Cognition blindness and cognitive gadgets

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Philosophy of Mind

Background:

• Research on human evolution often suffers from "cognition blindness," overlooking key cognitive aspects.
• The "Cognitive Gadgets" framework proposes a way to overcome this limitation in evolutionary studies.
• Existing critiques from Brunerian, extended mind, and niche construction perspectives challenge computationalist views.

Purpose of the Study:

• To clarify and defend the central purpose of the "Cognitive Gadgets" framework in evolutionary research.
• To respond to commentaries and critiques concerning computationalism and the role of meaning versus information.
• To highlight the necessity of empirical cognitive science evidence for understanding human cognitive evolution.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual defense of the "Cognitive Gadgets" framework against philosophical and theoretical critiques.
• Analysis of empirical evidence from cognitive science to situate human cognitive mechanisms.
• Addressing specific challenges and refinements related to existing research on cognitive evolution.

Main Results:

• The "Cognitive Gadgets" framework is defended as a crucial tool to combat "cognition blindness" in human evolution studies.
• Computationalism, when prioritizing meaning over information, faces significant challenges that require empirical resolution.
• Empirical data from cognitive science is essential for distinguishing unique human cognitive mechanisms from innate instincts.

Conclusions:

• Integrating cognitive science evidence is vital for a comprehensive understanding of human cognitive evolution.
• The "Cognitive Gadgets" approach provides a valuable lens for future research in this interdisciplinary field.
• Further empirical investigation is needed to refine our understanding of the continuum between cognitive tools and instincts.