CRC 991

A03: Grounded cognition: Causal indexicals and affordances in frames

Funding period: 01.07.2011 - 30.06.2015

The project investigates the extent to which and also the manner in which concepts are “grounded” in basic sensory-motor representations. The focus of the project is on concepts that have direct implications for one's actions, such as causal indexicals (e.g., “too hot for me to handle”) and affordances (e.g., “sit-on-able”). Firstly, these concepts will be analyzed in terms of frames. Secondly, abstraction mechanisms will be characterized that allow the transformation of such concepts into more abstract ones. In this way, the relation between sensory-motor processes and abstract concepts will be described in detail, and general principles of frame transformation (abstraction) will be determined.

Head of the project

Prof. Gottfried Vosgerau
Institut für Philosophie
Universitätsstr. 1
40225 Düsseldorf
Phone: +49 211 81-105 25
Email: vosgerauphil.uni-duesseldorfde 

Staff

Dr. Alex Tillas
Institut für Philosophie
Universitätsstr. 1
Room: 23.31.01.66
40225 Düsseldorf 
Phone: +49 211 81-031 73
Email: atillasphil.uni-duesseldorfde