining to meaning and mereology in the cognitive sciences? How is it possible to outline adequate simulation models for the continuous emergence of new categorization forms characterizing cognitive processes? To what extent is it possible to define new measures of meaningful complexity (also capable of taking into consideration the forms of intentional organization)? How is it possible to describe from a synergetic point of view the symbolic dynamics inherent in cognitive processes? What types of formal models should we use in order to describe the evolutionary aspects of cognition?" "Of crucial importance in the attempt to outline an adequate theory of human cognition, these remain amongst the most difficult of questions in the cognitive sciences. This volume brings together fifteen original essays from distinguished scholars in a variety of disciplines to discuss these questions and to see what kinds of conceptual tools and methodologies would be necessary to give these questions a satisfactory answer." "This book will appeal to graduate students, researchers and teachers working in the fields of Psychology, Cognitive Science, Complexity Theory, Self-organization Theory, Synergetics, Semantics of Natural Language and Mereology. The volume will be of particular interest to philosophers and epistemologists."--Jacket.