PSYCOLOQUY CALL FOR BOOK REVIEWERS
Below is the Abstract of the Precis of "Brain Size, Intelligence
and Myopia" by Miles David Storfer (970 lines). This monograph has
been selected for multiple review in Psycoloquy.
THE FULL TEXT OF THE PRECIS IS AT:
http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/psyc-bin/newpsy?11.083
THE FULL TEXT OF THE MONOGRAPH FOR REVIEW IS DOWNLOADABLE FROM:
http://www.gbhap-us.com/IJN (US)
http://www.gbhap.com/IJN (elsewhere)
If you wish to submit a formal review of this monograph, please
write to psyc(a)pucc.princeton.edu indicating what expertise you
would bring to bear on reviewing the book. (If you have never
reviewed for PSYCOLOQUY or Behavioral & Brain Sciences before, it
would be helpful if you could also append a copy of your CV to your
inquiry.) Reviews can also be submitted without invitation, but all
reviews will be refereed. The author will reply to all accepted
reviews.
FULL PSYCOLOQUY BOOK REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS AT:
http://www.princeton.edu/~harnad/psyc.htmlhttp://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/psycoloquy/
Please note that Psycoloquy reviews are of the full monograph, not
the Precis. Review length should be about 200 lines [c. 1800
words], with a short abstract (about 50 words), an indexable title,
and reviewer's full name and institutional address, email and Home
Page URL. All references that are electronically accessible should
also have URLs.
AUTHOR'S RATIONALE FOR SOLICITING MULTIPLE BOOK REVIEW
Reviews of Storfer (1999), "Brain Size, Intelligence and
Myopia," are invited on questions such as the following:
(1) To what extent is the human brain growing intergenerationally,
and why does the growth seem so specific to areas most heavily
stressed by recent ancestral experience? (2) How does this brain
growth relate to the gradual, substantial long-term rise in IQ
scores? (3) How can the prevalence of myopia have risen so rapidly,
yet continued to generate epidemiological data consistent with
myopia as primarily an inherited condition? (4) Given the close
correspondence between myopia and high IQ, and findings that relate
neocortical size and IQ, does this imply a causal link between the
secular increase in brain size and the upsurge in myopia? (5) Do
recent post-mortem findings of a left-right asymmetry in a
speech-analysis area of the neocortex of primates heavily exposed
to (gestural + vocal) human speech, in contrast to the
near-symmetry reported in much earlier studies, suggest a rapid,
adaptive (intergenerational) biological response?
The full text can be viewed and downloaded at no cost through the
publisher's (Gordon and Breach) website:
In the US: http://www.gbhap.com/IJN
{note: the letters IJN must be capitalized}.
Outside the US: http://www.gbhap-us.com/IJN may be required.
psycoloquy.00.11.083.brain-intelligence.1.storfer Sun Jun 18 2000
ISSN 1055-0143 (54 paragraphs, 17 references, 6 notes, 884 lines)
PSYCOLOQUY is sponsored by the American Psychological Association (APA)
Copyright 2000 Miles David Storfer
BRAIN SIZE, INTELLIGENCE AND MYOPIA
[International Journal of Neuroscience (1999), 98(3-4): 153-276]
Precis of Storfer on Brain-Intelligence
Miles David Storfer
The Foundation for Brain Research
46 Brittany A Drive
Delray Beach FL 33446
USA
brainfoundation(a)aol.com
ABSTRACT: During the past century, a substantial increase has
occurred in the size of the human brain, especially in
'association' areas of the neocortex heavily used to cope with a
complex language-driven society. It is proposed that this
neocortical expansion has made possible the large, gradual increase
in IQ that has occurred across the developed world, and been
responsible for the dramatic upsurge in the prevalence and severity
of near-sightedness (myopia) usually found after societies
urbanize. The impetus for these changes begins during prenatal
development. Findings from studies of mammals reared in captivity
suggest that there is a mechanism for adaptive epigenetic
inheritance, one capable of modifying the timing and/or extent of
gene expression prenatally, without altering the DNA sequences that
comprise protein-coding and other structural genes. Mechanisms that
appear capable of transporting such adaptive changes across the
so-called 'germ-line barrier' -- without violating the basic
precepts of Darwin's theory -- are proposed. The social and
evolutionary ramifications of our apparent proclivity for rapid,
progressive, adaptive neocortical change are discussed, as well as
some ways of testing aspects of this theory are proposed.
