Prof. Dr. Valentin Braitenberg
Retired director, Max-Planck-Institute for Biological Cybernetics, Tübingen
Searching for Language Mechanisms in the Brain
Ever since computers were invented, there has been brain theory: the attempt to
explain psychological phenomena in terms of circuits in the brain. One of the
biggest challenges brain theory must face is the explanation of those mechanisms
which bring about an understanding of the production of language. Modern
linguistics supplies abstract models about the structures of sentences, which
are valid for all languages and thus point to innate language capabilities of
humans. If one translates these models into the language of information
processing in neural networks of the brain, one approaches a realistic
theory of the mechanisms behind language production.
Translation of the German original of this abstract by Georg Dorffner. Blaim all possible misrepresentations of Prof.
Braitenberg's ideas to him.