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The Development and Interpretation of Several Symbolic Models of Thought

Philosophical and physiological investigations define thought to be the result of thinking. psychological Inquiry has mainly focused on discovery of the mechanisms and topology of thought. Philosophical Inquiry either has explored the mind-body problem or has analyzed the linguistics of the expression of a thought. However, neither has Investigated adequately phenomenal characteristics of thought Itself, the Intermediary between the production and the expression of a thought. The use of thought to analyze phenomenal characteristics of thought engenders a paradox. If the expression of thought requires finite series of linked words with rules governing syntax, then analysis of both the thought and the expression of the thought must necessarily transcend the linguistic level. During the last century many examples of logical paradoxes In linguistics of thought have been given. The culminating difficulty of dealing with a finite structure, a characteristic of any language, Is Godel's Incompleteness Theorem, which says in essence that in order to render all decisions about a finite system requires the use of material outside the system. Thus, a potentially complete interpretation of thought must use some technique which is basically non-linguistic . Wittgenstein proposed such a method with his "Picture theory. " This technique solves the major paradoxical problem generated by investigation of a reflective system using the system itself , but leaves unsolved the question of ultimate resolution . Using pictorial models with examples to assist in understanding phenomenal characteristics of thought, this paper investigates basic units of thought, attempting to identify properties of a basic unit of thought and of the collection of thoughts for a person, and analyzes relationships and interactions between units of thought.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:unt.edu/info:ark/67531/metadc331860
Date05 1900
CreatorsKeyton, Michael M. (Michael Murray)
ContributorsCooper, Jed Arthur, Vaughan, Nick H., Martin, B. E., Oelschlaeger, Max
PublisherNorth Texas State University
Source SetsUniversity of North Texas
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis or Dissertation
Formatv, 34 leaves: ill., Text
RightsPublic, Keyton, Michael M. (Michael Murray), Copyright, Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

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