KEYWORDS: allergy, brain size, development, evolution, gene
expression regulation, genomic imprinting, gifted, intelligence,
myopia, neocortex.
TEXT OF THE PRECIS IS AT:
http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/psyc-bin/newpsy?11.083
THE FULL TEXT OF THE MONOGRAPH FOR REVIEW IS DOWNLOADABLE FROM:
http://www.gbhap-us.com/IJN (US)
http://www.gbhap.com/IJN (elsewhere)
PSYCOLOQUY BOOK REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS AT:
http://www.princeton.edu/~harnad/psyc.htmlhttp://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/psycoloquy/
PSYCOLOQUY CALL FOR BOOK REVIEWERS of:
"The Origins of Complex Language"
by Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy (OUP 1999)
Below is the abstract of the Precis of "The Origins of Complex
Language" by Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy (740 lines). This book has
been selected for multiple review in Psycoloquy. If you wish to
submit a formal book review please write to psyc(a)pucc.princeton.edu
indicating what expertise you would bring to bear on reviewing the
book if you were selected to review it.
Full Precis: http://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/psyc-bin/newpsy?11.082
(If you have never reviewed for PSYCOLOQUY or Behavioral & Brain
Sciences before, it would be helpful if you could also append a
copy of your CV to your inquiry.) If you are selected as one of the
reviewers and do not have a copy of the book, you will be sent a
copy of the book directly by the publisher (please let us know if
you have a copy already). Reviews may also be submitted without
invitation, but all reviews will be refereed. The author will reply
to all accepted reviews.
FULL PSYCOLOQUY BOOK REVIEW INSTRUCTIONS AT:
http://www.princeton.edu/~harnad/psyc.htmlhttp://www.cogsci.soton.ac.uk/psycoloquy/
Psycoloquy reviews are of the book, not the Precis. Length should
be about 200 lines [c. 1800 words], with a short abstract (about 50
words), an indexable title, and reviewer's full name and
institutional address, email and Home Page URL. All references that
are electronically accessible should also have URLs.
AUTHOR'S RATIONALE FOR SOLICITING MULTIPLE BOOK REVIEW
Most recent investigators assume that the brain has always been the
most important part of human anatomy for the evolution of language,
and do not seriously examine other conceivable directions in which
grammatical evolution might have proceeded. In "The Origins of
Complex Language," it is suggested that certain central features of
language-as-it-is, notably the distinction between sentences and
noun phrases, are by no means inevitable outcomes of linguistic or
cognitive evolution, so that where they come from constitutes a
genuine puzzle. The solution that is proposed is that
grammar-as-it-is was, in fundamental respects, exapted from, or
tinkered out of, the neural mechanisms that arose for the control
of syllabically organized vocalization, made possible by (among
other things) the descent of the larynx. This proposal turns upside
down mainstream views about the relationship between language
development and vocal tract development, and also challenges the
logical and epistemological basis of notions closely tied to the
distinction between sentences and noun phrases, such as
'reference', 'predication' and 'assertion'. It should therefore be
of interest to anthropologists, psychologists, cognitive
scientists, linguists and philosophers of language.
