{yoda,cpf}@isr.ist.utl.pt
Instituto de Sistemas e Robotica, Instituto Superior Tecnico
Av Rovisco Pais 1, 1096 Lisboa Codex, Portugal
In this paper, an approach to the concept of meaning is provided and presented. In particular, the Chinese Room scenario, engendered by John Searle (1980) is revisited through the introduction of an apparently minor detail in the setup. From this modification, an architecture that is claimed to provide meaning to objects and situations is presented. This architecture, based on the idea that stimuli should be processed under two different perspectives --- a cognitive and a perceptual one --- underlies what is here defined as emotion-based agents. As these agents are capable of generating new associations, it is claimed that this learning of meaning mechanism is a meaning engine.