Darwin and development: Why ontogeny does not recapitulate phylogeny for human concepts
This chapter argues that human cognitive development tells us a great deal about what makes human thinking qualitatively unique, but it does so in the same way that current evolutionary biologists explain how organisms are particularly well adapted to niches; that is, the way in which human concepts are specialized, rather than the product of a linear increase in complexity. The chapter outlines a few key developmental transitions that are commonly assumed in human cognitive development and then demonstrates how these ontogenetic distinctions fail to contribute to our understanding of cross-species differences.
Keywords: cognition, cognitive development, conceptual development, ontogeny, phylogeny, evolution
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