psycoloquy.00.11.082.language-origins.1.carstairs-mccarthy Wed May 24 2000
ISSN 1055-0143 (44 paragraphs, 27 references, 85 lines)
PSYCOLOQUY is sponsored by the American Psychological Association (APA)
Copyright 2000 Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy
THE ORIGINS OF COMPLEX LANGUAGE
[Oxford University Press 1999, ISBN 0-19-823822-3, 0-19-823821-5]
Precis of Carstairs-McCarthy on Complex Language
Andrew Carstairs-McCarthy
University of Canterbury
Department of Linguistics
Private Bag 4800
Christchurch
New Zealand
a.c-mcc(a)ling.canterbury.ac.nz
ABSTRACT: Some puzzling characteristics of grammar, such as the
sentence/NP distinction and the organization of inflection classes,
may provide clues about its prehistory. When bipedalism led to
changes in the vocal tract that favoured syllabically organized
vocalization, this made possible an increase in vocabulary which in
turn rendered advantageous a reliable syntax, whose source was the
neural mechanism for controlling syllable structure. Several
features of syntax make sense as byproducts of characteristics of
the syllable (for example, grammatical 'subjects' may be byproducts
of onset margins). This scenario is consistent with evidence from
biological anthropology, ape language studies, and brain
neurophysiology.
KEYWORDS: ape, aphasia, brain development, evolution of language,
grammar, language, larynx, noun phrase, predication, principle of
contrast, reference, sentence, sign language, speech, syllable,
truth
Kedves Kollegak,
A Magyar Pszichologiai Tarsasag neuropszichologiai szekcioja junius 14-en
15.00-kor tartja alakulo uleset az MTA Pszichologiai Intezetenek Victor
Hugo utcai epuleteben (137-es terem).
Sok szeretettel varunk minden erdeklodot.
Racsmany Mihaly
SZTE, Pszichologiai Tanszek,
Megismerestudomanyi Csoport
Csaba Pleh Pleh Csaba
Cognitive Science Group Megismerestudomanyi Csoport
Department of Psychology Pszichologiai Tanszek
University of Szeged Szegedi Tudomanyegyetem
Szeged
Petofi sgt 30-34, 6722 Hungary
Telefon/Phone: (36)(62) 544691
Lakas/Home: Budakeszi Zichy P. u. 4 2092 Hungary
(36)(23) 453932 or 933
Fax: (36(23)453932
Mobile: (0620) 3278922
WEB: http//www.jate.u-szeged.hu/~pleh
www.cogsciszeged.deltav.hu
Hungarian Review of Psychology Magyar Pszichologiai Szemle
editor foszerkeszto
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 10:05:28 +0200 (MET DST)
From: Chikoidze <chiko(a)contsys.acnet.ge>
Subject: [E-SSchool] Tbilisi Summer School
Resent-Date: Fri, 9 Jun 100 11:20:20 +100
Resent-From: pleh(a)izabell.elte.hu
Resent-To: pleh(a)sol.cc.u-szeged.hu
ANNOUNCEMENT
Tbilisi Summer School
in Language, Logic, and Computation
29th August - 8 September 2000
Tbilisi, Georgia
The Georgian Centre for Language, Logic, and Speech, based at the Tbilisi
State University, will host Tbilisi Summer School,the main purpose of which
is to make the students and young scholars acquainted with the modern state
of affairs in the mentioned fields of science, and - at the same time - to
further contacts and scientific collaboration between Western and Eastern
Scholars.
LECTURERS
Jurij Apresjan, Moscow
Matthias Baaz, Vienna
Pascal Boldini, Paris
Marina Glavinskaja, Moscow
Michel Parigot, Paris
Carl Vogel,Dublin
Andrej Voronkov, Manchester
COURSES
- Foundations of linguistic semantics (Ju.Apresjan)
- On the generalisation of proofs and calculations (M.Baaz)
- Type theories for semantics and cognition (P.Boldini)
- Semantics of aspect (M.Glavinskaja)
- Proofs as programs (M.Parigot)
- Cognitive constraints on linguistic theory. (C.Vogel)
- Logical foundations of deductive databases. (A.Voronkov).
