As both a computer scientist and a philosopher, my research interests lie in computational linguistics and natural language understanding, including syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. My past work includes parsing algorithms for categorial grammars, the logic and semantics of presupposition, and the pragmatics of interpreting metaphors. I am currently collaborating with Murray Kiteley, of Smith College's Philosophy Department, on "structured extensional meanings." We are developing a semantic theory that explains semantic opacity, or failure to preserve truth-value under substitution of co-referential expressions, both within propositional attitude attributions and outside of such contexts.

In contrast with the dominant semantic theory of the past 25 years, this theory does not appeal to possible worlds outside of modal contexts -- and, where needed, possible worlds are constructed from structured extensional meanings. As a consequence, the theory should prove computationally feasible for natural language understanding systems.

Bergmann, M. (1991). "Presupposition and Two-Dimensional Logic", in Meaning and Truth: The Essential Readings in Modern Semantics, eds. Jay L. Garfield and Murray Kiteley, New York: Paragon House, pp. 189-211.

Bergmann, M. (1991). "Metaphorical Assertions", in Pragmatics, ed. Steven Davis, New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 485-494.

Bergmann, M., J.H. Moor, and J. Nelson (1990). The Logic Book, 2nd ed., New York: McGraw-Hill.