[Xmca-l] Re: Barsalou's Grounded Cognition Theory

[Martin John Packer]

Hi Larry,

I've read a lot of Ricoeur, but he wrote faster than I can read so I haven't covered it all. This sounds like his book Symbolism and Evil?  If so, it's one I didn't read...

Martin

On Dec 3, 2014, at 1:25 AM, Larry Purss <lpscholar2@gmail.com> wrote:

> Martin,
> Thank You for the article on Grounded theory that is exploring the
> multimodal synthesis of  perceptual, action, linguistic, and conceptual
> phenomena. [his Perceptual Symbol System's or PSS theory]. On page 623
> Barsalou explores *memory theories* and says his Perceptual Symbol System
> Theory  shares similarities with Rubin's *Basic Systems Theory*
> In Barsalou's words,
> "Basic Systems Theory proposes that a complex memory contains many
> multimodal components from vision, audition, action, space, affect,
> language, etc., and that retrieving a memory involves simulating its
> multimodal components together.
> Rubin was articulating a more complex and richer form of memory which
> includes autobiographical memory and oral history.
> 
> On page 622 Barsalou articulates his PSS theory and indicates how grounded
> cognition can implement symbolic functions naturally. He states,
> 
> "Through the construct of simulators - corresponding roughly to concepts
> and types in standard theories - PSS implements the standard symbolic
> functions of type-token, binding, inference, productivity, recursion and
> propositions."
> 
> I am curious how you understand the relation of Barsalou's Perceptual
> Symbol System theory of grounded cognition as it engages with another
> complex aspect of the symbolic memory system which points to more expansive
> notions of memory through historical time. Ricoeur has engaged deeply with
> this more expansive symbolic memory. which he describes as a schema of
> existence. As a concrete example he refers to the symbol of *captivity*
> which trans*forms* an actual historical event such as the Jewish Egyptian
> captivity and then the Babylonian captivity into a *schema of existence*
> Ricouer conjectures that symbolism such as the schema of captivity precedes
> reflection as a *guiding metaphor*.
> It is this complex, multimodal aspect of memory that I was pointing to.
> 
> Ricouer posits a relation between the *literal* and the *metaphoric* in the
> power or force of the living symbol. He says in the analogous relation [A
> is to B as C is to D]  and these terms can be objective. BUT in symbolic
> metaphor  I cannot *objectivize* the analogous relation. By living in the
> first *literal* meaning in this literal act I am drawn or carried *beyond*
> this literal understanding [i.e. captivity] The symbolic *meaning* is
> *constituted* IN AND THROUGH the literal *meaning*.
> 
> I am not sure where to situate Ricouer's exploration of the symbolic
> relation that *binds*  literal *meaning* and  symbolic *meaning*. As
> another aspects of multimodal cognition can Ricouer's  extension of *memory
> systems* beyond autobiography and oral history be included in Barsalou's
> PASS theory of grounded cognition?  Would Barsalou situate Ricouer's
> metaphorical understanding of symbolism as a simulation?