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, August 29
12.00 - 13.00 Opening of the School
18.00 - Banquet
Wednesday, August 30
10.00 - 13.00 M. Parigot. Proofs as programs
13.00 - 14.00 Lunch
14.00 - 17.00 Ju. Apresjan. Foundations of linguistic
semantics
Thursday, August 31
10.00 - 13.00 M. Parigot. Proofs as programs.
13.00 - 14.00 Lunch
14.00 - 17.00 Ju. Apresjan. Foundations of linguistic
semantics.
Friday, September 1
10.00 - 13.00 M. Glavinskaja. Semantics of aspect.
13.00 - 14.00 Lunch
14.00 - 17.00 C. Vogel. Cognitive constraints on
linguistic theory.
Saturday, September 2 Recreation (sight-seeing in Tbilisi and environs,
Sunday, September 3 excursion).
Monday, September 4
10.00 - 13.00 M. Glavinskaja. Semantics of aspect.
13.00 - 14.00 Lunch
14.00 - 16.00 C. Vogel. Cognitive constraints on linguistic
theory.
Tuesday, September 5
10.00 - 14.00 A. Voronkov. Logical foundations of deductive
databases.
14.00 - 15.00 Lunch
15.00 - 17.00 C. Vogel. Cognitive constraints on linguistic
theory.
Wednesday, September 6
10.00 - 12.00 A. Voronkov. Logical foundations of deductive
databases.
12.00 - 14.00 M. Baaz. On the generalization of proofs and
calculations.
14.00 - 15.00 Lunch
15.00 - 17.00 P. Boldini. Type theories for semantics and
cognition.
Thursday, September 7
10.00 - 12.00 M. Baaz. On the generalisation of proofs and
calculations.
12.00 - 14.00 P. Boldini. Type theories for semantics and
cognition.
14.00 - 15.00 Lunch
Friday, September 8
10.00 - 12.00 M. Baaz. On the generalization of proofs and
calculations.
12.00 - 14.00 P. Boldini. Type theories for semantics and
cognition.
14.00 - 15.00 Lunch
15.00 - 16.00 Closing of the School.
18.00 Banquet
STUDENTS
Besides local students, the School also welcomes students from abroad.
The Participation fee for these students will be $120 (wich includes
excursion, banquet, reprints, etc.).Foreign students will be comfortably
accommodated with Georgian families (with two meals) for $40 per day.
LOCATION AND SIGHTSEEING TOURS
Georgia is the ancient country situated between Black and Caspian seas,
the Caucasus and Turkey. It is the country of the Golden Fleece, the myth of
Argonauts, Jason and Medea, and Prometheus, chained to the Caucasus mountains.
Tbilisi - capital of Georgia - has more than 1 million in habitant. It is
situated some 100-150 km to the south of main Caucasus ridge, in the
beautiful valley of the river Mtkvari, surrounded by the green slopes of the
Caucasus spurs. The city has a long (1500 year old) history and abounds in
historical and cultural memorials. Georgia is famous for its high quality
wines, exquisite cuisine and cordial hospitality.
The main site of the Symposium, Tbilisi state University, is the chief
centre of education in the country, and has several outstanding scholars
in science, art and politics among its graduates.
During the School there will be an excursion over the famous Georgian
Military Road, wich leads us through the ancient capital of Georgia -
Mtskheta, with its abundant architectural and historical monuments - and
wich brings us across the main ridge of the Caucasus by the Cross Pass.
The destination of the envisaged trip is the mountain resort Kazbegi
with its Trinity Church situated on the top of high peak facing the second
mountain (after Elbrus), the peak of the Caucasus - Mkinvarcveri
(Glacier - mountain).
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Tbilisi can only be reached by air. If there are no direct trip between your
point of departure and Tbilisi, the most convenient connections are via
Istambul, Frankfurt or Moscow.
ORGANISING COMMITTEE:
T.Khurodze (Clair, Pro-rector of Tbilisi State University)
R.Asatiani (Institute of Oriental Studies)
N.Chanishvili (Tbilisi State University)
G.Chikoidze (Institute of Control Systems)
K.Pkhakadze (Institute of Applied Mathematics)
Kh.Rukhaja (Institute of Aplied Mathematics).
