Context-Dependent and Epistemic Uses of Attention for Perceptual-Demonstrative Identification

Object identification via a perceptual-demonstrative mode of presentation has been studied in cognitive science as a particularly direct and context-dependent means of identifying objects. Several recent works in cognitive science have attempted to clarify the relation between attention, demonstrative identification and context exploration. Assuming a distinction between ‘(language-based) demonstrative reference’ and ‘perceptualdemonstrative identification’, this article aims at specifying the role of attention in the latter and in the linking of conceptual and non conceptual contents while exploring a spatial context. First, the analysis presents an argument to the effect that selection by overt and covert attention is needed for perceptualdemonstrative identification since overt/covert selective attention is required for the situated cognitive access to the target object. Second, it describes a hypothesis that makes explicit some of the roles of attention: the hypothesis of i...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2005
• Where: CONTEXT
• Authors: Nicolas J. Bullot
• Keywords: Cognitive Science, CONTEXT 2005, Object Identification, Overt/covert Selective Attention