The Language Organism: Simple simulations of learning, culture and evolution

Masterclass conducted by Simon Kirby

Center for Semiotics, AU, November 14-16, 2012

The study of the origins and evolution of language and communication has seen a resurgence of interest in recent years. Part of the reason for this has been the application of techniques from computer modelling to test out different hypotheses about how language evolved. This allows researchers to run experiments on populations of simulated individuals, essentially rerunning competing proposed scenarios for the evolution of language.

In this course, we will build and run experiments with very simple models that nevertheless cast light on a wide range of puzzles – from the origins of animal communication all the way to the cultural evolution of structure in language. Each of these models will build on the previous ones and at each step we will relate the practical work we are doing with the existing literature on simulating language, as well as broader issues in the scientific understanding of the origins and ongoing evolution of language.

To take this course, you will need a version of Python running on your machine which has access to the matplotlib library. You can download an easy to install distribution from Enthought. It is unlikely we will be able to get through all the material in the time available, but any remaining lectures, code and worksheets will be available for you to download and work through in your own time.

CODE

signalling1.py
signalling2.py
evolution1.py
learning1.py
learning2.py
learning3.py
bayes1.py

WORKSHEETS

worksheet 1
example functions for worksheet 1
worksheet 2
walkthrough for worksheet 2
worksheet 3
worksheet 4
worksheet 5
worksheet 6
worksheet 7
worksheet 8