For additional information, please, use the following address:
George Chikoidze
Dept. of Language Modelling
Inst. of Control Systems
Georgian Academy of Sciences
34, K. Gamsakhurdia
380060 Tbilisi
Georgia
Phone: +9 9532 382136
E- mail: chiko(a)contsys.acnet.ge
Gep a szellemben
Konferencia a racionalitasrol
Miskolci Egyetem, 2000. november 10-11.
Balkanyi Peter Lehmann Miklos
Konferenciank celja, hogy a racionalitas modern felfogasai fenyeben
vizsgalja az emberi gondolkodast es cselekvest. Lehetoseget teremtenenk
arra, hogy a filozofia, tarsadalom- es elmefilozofia es a kognitiv tudomany
kulonbozo teruletein tevekenykedo gondolkodok e kerdeskorre vonatkozo
nezeteiket, hozzaszolasaikat es kerdeseiket megfogalmazhassak, az oket
foglalkoztato problemakat bemutathassak.
A racionalitas kerdese napjainkban sokakat erdeklo es uj tavlatokat nyito
problemakor. Mi a racionalitas, mi ennek kriteriuma, hogyan alkalmazhato a
mindennapi elet (es a tudomanyos gondolkodas) soran ezek azok a kerdesek,
melyek a XXI. szazad kuszoben mind gyakrabban elofordulnak. A XX. szazadban
leginkabb az ujonnan felbukkano pszichoanalizis es pszichologiai
szemlelet hatasara a filozofiaban es a tudomany mas teruletein
megkerdojelezodott a klasszikus filozofia hires, hosszu idon keresztul
szeleskoruen elfogadott
emberdefinicioja: "Az ember racionalis allat." Cselekveseink es
gondolkodasunk sok olyan vonast tartalmaz (peldaul emocioink nyoman),
melyekrol nem allithato egyertelmuen, hogy racionalisak lennenek. Ezek az
okok teszik szuksegesse, hogy ujra feltegyuk a kerdest, mely mar evszazadok
ota foglalkoztatja az embert: Mi cselekedeteink vegso alapja? Van-e ilyen
egyaltalan, vagy csak bizonyos esetleges hatasok ervenyesulnek tetteinkben
es kognitiv tevekenysegunkben?
Mi lehet a racionalitas es e vegso alap kapcsolata? Mindezek fenyeben
celunk,hogy tag diszkussziot biztositsunk mindazoknak, akik
- az ember mint racionalis leny, a racionalis megismeres es cselekves
kulonbozo filozofiai megkozeliteseit fogalmazzak meg;
- a kognitiv tudomany keretei kozt a racionalis gondolkodast, a kognitiv
kepessegek racionalis aspektusait kutatjak;
- a filozofia kulonbozo teruletein a racionalitas, a racionalis gondolkodas
es cselekves korlatait vizsgaljak.
Konferenciank a racionalitast nem csupan az emberi gondolkodas sajatos vagy
eppen lenyegi vonasakent ertelmezi, hanem egyben mint tarsadalmi-cselekvesi
strategiat, etikai alapelvet illetve ismeretelmeleti diszpoziciot is. Igy
erdekesnek mutatkozik az a kerdes is, hogy vajon milyen mertekben irhato le
az emberi gondolkodas es viselkedes racionalis alapelvek segitsegevel.
A konferenciara jelentkezni 20-30 soros absztrakttal 2000. szeptember 15-ig
lehet Lehmann Miklosnal az MTA Filozofiai Intezete cimen (1054 Budapest,
Szemere u. 10.) vagy emailben a lehmann(a)phil-inst.hu cimen. Bovebb
informacio ugyanitt kerheto.
Balkanyi Peter Lehmann Miklos 2000-06-06
Gép a szellemben
Konferencia a racionalitásról
Miskolci Egyetem, 2000. november 10-11.
