Meaning: in the network of logic and experience
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29105/aitias6.11-122Keywords:
construction of meaning, cognitive semantics, lexical networks, philosophy of language, semantic processing, conceptual relations, theory of meaningAbstract
Theories on the construction of linguistic meaning have been evolving, complementing, and contrasting with one another. While formal semantics conceives meaning as a logical and stable relation between signs and referents, cognitive semantics highlights the influence of experience, perception, and context in its formation. This dialogue between approaches has enriched the understanding of meaning, revealing its dynamic nature and dependence on cognitive capacities and the environment. Within this framework, the theory of lexical networks offers an innovative view that conceives meaning as an emergent phenomenon resulting from the structural and cognitive relationships among lexical units. In this sense, this article argues that these networks enable us to understand how meaning adapts and transforms based on experiences and cognitive capacities, and proposes an expanded philosophy of language that integrates formal and cognitive approaches, opening new paths for the interdisciplinary study of meaning.
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