An emergentist perspective on the origin of number sense.

ABSTRACT: The finding that human infants and many other animal species are sensitive to numerical quantity has been widely interpreted as evidence for evolved, biologically determined numerical capacities across unrelated species, thereby supporting a 'nativist' stance on the origin of number sense. Here, we tackle this issue within the 'emergentist' perspective provided by artificial neural network models, and we build on computer simulations to discuss two different approaches to think about the innateness of number sense. The first, illustrated by artificial life simulations, shows that numerical abilities can be supported by domain-specific representations emerging from evolutionary pressure. The second assumes that numerical representations need not be genetically pre-determined but can emerge

SUBMITTER: Zorzi M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5784047 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature