[numcog] Re: Questions...
- From: "Tony J. Simon Ph.D." <tjsimon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: numcog@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 21 Apr 2003 09:01:23 -0400
Anna
That certainly is a controversial debate and one that I think, in the
end, only has limited returns for time spent. The clear issue for us
as scientists to resolve is to determine the nature and mechanisms of
the developmental process or how the adult "end state" comes about -
i.e. what are the starting conditions, what are the required inputs
and activities and what, if any, plasticity is in the system. I have
no time right now to address all that as I am going out of town in 48
hours and have much to do between now and then. I'll just add a few
short comments and expand later if any one cares.
>
>1) Tony wrote:
>>I have been developing a theory for a while now which
>>presents the view that the basic components of human numerical
>>cognition arise from the co-opting of more domain general
>>visuospatial and object cognition abilities into the construction of
>>domain specific numerical abilities.
>Tony, to what extent do you think this co-opting occurs?
I think it is the key transition in the developmental process
>Of course, it is
>also argued that there is an innate domain-specific numerical cognition
>ability...
As a developmentalist, especially one dealing day to day with genetic
variations and the range of resulting phenotypes ,I don't understand
how this is possible - i.e. how experience/environment could play no
role
>do you think that this could also be the case, but that it might
>be only responsible for some aspects of processing, and that domain general
>co-opting could be responsible for the remaining processing?
As I understand it, it is either one or the other - in the clearest
sense of each position
>Or are you
>arguing that all of numerical cognition is founded on domain general
>abilities?
ditto
>(At the risk of starting a controversial debate here!!)
>
Too late now!
--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Tony J. Simon Ph.D. - Research Asst. Prof. Pediatrics, U. Penn.
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Tel: 215 590 7198
3535 Market St., Rm 1425 Fax: 267 426 5260
Philadelphia, PA 19104 Email: tjsimon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://tjsimon.home.mindspring.com/tjs-prof.html
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
-------------------------------------------------------
This message has been brought to you by the numcog mailing
list at freelists.org. If you would like to unsubscribe from
the list, send an email to numcog-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx and put
"unsubscribe" (without the quotes) in the Subject line of the email.
A digest version is available, to sign up login to your account at
//www.freelists.org/login.html, and see instructions in the FAQ or
welcome files.
For other administrative queries, email Anna:
ajwilson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Other related posts:
