@article {Thompson:1997:0278-2626:48,
	author = "Thompson E.",
	title = "Symbol Grounding: A Bridge from Artificial Life to Artificial Intelligence",
	journal = "Brain and Cognition",
	volume = "34",
	year = "1997",
	abstract = "<P> This paper develops a bridge from AL issues about the symbol-matter relation to AI issues about symbol-grounding by focusing on the concepts of formality and syntactic interpretability. Using the DNA triplet-amino acid specification relation as a paradigm, it is argued that syntactic properties can be grounded as high-level features of the non-syntactic interactions in a physical dynamical system. This argument provides the basis for a rebuttal of John Searle's recent assertion that syntax is observer-relative (1990, 1992). But the argument as developed also challenges the classic symbol-processing theory of mind against which Searle is arguing, as well as the strong AL thesis that life is realizable in a purely computational medium. Finally, it provides a new line of support for the autonomous systems approach in AL and AI (Varela &amp; Bourgine 1992a, 1992b).</P>",
	pages = "48-71(24)",
	url = "http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ap/br/1997/00000034/00000001/art00906"
}