Analogy is one of the most studied representatives of a family of non-classical forms of reasoning working across different domains, usually taken to play a crucial role in creative thought and problem-solving. In the first part of the talk, I will shortly introduce general principles of computational analogy models (relying on a generalisation-based approach to analogy-making). We will then have a closer look at Heuristic-Driven Theory Projection (HDTP) as an example for a theoretical framework and implemented system: HDTP computes analogical relations and inferences for domains which are represented using many-sorted first-order logic languages, applying a restricted form of higher-order anti-unification for finding shared structural elements common to both domains. The presentation of the framework will be followed by a few reflections on the "cognitive plausibility" of the approach motivated by theoretical complexity and tractability considerations. In the second part of the talk I will discuss an application of HDTP to modeling essential parts of concept blending processes as current "hot topic" in Cognitive Science. Here, I will sketch an analogy-inspired formal account of concept blending -developed in the European FP7-funded Concept Invention Theory (COINVENT) project- which, among others, combines HDTP with mechanisms from Case-Based Reasoning.
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