Cognitive strategies and human evolution

• Grant number: 10/17862-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: April 01, 2011
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Philosophy - Epistemology
• Principal Investigator: Pablo Rubén Mariconda
• Grantee: Lorenzo Baravalle
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The main goal of this research programme is the explanation of the reasons that lead the members of a human society to adopt certain cognitive strategies to understand and control nature. Firstly, I will consider the relationship between (genetic or environmental) material conditions and compliance with certain social values. Secondly, I will develop an (historical and anthropological) analysis of the ties that connect social values and various kinds of cognitive strategies, especially those underpinning religion and science.The major difference between the current scientific strategies and other unscientific strategies is that the first provide cognitive values that allow a continuous review of theoretical results. That does not mean that they always perform the required function at a social level. Therefore, the second goal of the research is to assess the "goodness" of the strategies (also not scientific ones) in relation to the social values of specific cultures. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

VECCHI, DAVIDE; BARAVALLE, LORENZO. A soul of truth in things erroneous: Popper's ''amateurish'' evolutionary philosophy in light of contemporary biology. HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE LIFE SCIENCES, v. 36, n. 4, p. 21-pg., 2015-02-01. (10/17862-7)

VECCHI, DAVIDE; BARAVALLE, LORENZO. A soul of truth in things erroneous: Popper's `'amateurish'' evolutionary philosophy in light of contemporary biology. HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF THE LIFE SCIENCES, v. 36, n. 4, p. 525-545, FEB 2015. (10/17862-7)

LORENZO BARAVALLE. Potencialidades e limites das explicações evolutivas da cultura: um enfoque diacrônico. História, Ciências, Saúde : Manguinhos, v. 21, n. 2, p. 439-456, 2014-06-00. (10/17862-7)

LORENZO BARAVALLE. As muitas faces do altruísmo: pressões seletivas e grupos humanos. Scientiae Studia, v. 12, n. 1, p. 97-120, 2014-03-00. (10/17862-7)