Natural Geometry

studies of animals from ants to humans suggest that biological organisms have multiple systems for representing the shape of the surrounding world, each with a restricted range of application and none with the full power of Euclidean geometry. Humans, however, go beyond the limits of these systems and forge more abstract and general geometric representations. These representations are reflected in our pictures, models, and especially in geometric maps. By using and mastering maps and other spatial symbols, children may construct natural geometry through processes not unlike those that give rise to natural number. But how do children come to understand these symbols? Recent research suggests that map understanding itself depends on the acquisition of language. Cette conférence est la troisième d'une série de quatre données par Elizabeth S. Spelke (Harvard University), lauréate du prix Jean-Nicod 2009 : 1/ Toward a Cognitive Science of Human Thinking: Why so Slow? [2/ Non enregistré : Natural Number] 3/ Natural Geometry 4/ What Makes Humans Smart? Social Cognition, Natural Language, and Human Uniquenessshow less...