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Cognitive gadgets and cognitive priors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 September 2019

Gian Domenico Iannetti Open the ORCID record for Gian Domenico Iannetti [Opens in a new window]  and
Giorgio Vallortigara
Gian Domenico Iannetti
Affiliation:
Department of Neuros cience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London, WC1E 6BT London, United Kingdom. g.iannetti@ucl.ac.ukhttps://www.iannettilab.net Neuroscience and Behaviour Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, 00161 Roma, Italy
Giorgio Vallortigara
Affiliation:
Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, 38068 Rovereto (TN), Italy. giorgio.vallortigara@unitn.ithttps://r.unitn.it/en/cimec/abc
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Abstract

Some of the foundations of Heyes’ radical reasoning seem to be based on a fractional selection of available evidence. Using an ethological perspective, we argue against Heyes’ rapid dismissal of innate cognitive instincts. Heyes’ use of fMRI studies of literacy to claim that culture assembles pieces of mental technology seems an example of incorrect reverse inferences and overlap theories pervasive in cognitive neuroscience.

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Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 42 , 2019 , e177
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Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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