KC Class 4

Seite 1

Palmer's fundamental aspects of cognitive representation (models):

The job of the representing world is to reflect some aspects of the represented world in some fashion. Not all aspects of the world need to be modeled; not all aspects of the representing world need model an aspect of the represented world. However, there must be some corresponding aspects if one world is to represent the other.

Difference b/w dudai vs plotkin:

dudai: representations must be in the nervous system

plotkin: representations can be anywhere in the organism

Kelley: a bad definition is like a doorman who doesn't do his job properly, letting people into the party when they're not supposed to be there.

genus vs differentia:

genus: human

differentia: rational

for plotkin (pragmatic):

knowledge is:

genus: representation (in a)

differentia: biological organism

for dudai:

knowledge is:

genus: representation

differentia: nervous system

for philosophy:

knowledge is:

genus: propositional attitude

differentia: confidence

Raymond Tallis (even more pragmatic): 本Aping Mankind本

Argument: Human beings are different from other animals in the following ways:

a. self-conscious/aware, meta-aware: we're not merely sentient, only sensing the world as other animals are; in fact, we are aware THAT we are sensing the world. We are in the world and simultaneously aware that we are separate from the world, and that we can be wrong about what we're perceiving. I have a PoV and i see THAT i have a PoV.

b. There are no facts. there is no truth in the world. The world just is and I am just aware of it. Facts and truth are man-made concepts.

The idea of 'THAT' is totally crucial to Tallis' understanding of the difference b/w humans and other animals. the difference between sensing a red spot and knowing THAT a red spot is the case.

We are the animals that are THATTERs.

More generally, it is language that distinguishes human beings. Without language, a thing is a thing. Once you have language you can decontextualize the thing from its actual presence and think of it abstractly.

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How does the phenotype have knowledge?

Where is knowledge: starting with PLOTKIN

Plotkin is a naturalizer: I want to locate any phenomenon and find out its function, its purpose; and how does function A promote the fitness of the organism?

how do you get knowledge in a changing world?

Plotkin says: Build it in from the start. Give it to the organism. from a naturalist perspective, evolution is responsible for granting this knowledge. That way, knowledge is already there, and we don't have to go looking for it.

He calls this idea of knowledge as : the PRIMARY HEURISTIC SELECTIONIST KNOWLEDGE

What kind of knowledge would this be?

The kind of knowledge evolution can predict that you need. Knowledge would have to be predictable enough for evolution to select for it.

ex. sweating vs shivering

ex. growing fur vs. losing fur.

short-term stabilities: SECONDARY HEURISTIC INSTRUCTIONIST KNOWLEDGE: aka. learning: you have to acquire this. they are not there built in from the start.