Epistemology: 5. Modern Day Innatism Flashcards
What does Peter Carruthers argue about cognitive capacities?
Cognitive capacities are genetically determined and develop over time
Carruthers notes that infants have limitations at birth, such as vision only up to 12 inches.
It’s very similar to DNA(but regarding propositional knowledge)
At what age do babies begin to think of objects as existing outside their experience?
3-4 months
This marks a significant cognitive development stage.
What is the modern perspective on innate ideas a form of.similar to?
-It suggests empiricism by another name, with built-in capacities developing over time
-This includes basic propositional concepts that are functionally useful.
What role does experience play in the emergence of innate knowledge?
Experience provides the relevant stimuli for knowledge to emerge
Knowledge is not acquired from experience but requires exposure.
Define ‘Nature’ in the context of behavior and development.
Genetic and biological factors influencing behavior and development
Includes innate qualities individuals are born with.
Define ‘Nurture’ in the context of behavior and development.
Environmental factors and experiences impacting behavior and development
Includes upbringing, social relationships, and cultural influences.
What is the interaction effect in modern psychology?
Nature and nurture interact to shape behavior and development
Example: Language acquisition requires propositional knowledge about language structure.
What is Noam Chomsky’s Universal Grammar?
The innate ability to acquire language shared across all human languages
It includes a set of grammatical principles guiding language learning.
x.
What does Chomsky’s ‘poverty of the stimulus’ argument suggest?
Children learn complex grammatical structures without explicit teaching
Highlights the rapid and uniform acquisition of language across cultures=> not stimuli alone innate knowledge
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What key features does the Pirahã language lack according to Everett?
Numbers, color terms, and past or future tenses
These elements are predicted by Universal Grammar.
What is a criticism of Everett’s findings?
Some linguists claim the Pirahã language may not be a true counterexample to Universal Grammar
Critics argue that Everett’s interpretations are influenced by his relationship with the Pirahã community.
True or False: Chomsky’s theory suggests that grammar is entirely learned from the environment.
False
Chomsky argues that grammar is innate, not solely learned.
Fill in the blank: Carruthers argues that knowledge is _______ dispositioned into all of us.
innately
