Skill and Collaboration in the Evolution of Human Cognition
Biological Theory 8 (1):28-36 (2013)
Abstract
I start with a brief assessment of the implications of Sterelny’s anti-individualist, anti-internalist apprentice learning model for a more historical and interdisciplinary cognitive science. In a selective response I then focus on two core features of his constructive account: collaboration and skill. While affirming the centrality of joint action and decision making, I raise some concerns about the fragility of the conditions under which collaborative cognition brings benefits. I then assess Sterelny’s view of skill acquisition and performance, which runs counter to dominant theories that stress the automaticity of skill. I suggest that it may still overestimate the need for and ability of experts to decompose and represent the elements of their own practical knowledge.
Categories
(categorize this paper)
PhilPapers/Archive ID
SUTSAC
Revision history
Archival date: 2015-11-21
View upload history
View upload history

The Adapted Mind: Evolutionary Psychology and the Generation of Culture.Barkow, Jerome; Cosmides, Leda & Tooby, John (eds.)
Group Agency: The Possibility, Design, and Status of Corporate Agents.List, Christian & Pettit, Philip
Cognition in the Wild.Hutchins, Edwin
The Psychology of Memory, Extended Cognition, and Socially Distributed Remembering.Sutton, John; Harris, Celia B.; Keil, Paul G. & Barnier, Amanda J.
Know How.Stanley, Jason
View all 32 references / Add more references

No Magic Bullet Explains the Evolution of Unique Human Traits.Downes, Stephen M.
Imitation, Mind Reading, and Social Learning.Gerrans, Philip S.
Interacting to Remember at Multiple Timescales: Coordination, Collaboration, Cooperation and Culture in Joint Remembering.Bietti, Lucas M. & Sutton, John
View all 6 citations / Add more citations
Added to PP index
2013-11-21
Total downloads
348 ( #7,045 of 37,180 )
Recent downloads (6 months)
21 ( #16,375 of 37,180 )
2013-11-21
Total downloads
348 ( #7,045 of 37,180 )
Recent downloads (6 months)
21 ( #16,375 of 37,180 )
How can I increase my downloads?
Monthly downloads since first upload
This graph includes both downloads from PhilArchive and clicks to external links.