Output details
11 - Computer Science and Informatics
University of Edinburgh
A computational account of conceptual blending in basic mathematics
<22> Originality: Allows different conceptualisations of number to be blended via recognition of common features, and judicious combination of their distinctive features. First to take into account cognitive aspects involved in mathematical discoveries.
Significance: Demonstrates that conceptual blending is a vital aspect of mathematical creativity and provides a proof of concept for a computational model of this cognitive process. Provides methods for constructing conceptual blends and heuristics for constraining the search for these.
Rigour: Formally developed using Heuristic-Driven Theory Projection, a method based on higher-order anti-unification providing an explicit generalisation of two domains as a by-product of establishing an analogy.
