templated vs. ontogenetic outcomes

From: Damien Broderick (thespike@satx.rr.com)
Date: Fri May 28 2004 - 12:39:40 MDT


There is a marked bias in most of the more able members of this list toward
an ev psych modular approach to mind. While this paradigm is compelling,
and has had a lot of press lately, it is worth noting some of its empirical
and theoretical limitations. One small instance is the work of Annette
Karmiloff-Smith on Williams and Down syndrome children, showing where a
developmental model of competencies seems better to explain the data.*
Obviously neither account is likely to be valid taken alone, but this is a
useful corrective. See, for example, Mark Johnson, DEVELOPMENTAL COGNITIVE
NEUROSCIENCE (1997).

*a short essay is `Why babies' brains are not Swiss army knives' in Rose
and Rose, ALAS, POOR DARWIN (2000).

Damien Broderick



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