Perspectives on Language and Perspectives on Language and IntelligenceIntelligence

Giuseppe AttardiGiuseppe Attardi

Dipartimento di InformaticaDipartimento di Informatica

Università di PisaUniversità di Pisa

Università di Pisa

Language and IntelligenceLanguage and Intelligence

““Understanding cannot be measured by Understanding cannot be measured by external behavior; it is an internal metric external behavior; it is an internal metric of how the brain remembers things and of how the brain remembers things and uses its memories to make predictions”.uses its memories to make predictions”.

““The difference between the intelligence of The difference between the intelligence of humans and other mammals is that we humans and other mammals is that we have language”.have language”.

Jeff Hawkings, “On Intelligence”, 2004

Mountcastle observationMountcastle observation

All the different regions of the neocortex All the different regions of the neocortex look pretty much exactly the same.look pretty much exactly the same.

To understand spoken language, scientists To understand spoken language, scientists build algorithms based on rules of build algorithms based on rules of grammar, syntax, and semantics.grammar, syntax, and semantics.

But if Mountcastle is correct, the algorithm But if Mountcastle is correct, the algorithm of the cortex must be expressed of the cortex must be expressed independently of any particular function or independently of any particular function or sense.sense.

The brain uses the same process to see as The brain uses the same process to see as to hear. The cortex does something to hear. The cortex does something universal that can be applied to any type universal that can be applied to any type of sensory or motor system. of sensory or motor system.

Hawkins’ Memory-Prediction Hawkins’ Memory-Prediction frameworkframework

The brain uses vast amounts of The brain uses vast amounts of memory to create a model of the memory to create a model of the world. Everything you know and world. Everything you know and have learned is stored in this model. have learned is stored in this model. The brain uses this memory-based The brain uses this memory-based model to make continuous model to make continuous predictions of future events. It is the predictions of future events. It is the ability to make predictions about the ability to make predictions about the future that is the crux of intelligence. future that is the crux of intelligence.

In SummaryIn Summary

Prediction is the primary function of the Prediction is the primary function of the neocortex.  All behavior is a byproduct of neocortex.  All behavior is a byproduct of prediction.prediction.

The neocortex is uniform.The neocortex is uniform. The neocortex stores sequences of The neocortex stores sequences of

patterns.patterns. The patterns stored in the neocortex can The patterns stored in the neocortex can

be recalled in an auto-associative way.be recalled in an auto-associative way. The patterns stored in the neocortex must The patterns stored in the neocortex must

be stored using an invariant be stored using an invariant representation.representation.

Perceptual processing is hierarchical. Perceptual processing is hierarchical.

More …More …

““Spoken and written words are just patterns Spoken and written words are just patterns in the world…in the world…

The syntax and semantics of language are The syntax and semantics of language are not different from the hierarchical not different from the hierarchical structure of everyday objects.structure of everyday objects.

We associate spoken words with our We associate spoken words with our memory of their physical and semantic memory of their physical and semantic counterparts.counterparts.

Through language one human can invoke Through language one human can invoke memories and create next justapositions memories and create next justapositions of mental objects in another human.”of mental objects in another human.”

ThemesThemes

VisionVision

David Lowe: Local Invariant FeatureDavid Lowe: Local Invariant Feature– http://

www.cs.ubc.ca/spider/lowe/research.html

MusicMusic

Music Genoma ProjectMusic Genoma Project– http://www.pandora.com/mgp.shtml

MovementMovement

Alain Berthoz. Sense du MovementAlain Berthoz. Sense du Movement Perception and cognition are inherently Perception and cognition are inherently

predictive, functioning to allow us to anticipate predictive, functioning to allow us to anticipate the consequences of current or potential actions. the consequences of current or potential actions. The brain acts like a simulator that is constantly The brain acts like a simulator that is constantly inventing models to project onto the changing inventing models to project onto the changing world, models that are corrected by steady, world, models that are corrected by steady, minute feedback from the world. We move in the minute feedback from the world. We move in the direction we are looking, anticipate the trajectory direction we are looking, anticipate the trajectory of a falling ball, recover when we stumble, and of a falling ball, recover when we stumble, and continually update our own physical position, all continually update our own physical position, all thanks to this sense of movement. thanks to this sense of movement.

