 |
Business | Industries | Finance | Tax |
| Index: > A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
|
|||||
| First Prev [ 1 2 ] Next Last |
In functionalist theories, functionalists like Georges Rey explore computational theories of mind (see external links, below ) that are independent of the physical instantiation of any particular mind.
In brain- mind identity theories, biologists like Gerald Edelman are concerned with the details of how brain activity produces mind and work within the confines of the identity theory of mind (see external links, below ).
We can also talk about theories of mind produced by individuals, such as Brentano's theory of mind. Georges Rey and Gerald Edelman were mentioned above as examples of people who deal with different broad categories of theories of mind within which they have each produced their own personal theories of mind.
In 1978 D. Premack and G. Woodruff published an article called Does the chimpanzee have a theory of mind? (Behavioral and Brain Sciences 4:515-526) which introduced the use of the phrase "theory of mind" to refer to the cognitive capacity that allows each of us to know that other people have their own unique thoughts that differ from our own. This cognitive capacity normally develops in young children as their brains mature and they acquire an increasingly sophisticated understanding of complex human social behaviors. Evidence from behavioral studies indicate that very young children usually assume that other people know what they know. Acquiring the understanding that each person has their own thoughts is an important developmental step for children.
As the title of Premack and Woodruff's 1978 article indicates (see above), it is also important to ask if other animals besides humans have a genetic endowment and social environment that allows them to acquire a theory of mind in the same way that human children do. This is a contentious issue because of the problem of inferring from animal behavior the existence of particular thoughts. Each of us knows by introspectionIntrospection is the direct observation or rumination of one's own heart, mind and/or soul and its processes, as opposed to extrospection, the observation of things external to one's self. Cognitive psychology accepts the use of the scientific method, but that we understand that others have beliefs, desires and intentionsIntentionality originally a concept from scholastic philosophy, was reintroduced in contemporary philosophy by the philosopher and psychologist Franz Brentano in his work Psychologie vom Empirischen Standpunkte. While often simplistically summarised as "a that are different from our own and we infer that all humans with normal minds share this cognitive ability. Researchers who have spent a great deal of time with non-human apes tend to accept the likelihood that other apes like chimps also have a theory of mind. For example, Sue Savage-Rumbaugh takes this position in her book " KanziThe Bonobo Pan paniscus , sometimes called the Pygmy Chimpanzee is one of the two species comprising the genus Pan both members of that genus are technically "chimpanzees", though the term is frequently used to refer only to the other member of the genus,". Others such as C. M. Heyes (see Theory of Mind in Nonhuman Primates) take the position that we need not infer that chimps in the wild have any understanding of the mental states of other chimps.
There is interest in the idea that certain learned behaviorsIn education and psychology, learning theories help us understand the process of learning. There are basically two main perspectives in learning theories: Constructivism views learning as a process in which the learner actively constructs or builds new id such as human language behavior, facilitate the development of a theory of mind in both humans and chimps. In the context of language users, Sue Savage-Rumbaugh (Kanzi, page 272) has described "theory of mind" as the idea that "knowledge states of the speaker and the listener can in fact be different."
There has also been speculation that certain humans fail to progress through the normal cognitive developmental stages that lead to acquisition of a theory of mind. In 1985 Baron-Cohen, Leslie and Frith published an article called Does the autistic child have a "theory of mind"? in which it was suggested that the human brain normally has a "theory of mind module" and that this particular component of the brain may not develop normally in some people. With the advent of brain imagingBrain imaging is a fairly recent discipline within medicine and neuroscience. Brain imaging falls into two broad categories structural imaging and functional imaging. The former deals with the overall structure of the brain and the precise diagnosis of in techniques, particular brain regions that seem to be important for theory of mind have been identified. Further autism research by a team at University College LondonUniversity College London commonly known as UCL is one of the colleges that make up the University of London. It is a member of the Russell Group of Universities and the third oldest higher education institution in England. The main part of the college is led by Peter HobsonHobson or Peter Hobson is a Professor of Developmental Psychopathology at University College London known for his work on autism and experimental child psychology. His research leads him to conclusions concerning the origins of consciousness, summarized i casts light on the crucial stages of infant development.
Autistic people often develop the theory of mind late, or not atall. However, some autistic people claim that the theory of mind that they have developed is superior to that of a normal person. The theory of mind that normal children develop appears to be that other people have different knowledge from oneself but process their knowledge in the same way that one would. The usual test for theory of mind, the "Sally-Anne test", is biased towards that type of theory of mind. Autistic people who develop a workable theory of mind tend to be aware not only that other people have different knowledge from themselves but also that other people have a different way of thinking. This second aspect of theory of mind is not commonly tested for. It is not yet established whether this different theory of mind is inherent in the autistic way of thinking or a result of the usual autistic experience of growing up among people with a very radically and obviously different way of thinking. It has also been suggested that the autistic delay in development of theory of mind is to some degree attributable to the difficulty of having to develop this more complex theory.
| Politics | Business | Finance |
 |
 |
 |
|