scholarly journals How Intractability Spans the Cognitive and Evolutionary Levels of Explanation

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Rich ◽  
Mark Blokpoel ◽  
Ronald de Haan ◽  
Iris van Rooij
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Level ◽  
Levels Of Explanation ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
Domain Generality ◽  
Massive Modularity ◽  
Evolutionary Level ◽  
Adaptive Toolbox

The challenge of explaining how cognition can be tractably realized is widely recognized. Classical rationality is thought to be intractable due to its assumptions of optimization and/or domain generality, and proposed solutions therefore drop one or both of these assumptions. We consider three such proposals: Resource-Rationality, the Adaptive Toolbox theory, and Massive Modularity. All three seek to ensure tractability of cognition by shifting part of the explanation from the cognitive to the evolutionary level: evolution is responsible for producing the tractable architecture. We consider the three proposals and show that, in each case, the intractability challenge is not thereby resolved, but only relocated from the cognitive level to the evolutionary level. We explain how non-classical accounts do not currently have the upper hand on the new playing field.

Partner choice, fairness, and the extension of morality

2013 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Baumard ◽  
Jean-Baptiste André ◽  
Dan Sperber
Keyword(s):  
Final Section ◽  
Partner Choice ◽  
Cognitive Level ◽  
Evolution Of Morality ◽  
Evolutionary Level

AbstractOur discussion of the commentaries begins, at the evolutionary level, with issues raised by our account of the evolution of morality in terms of partner-choice mutualism. We then turn to the cognitive level and the characterization and workings of fairness. In a final section, we discuss the degree to which our fairness-based approach to morality extends to norms that are commonly considered moral even though they are distinct from fairness.

Using Bayesian Statistics for Evaluating the Adaptive Toolbox Approach

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Scheibehenne ◽  
Jorg Rieskamp ◽  
Eric Jan Wagenmakers
Keyword(s):  
Bayesian Statistics ◽  
Adaptive Toolbox

Empirical comparison of the adjustable spanner and the adaptive toolbox models of choice.

2019 ◽  
Vol 45 (7) ◽  
pp. 1151-1165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonia Krefeld-Schwalb ◽  
Chris Donkin ◽  
Ben R. Newell ◽  
Benjamin Scheibehenne
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Comparison ◽  
Adaptive Toolbox

Esotericism and the “Coded Word” in Mormonism

2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-54
Author(s):  
Clyde Forsberg Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Popular Religion ◽  
Latter Day Saints ◽  
Social Commentary ◽  
Joseph Smith ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
Book Of Mormon ◽  
Divine Inspiration ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Interpretation ◽  
New Religion

In the history of American popular religion, the Latter-day Saints, or Mormons, have undergone a series of paradigmatic shifts in order to join the Christian mainstream, abandoning such controversial core doctrines and institutions as polygamy and the political kingdom of God. Mormon historians have played an important role in this metamorphosis, employing a version (if not perversion) of the Church-Sect Dichotomy to change the past in order to control the future, arguing, in effect, that founder Joseph Smith Jr’s erstwhile magical beliefs and practices gave way to a more “mature” and bible-based self-understanding which is then said to best describe the religion that he founded in 1830. However, an “esoteric approach” as Faivre and Hanegraaff understand the term has much to offer the study of Mormonism as an old, new religion and the basis for a more even methodological playing field and new interpretation of Mormonism as equally magical (Masonic) and biblical (Evangelical) despite appearances. This article will focus on early Mormonism’s fascination with and employment of ciphers, or “the coded word,” essential to such foundation texts as the Book of Mormon and “Book of Abraham,” as well as the somewhat contradictory, albeit colonial understanding of African character and destiny in these two hermetic works of divine inspiration and social commentary in the Latter-day Saint canonical tradition.

The (Mis) Education of Immigrant Children in Today’s America

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 32
Author(s):  
Gabriela E. Gui
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Immigrant Students ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Immigrant Children ◽  
Playing Field ◽  
Survey Interviews ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
General Education Classrooms

In today’s America, not every child starts on a level playing field, and very few children move ahead based solely on hard work or talent. Generational poverty and a lack of cultural capital hold many students back, robbing them of the opportunity to move up professionally and socially. Children of immigrants are especially at-risk because, in addition to facing poverty, race, geographical location or economic disadvantages, they are also confronted with failure due to their limited or non-existent English proficiency. This study focuses on the degree to which teachers in a mid-sized urban school district take into consideration the individual needs of immigrant children in the process of their education. The study also examines the preparation teachers have had to equip them with knowledge of best practices in teaching immigrant children, and the relationship between teachers’ practices, beliefs, and their demographic and personal characteristics (age, gender, years of experience, level of education, etc.). Quantitative data was collected via a survey. Interviews with teachers and one central office administrator provided data for the qualitative section of the study. The findings revealed that teachers, in general, appeared to lack knowledge of specific policies for mainstreaming immigrant students into general education classrooms; their use of effective teaching practices for working with immigrant children were limited; and most of the teachers had not participated actively in professional development that focused on teaching immigrant children.

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