Dear Fil,
Aristotle and Euclid thought about problem solving as well as solving
problems. Can't say whether homo habilis reflected or not. I would
argue that I have seen dogs reflect on problems and how to solve
them, as well as shape rudimentary theories. Mary Catherine Bateson
reports a case in which a horse theorizes. I don't argue that other
animals reflect and think as we do, but I would argue that they
reflect and think. So why not homo habilis?
If one is willing to accept Herb Simon's definition of design in its
strict and largest sense, then one must allow homo habilis the
capacity to design. Whether or not they designed as we do, I'd argue
that our pre-human ancestors designed. I'd hypothesize that the
pre-human ability to design gave rise to the human ability to design,
shaping us and helping to make us human.
The level of skill in these matters differs, to be sure. Some of us
are more skilled at thinking and designing than homo habilis or dogs.
Others may not be. I can't imagine my dog creating as many problems
as the former governor of Texas has managed to do.
Ken
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Fil Salustri wrote:
I think we need to keep in mind the difference between solving
problems and thinking about problem solving. I seriously doubt Homo
Habilis reflected on his problem solving very much if at all. I
personally think of the ability to reflect on what one does as an
essential characteristic of designing. So I prefer to think that
"proto-designerly" activities predate modern humans, but I don't
think design itself does.
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