Balkányi Péter Lehmann Miklós
Konferenciánk célja, hogy a racionalitás modern felfogásai fényében
vizsgálja az emberi gondolkodást és cselekvést. Lehetõséget teremtenénk
arra, hogy a filozófia, társadalom- és elmefilozófia és a kognitív tudomány
különbözõ területein tevékenykedõ gondolkodók e kérdéskörre vonatkozó
nézeteiket, hozzászólásaikat és kérdéseiket megfogalmazhassák, az õket
foglalkoztató problémákat bemutathassák.
A racionalitás kérdése napjainkban sokakat érdeklõ és új távlatokat nyitó
problémakör. Mi a racionalitás, mi ennek kritériuma, hogyan alkalmazható a
mindennapi élet (és a tudományos gondolkodás) során ezek azok a kérdések,
melyek a XXI. század küszöbén mind gyakrabban elõfordulnak. A XX. században
leginkább az újonnan felbukkanó pszichoanalízis és pszichológiai
szemlélet hatására a filozófiában és a tudomány más területein
megkérdõjelezõdött a klasszikus filozófia híres, hosszú idõn keresztül
széleskörûen elfogadott
emberdefiníciója: "Az ember racionális állat." Cselekvéseink és
gondolkodásunk sok olyan vonást tartalmaz (például emócióink nyomán),
melyekrõl nem állítható egyértelmûen, hogy racionálisak lennének. Ezek az
okok teszik szükségessé, hogy újra feltegyük a kérdést, mely már évszázadok
óta foglalkoztatja az embert: Mi cselekedeteink végsõ alapja? Van-e ilyen
egyáltalán, vagy csak bizonyos esetleges hatások érvényesülnek tetteinkben
és kognitív tevékenységünkben?
Mi lehet a racionalitás és e végsõ alap kapcsolata? Mindezek fényében
célunk,hogy tág diszkussziót biztosítsunk mindazoknak, akik
- az ember mint racionális lény, a racionális megismerés és cselekvés
különbözõ filozófiai megközelítéseit fogalmazzák meg;
- a kognitív tudomány keretei közt a racionális gondolkodást, a kognitív
képességek racionális aspektusait kutatják;
- a filozófia különbözõ területein a racionalitás, a racionális gondolkodás
és cselekvés korlátait vizsgálják.
Konferenciánk a racionalitást nem csupán az emberi gondolkodás sajátos vagy
éppen lényegi vonásaként értelmezi, hanem egyben mint társadalmi-cselekvési
stratégiát, etikai alapelvet illetve ismeretelméleti diszpozíciót is. Így
érdekesnek mutatkozik az a kérdés is, hogy vajon milyen mértékben írható le
az emberi gondolkodás és viselkedés racionális alapelvek segítségével.
A konferenciára jelentkezni 20-30 soros absztrakttal 2000. szeptember 15-ig
lehet Lehmann Miklósnál az MTA Filozófiai Intézete címén (1054 Budapest,
Szemere u. 10.) vagy emailben a lehmann(a)phil-inst.hu címen. Bõvebb
információ ugyanitt kérhetõ.
Balkányi Péter Lehmann Miklós 2000-06-06
Csaba Pleh Pleh Csaba
Cognitive Science Group Megismerestudomanyi Csoport
Department of Psychology Pszichologiai Tanszek
University of Szeged Szegedi Tudomanyegyetem
Szeged
Petofi sgt 30-34, 6722 Hungary
Telefon/Phone: (36)(62) 544691
Lakas/Home: Budakeszi Zichy P. u. 4 2092 Hungary
(36)(23) 453932 or 933
Fax: (36(23)453932
Mobile: (0620) 3278922
WEB: http//www.jate.u-szeged.hu/~pleh
www.cogsciszeged.deltav.hu
Hungarian Review of Psychology Magyar Pszichologiai Szemle
editor foszerkeszto
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000 22:30:38 -0700
From: Jordan Hughes <neuroquest(a)yahoo.com>
To: evolutionary-psychology(a)egroups.com
Subject: [evol-psych] New e-mail list for consciousness researchers
As moderator of the email discussion group "Consciousness(a)egroups.com," I wish
to extend an invitation to subscribe to the list. Although the list is fairly
new, there have already been several vigorous discussions on a wide array of
relevant topics. Although there will be some overlap with the kinds of
discussions posted to the Psyche-B and Psyche-D lists, the new list aims to also
provide a forum for news and papers related to scientific and philosophical
investigations of consciousness. In the near future, there will also be an
associated website, which will include facilities for members to make their
papers available for free download. I will distribute another announcement when
that site is operational.
