 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mind, Brain, Evolution (MBE) Tadeusz Zawidzki, Assistant Professor, Philosophy Francys Subiaul, Assistant Professor, Speech and Hearing Science Chet Sherwood, Assistant Professor, Anthropology The goal of MBE is to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration in the rapidly developing field of human cognitive evolution. Many disciplines are coming to accept as a guiding principle that the human brain, like any other organ, is the product of natural selection for specific adaptive functions. Together, these functions constitute the human mind, or human cognition. From this perspective, the evolutionary origin of human cognition becomes one of the central puzzles about the human brain. This puzzle can be addressed only through interdisciplinary collaboration. For example, information about neuroanatomical differences between humans and their closest primate cousins (from the work of Dr. Sherwood) must be integrated with information about cognitive/behavioral differences among these species (from the work of Dr. Subiaul). Guiding assumptions about what minds and cognition are, passed down through ancient philosophical traditions, must be critically evaluated (as in the work of Dr. Zawidzki). More than any other question, the evolutionary origin of human cognition requires interdisciplinary collaboration, not only among different sciences, but also across the humanities/sciences divide. This web site is maintained by John Philbeck (email: philbeck@gwu.edu. Date last modified: April. 22, 2009. The views and opinions expressed on these pages are those of the author. The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by The George Washington University.
|
Upcoming Events
News Institute Chartered
Contact Us
Phone: 202-994-6313 Fax: 202-994-1602 Email: philbeck@gwu.edu
Address: GW Mind-Brain Institute c/o Department of Psychology George Washington University 2125 G. Street, NW Washington, DC 20052 |
||