Cognitive Science 170
Natural and Artificial Symbol-Using Systems
Name: _________________________
SHORT PAPER #3:
Question: (3-5 pages).
- Anatomical and physiological mapping experiments in the cortex of
non-human primates and other mammals have suggested some modifications to
a very old view of brain function called the Cell Doctrine. The modern
version of that idea is that sense organs project to modality-specific
cortical areas that eventually all project to a central polymodal
or amodal "association cortex" that is the site of higher level
functions.
First, describe the traditional view and then summarize the data that
has suggested changes in the traditional view. How might these newer
data be relevant to understanding the human brain, particularly in light
of the peculiar linguistic abilities of humans?
Be sure to mention at least one bit of evidence from each of all
three of the following kinds of studies: neurobiological
(visual, somatosensory, auditory, motor areas in animals and humans),
neuropsychological (studies of function after brain damage) and the
behavioral/linguistic (psychology experiments on humans).
due the end of finals week, in my mailbox (along with the 4th paper!)