---
abstract: "This paper presents an approach to solve the symbol grounding problem within the framework of embodied cognitive science. It will be argued that symbolic structures can be used within the paradigm of embodied cognitive science by adopting an alternative definition of a symbol. In this alternative definition, the symbol may be viewed as a structural coupling between an agent's sensorimotor activations and its environment. A robotic experiment is presented in which mobile robots develop a symbolic structure from scratch by engaging in a series of language games. In this experiment it is shown that robots can develop a symbolic structure with which they can communicate the names of a few objects with a remarkable degree of success. It is further shown that, although the referents may be interpreted differently on different occasions, the objects are usually named with only one form."
altloc:
  - http://www.ling.ed.ac.uk/~paulv/publications/csr.pdf
chapter: ~
commentary: ~
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creators_id: []
creators_name:
  - family: Vogt
    given: Paul
    honourific: ''
    lineage: ''
date: 2002
date_type: published
datestamp: 2003-07-16
department: ~
dir: disk0/00/00/30/55
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editors_id: []
editors_name:
  - family: Ziemke
    given: Tom
    honourific: ''
    lineage: ''
eprint_status: archive
eprintid: 3055
fileinfo: /style/images/fileicons/application_pdf.png;/3055/1/csr.pdf
full_text_status: public
importid: ~
institution: ~
isbn: ~
ispublished: pub
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item_issues_comment: []
item_issues_count: 0
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keywords: 'symbol grounding problem, semiotics, language evolution'
lastmod: 2011-03-11 08:55:18
latitude: ~
longitude: ~
metadata_visibility: show
note: ~
number: 3
pagerange: 429-457
pubdom: FALSE
publication: Cognitive Systems Research Journal
publisher: ~
refereed: TRUE
referencetext: ~
relation_type: []
relation_uri: []
reportno: ~
rev_number: 12
series: ~
source: ~
status_changed: 2007-09-12 16:48:08
subjects:
  - comp-sci-lang
  - phil-lang
  - ling-comput
  - comp-sci-robot
succeeds: ~
suggestions: ~
sword_depositor: ~
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thesistype: ~
title: The physical symbol grounding problem
type: journalp
userid: 4180
volume: 3
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