Procedural Semantics as a Theory of Meaning.

Abstract : This report addresses fundamental issues of semantics for computational systems. The question at issue is 'What is it that machines can have that would correspond to the knowledge of meanings that people have and that we seem to refer to by the ordinary language term 'meaning'?' The proposed answer is that the notion of truth-conditions can be explicated and made precise by identifying them with a particular kind of abstract procedure and that such procedures can serve as the meaning bearing elements of a theory of semantics suitable for computer implementation. This theory, referred to as 'procedural semantics', has been the basis of several successful computerized systems and is acquiring increasing interest among philosophers of language. (Author)