Practical abstractions Flashcards
Describe the role of the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex
Incorporates rules about how the universe worsk, rules that can be passed down, rules we deduc ourselves.
Decreased in dreams- unreality and acceptance of the unreality.
Account for the decrease in the activity of the posterior cortex
Role in perception, perceptional and prediposition to act in a particular manner
Anterior cingulate cortex
Emotional experience - involved in things like fear, the amygdala is also very active.
The purpose and mechanisms- understanding, problem solving, how things work to exert control. Understanding that leads us to some sort of universal agreement. Rejection of theories and application of common sense. We have 3 methods of thinking per se what are they?
Empirical methods- look for patterns and common occurances- development of these rules of thumbs
Deductive methods- this happens this will follow- casual relationships- applying principles.
Strategies and restrategy- looking into hypotheses- we model.
What defines use as humans and complex animals
We have prediction and control- test, work and plan.
Active problem solvers
Curiosity drives use
Theory on how the world is around us
We take different views, we look around and take extractions of information
Make models to see the best possible version of what models in the world look like.
Perception is formed during critical periods.
Practical abstractions- we are able to understand the world around through our ability to have abstract thoughts.
It is through our so called practical abstractions that has led us to use things in an unusual way- perceived unuduals
Using tools, recursive thinking ( the ability to make something to be utilised to make something else)- level of abstraction to get to another point.
Discuss some of the practical abstractions in relation to humans and their development.
Long time we did not use our hands, dextrous nature, opposable thumbs, our ability to collect and transport out tools, delay in gratification ( do something to get what you want later).
Evolution of human tool use
Opposable digits and freed hands- but unshapen tools.
Homo habilis- (2.4 mya)- able man also had some language function
Other animals such as primates used simple tools, but did not have the creative vocabulary, or the ability to utilise recursive thing
Discuss the evolution of tool use- that is 2.4 million, 1.8 million and 200 000.
Oldowan tools - adhoc as need- used and then discarded, sharp tools often found in places at the site of killing- bimanual production- one shape tool and one hitting tool.
Acheulan tools- bifaced, careful selection of the starting material, considerable bimanual dexterity and some sense of recursion- Homo erectus- need to known about the selection
Levallios tools showed a vocabulary of tools and processes give variation. Make use of string and binding adhesives- increase a capacity- arrow points, spheres rock are used, requiring increase cognition, cultural transmission and recursive capacity
Levallios tools
Require temporal structuring of behaviour- intermediate solution prior to final
Mirror neurons
didatic learning- teaching whilst learning
Cultural transmission- strong capacity for languages.
Complex selection
Sequence of steps that cannot just be of any order.
Think about relatively common objects such as hand tools and name them, what part of the brain are you using?
Ventral stream (what pathway)
Language capacity to articulate it -seems to be associate with the regions where we are thinking about tools what tool does a particular job.
Brodman’s area 47,45
Close association b/w language and tool use.
So let’s discuss these Brodman’s areas
45- Naming the object (in Broca’s area)- descriptive
47- conceptualise understand what things are- link b/w function- symbolic potential
Discuss the assymmetry present within the brain pertaining to differences in tool use
LHS- how heavy, how long- quantitative, parametric
RHS- Objective, iconograpahic, what sort of tool it is, broadly speaking what it might represent.
Section 46
Last to myleinate, last to mature
Dorsal stream (when and where) carries sensory association
Ideates space and time and other abstractions- abstract concepts and then synthesis of possibilities and general principles of action and hypotheses.
At about 12 yer
