Towards a Theory of Thinking: Building Blocks for a Conceptual Framework - Couverture rigide

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 3642031285 ISBN 13 : 9783642031281

Editeur : Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. K, 2010

Synopsis

What is Thinking? - Trying to Define an Equally Fascinating and Elusive Phenomenon Human thinking is probably the most complex phenomenon that evolution has come up with until now. There exists a broad spectrum of definitions, from subs- ing almost all processes of cognition to limiting it to language-based, sometimes even only to formalizable reasoning processes. We work with a "medium sized" definition according to which thinking encompasses all operations by which cog- tive agents link mental content in order to gain new insights or perspectives. Mental content is, thus, a prerequisite for and the substrate on which thinking operations are executed. The largely unconscious acts of perceptual object stabilization, ca- gorization, emotional evaluation - and retrieving all the above from memory inscriptions - are the processes by which mental content is generated, and are, therefore, seen as prerequisites for thinking operations. In terms of a differentia specifica, the notion of "thinking" is seen as narrower than the notion of "cognition" and as wider than the notion of "reasoning". Thinking is, thus, seen as a subset of cognition processes; and reasoning processes are seen as a subset of thinking. Besides reasoning, the notion of thinking includes also nonexplicit, intuitive, and associative processes of linking mental content. According to this definition, thinking is not dependant on language, i. e. also many animals and certainly all mammals show early forms of thinking.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

Thinking is one of the most fascinating and characteristic abilities of human beings. To advance our understanding of this distinctive feature that makes us human is not only an exciting scientific challenge but also of great relevance in terms of coping with more and more complex challenges of the world we live in and in terms of becoming the core value creation process in an increasingly knowledge-based economy. The present book is the second volume of the Parmenides book series "On Thinking" dedicated to explore current approaches and contributions towards a fuller understanding of human thought processes. It focuses on assembling building blocks for a conceptual framework that might - after several iterations? contribute to a future theory of thinking. It brings together an international group of leading scientists coming from the different fields upon which a theory of thinking must build: brain and cognitive sciences, experimental and developmental psychology, evolutionary anthropology and biology, linguistics, transcultural neuroimaging, modeling and philosophy.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Springer-Verlag Berlin and Heidelberg GmbH & Co. K
• Date d'édition: 2010
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 3642031285
• ISBN 13: 9783642031281
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 394
• Éditeur: Glatzeder Britt, Goel Vinod, Müller Albrecht
• Coordonnées du fabricant: GPSR Kontakt; ProductSafety@springernature.com; ; Tiergartenstr. 17; Heidelberg; 69121; Allemagne