The theme of the consciousness egroup is "Six Simple Questions: What, Who, How,
Where, When, and Why." For more information, visit the group's main page at:
http://www.egroups.com/group/consciousness
Subscribing is free and simple and you can unsubscribe equally easily at any
time. To subscribe, just send an e-mail to:
consciousness-subscribe(a)egroups.com
Jordan Hughes,
Moderator,
Consciousness(a)egroups.com
--
jordan(a)ucsd.edu
Cognitive Neuroscience Lab
Department of Cognitive Science, 0515
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, CA 92093
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The Politics of Evolution by Adrian Desmond
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Evolutionary Psychology Archive: 4500+ Items
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ELTE TTK Tudomanytortenet es Tudomanyfilozofia Tanszek
Budapest, Pazmany P. setany 1/A
TUDOMANYFILOZOFIA SZEMINARIUM
(http://hps.elte.hu/seminar)
________________________________________________
2000, Junius
Junius 5.
16:00 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6. em. 6.54
M a t e A n d r a s
Michael Dummett A metafizika logikai alapjai
Mondanivalomm ufaja elter a szokasos szeminariumi eloadastol:
egy nagyon jelentos konyvet szeretnek a hallgatosag figyelmebe
ajanlani, mely a kovetkezo hetekben kerul az uzletekbe. Michael
Dummett A metafizika logikai alapjai (Logical Basis of Metaphysics) cimu
konyve magyar forditasanak megjelenesehez mar csak egeszen keves
akadalyt
kell lekuzdeni; ezek kozul az egyik az, hogy a kiadonal
kezen-kozon osszecserelodott a cim szavainak sorrendje, es az elore
kinyomtatott cimlapokon A logika metafizikai alapjai cim szerepel.
Alighanem
egy filozofiaban jaratosabb munkatars cserelhette ossze a dolgot,
mert a filozofia torteneteben a kombinatorikusan lehetseges allaspontok
kozul eddig csak ketto szamitott megszokottnak: az egyik szerint a
logika pusztan semleges eszkoz, organon a filozofus kezeben, a masik
szerint ala van rendelve valamilyen vezeto, alapveto filozofiai
diszciplinanak, a metafizikanak vagy pedig az ismeretelmeletnek es ezert
a
logika kerdeseiben valo allasfoglalasunk peldaul metafizikai
nezeteinktol fugghet. Annak, hogy a logika teren vallott elveink
lennenek megalapozo vagy meghatarozo jelentoseguek a filozofia mas
teruleteire nezve, eddig csak a sztoikusok nezetei kozott talalhattuk
nyomat. Dummett viszont eppen azt allitja, hogy a huszadik szazad
filozofiai vitainak egy kozponti jelentosegu vonulata, nevezetesen a
sok reszteruleten, sokfele valtozatban jelentkezo realizmus-vita
lenyegeben logikai nezetelteresekre vezetheto vissza, es a logika
teruleten
is dontheto el.
