Neoconstructivism: The New Science of Cognitive Development

摘要: Arguments over the developmental origins of human knowledge are ancient, founded in writings Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Hume, and Kant. They have also persisted long enough to become a core area inquiry cognitive science. Empirical contributions these debates, however, appeared only last century, when Jean Piaget offered first viable theory acquisition that centered on great themes discussed by Kant: object, space, time, causality. The essence Piaget's is constructivism: building concepts from simpler perceptual precursors, particular experience gained through manual behaviors observation. constructivist view was disputed generation researchers dedicated idea "competent infant," endowed with (say, permanent objects) emerged prior facile behaviors. Taking this possibility further, it has been proposed many fundamental mechanisms - reasoning, event prediction, decision-making, hypothesis testing, deduction operate independently all experience, are, sense, innate. competent-infant an intuitive appeal, attested its widespread popularity, enjoys kind parsimony: It avoids supposed philosophical pitfall posed having account for novel forms inductive learners. But leaves unaddressed vital challenge: understand which new arises. This challenge now met. neoconstructivist approach rooted emphasis mechanisms, yet reflects modern advances our understanding learning cortical development, modeling. book brings together, theoretical views embrace computational models neurobiology, emphasize interplay architecture explain emergent knowledge, empirical line research identifying set general-purpose sensory, perceptual, guide across different domains development.