PHIL 470 / PSY 470
Philosophical
Psychology
Distance
Education
Dr.
Jeff Johnson
Pinker
Review
You should write an 1800
to 2500 word formal review of Steven Pinker’s book, The Language Instinct. Your review should make it clear that you have
read and understood the entire book, but should also specifically address the
question of whether language is adaptive (the controversy with Chomsky and
Gould). Assume that your reader has no
specific background in philosophy, psychology, or linguistics – teach this
reader about Pinker’s theses in the book.
You should write an 1800
to 2500 word formal analytical paper on the following. Using Daniel Schacter’s book, Searching
for Memory, as the starting point for your analysis and research, discuss
the reliability of “recovered memories.”
Be sure to carefully explain Schacter’s views about memory in general,
as well as his somewhat controversial position or recovered memories.