A kulonbozo teruleteken - a fizikai vilagra vonatkozo realizmus
es a fenomenalizmus, a matematikai platonizmus es az
intuicionizmus, a jovore vonatkozo realizmus es a neutralizmus, a
kvantumelmelet
realista es antirealista interpretacioja kozott es meg sok mas
kerdeskorben
folyo vitakban - a realista allaspontok kozos jellemzojenek
Dummett a szigoru ketertekuseg elfogadasat tekinti, tehat azt, hogy
valamennyi allitas - beleertve Bolzano modjan a soha ki nem mondottakat,
sot azokat is, amelyeket az emberiseg veges tortenete soran soha nem
is fognak kimondani - egyertelmuen es meghatarozottan vagy igaz,
vagy hamis. Az antirealista allaspontok kozos lenyege ezzel szemben
az, hogy vannak elvileg megvalaszolhatatlan eldontendo kerdesek,
tehat egyes allitasok igazsaganak kerdese nem csupan tudasunk
esetleges korlatai kovetkezteben var egyelore (vagy az idok vegezeteig)
valaszra, hanem egyszeruen a vilag olyan, hogy nincs mindenre valasz
benne.Ez persze elter a realizmusrol es ellenfeleirol alkotott
szokasos kepunktol, de a szerzonek eleg eros ervei vannak amellett,
hogy a felvetett - es a lehetseges allaspontok szigoruan dichotom
felosztasat eredmenyezo - kriterium legalabbis lenyeges szerepet jatszik
az
osszes ilyen vitaban; meg ahol de facto nem is igaz, hogy az
antirealista oldal elveti a ketertekuseget (behaviorizmus,
fenomenalizmus), ott
is kovetkezetesebben lehetne az antirealista allaspontot kifejteni
ilyen logikai alapon. Dummett valojaban egy minimumra redukalt
antirealista allaspontot kepvisel: fo torekvese az, hogy a konkret
antirealista allaspontokbol kikuszoboljon mindent, ami a jozan esszel
utkozik,
es a realizmus elleni erveleseket arra redukalja, hogy a realizmus
nem a jozan esz allaspontja, hanem annak extrapolacioja szamunkra
mindenfele ertelemben hozzaferhetetlen teruletekre (es a
hozzaferhetoseget
egyaltalan nem kivanja az erzekelhetosegre,megfigyelhetosegre,
kauzalisan meghatarozott referenciaju terminusokkal valo
leirhatosagra vagy barmi hasonlora szukiteni). Ez eddig meg csak az
allaspontok tisztazasa, illetve tiszara mosasa, erosen elvonatkoztatva
azokat a tortenetileg tenylegesen kepviselt valtozataiktol. Ha
viszont elfogadjuk, hogy Dummett elemzese a realizmus es az
antirealizmus lenyegerol helyes, akkor donteni koztuk csak ugy lehet, ha
szigoruan a logikan beluli (es szemleletesen kezenfekvo) kriteriumot
tudunk felallitani a valasztasra. Ez nem tunik konnyunek, tekintettel
peldaul a klasszikus es az intuicionista logika kulonbozo
vonatkozasokban fennallo ,,egyenrangusagat" bizonyito eredmenyek hosszu
sorara;
de Dummettnek van konkret, jol megalapozott - bar formalis tekintetben
nem teljesen kidolgozott - javaslata.
A fentiek madartavlati kepet adnak arrol, mirol is szol a konyv. A
szeminariumi eloadasban nem ezt kivanom folytatni, hanem belemegyek
egy-ket konkret kerdesben Dummett allaspontjanak ismertetesebe.
Aki reszletesebb es kritikaibb megkozelitest kivanna, annak
figyelmebe ajanlom a kovetkezo tanevben, az ELTE BTK Logika tanszeken
tartando ,,staff + PhD'' szeminariumomat errol a konyvrol.
A szeminarium szervezoje: E. Szabo Laszlo (leszabo(a)hps.elte.hu)
--
Laszlo E. Szabo
Theoretical Physics
History and Philosophy of Science
Eotvos University, Budapest
1518 Budapest, Pf. 32. *Hungary
Phone/Fax: (36-1) 372-2924
http://hps.elte.hu/~leszabo