LanguageLanguage

Parser technologiesParser technologies

OntologiesOntologies

Omega Description Logic (1979)Omega Description Logic (1979)– Assume that knowledge is represented in

conceptual taxonomies rather than flat predicates as in FOL

– Single subsumption relation is:• (a Man) is (a Mortal)• Socrates is (a Man)

– Taxonomic reasoning Evidence from psychometric studiesEvidence from psychometric studies Danny Hillis planned to use Omega on Danny Hillis planned to use Omega on

Connection MachineConnection Machine Description LogicsDescription Logics

OntologiesOntologies

Problem: how to build ontologies?Problem: how to build ontologies?– Hand craft– Acquire from learning

Semantic WebSemantic Web– RDF: derived from description logics– OWL (= DAML+OIL): Web Ontology

Language

Personal stancePersonal stance

Skeptical of Semantic Web approach, Skeptical of Semantic Web approach, for several reasons:for several reasons:– People– Goals– impractical

Favor approaches based on learning Favor approaches based on learning through large corpora and through large corpora and continuous adaptationcontinuous adaptation

Alternative ViewAlternative View

Cognitive Web based on the Memory-Cognitive Web based on the Memory-Prediction FrameworkPrediction Framework

1.1. invariant forms: documentsinvariant forms: documents

2.2. broad connectivity: the Netbroad connectivity: the Net

3.3. nested feedback loops:aggregation nested feedback loops:aggregation

Knowledge ExtractionKnowledge Extraction

Text Analytics, Text MiningText Analytics, Text MiningRelation Extraction from parse treesRelation Extraction from parse treesSemantic Role LabelingSemantic Role Labeling Intent, Opinion MiningIntent, Opinion MiningApplicationsApplications

Opinion MiningOpinion Mining

Bibliography at:Bibliography at:– http://patty.isti.cnr.it/~esuli/research/

sentiment/

CognitionCognition

Susan Blackmore: Meme MachineSusan Blackmore: Meme Machine Meme: units of cultural transmissionMeme: units of cultural transmission Role of imitation in humansRole of imitation in humans Explores the meme-gene parallels and derives an Explores the meme-gene parallels and derives an

interesting framework for explaining the unusual interesting framework for explaining the unusual size of the human brain and the origins of size of the human brain and the origins of consciousness, language, altruism, religion, and consciousness, language, altruism, religion, and orkut.orkut.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/019286212X/qid=1091859256/sr=8-1/019286212X/qid=1091859256/sr=8-1/ref=pd_ka_1/103-2477453-3275828?ref=pd_ka_1/103-2477453-3275828?v=glance&s=books&n=507846v=glance&s=books&n=507846

ReferencesReferences

A. Berthoz. The brain's sense of movement. Harvard University Press. . 2000.2000.

J. Hawkins, S. Blakeslee. On Intelligence. Times Books, 2004.

S. Blackmore. Meme Machine.

Themes for discussionThemes for discussion

Lenci: linguaggio e cognizioneLenci: linguaggio e cognizioneEsuli Sebastiani: opinion mining?Esuli Sebastiani: opinion mining? Improvvisazione: CianciaImprovvisazione: CianciaNeurofisiologia: FelicioliNeurofisiologia: FelicioliSemantic Web: Razvan PopescuSemantic Web: Razvan PopescuMovement: BonchiMovement: BonchiVision: ScordinoVision: ScordinoMemes: PassaroMemes: PassaroLanguage: Language:

Mailing ListMailing List

pangon@gmail.compangon@gmail.com Felicioli Claudio Felicioli Claudio fibonchi@di.unipi.itfibonchi@di.unipi.it Filippo Bonchi Filippo Bonchi ciancia@di.unipi.itciancia@di.unipi.it Vincenzo Ciancia Vincenzo Ciancia veraldi@di.unipi.itveraldi@di.unipi.it Luca Veraldi Luca Veraldi carmigna@di.unipi.itcarmigna@di.unipi.it Nicola Carmignani Nicola Carmignani fiorin@di.unipi.itfiorin@di.unipi.it Valentino Fiorin Valentino Fiorin he@di.unipi.ithe@di.unipi.it Yan He Yan He corfini@di.unipi.itcorfini@di.unipi.it Sara Corfini Sara Corfini popescu@di.unipi.it Razvan Popescupopescu@di.unipi.it Razvan Popescu scordino@di.unipi.it Claudio Scordinoscordino@di.unipi.it Claudio Scordino nids@di.unipi.it Francesco Niditonids@di.unipi.it Francesco Nidito passaro@di.unipi.it Alessandro Passaropassaro@di.unipi.it Alessandro Passaro callieri@isti.cnr.it Callieri Marcocallieri@isti.cnr.it Callieri Marco baronti@di.unipi.it Flavio Barontibaronti@di.unipi.it Flavio Baronti ruggieri@di.unipi.it Salvatore Ruggieriruggieri@di.unipi.it Salvatore Ruggieri simi@di.unipi.it Maria Simisimi@di.unipi.it Maria Simi attardi@di.unipi.it Giuseppe Attardiattardi@di.unipi.it Giuseppe Attardi