Lexicon of Arguments

Philosophical and Scientific Issues in Dispute
 
[german]


Complaints - Corrections

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Theses I
Theses II

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Perler I 301
Interpretation/SeboekVs Ape language research: three main lines of criticism:
1. Inaccurate observation and/or recording
2. Overinterpretation of the monkey behavior.
3. Unconscious influence ("Kluger Hans effect").
>Experiments, >Experiments/Dupré.
Ad 1. the records of Washoe's behavior are different from the video recordings: e.g. instead of the sign for "you me/me" in reality that for "you me/me you from me".
Ad 2. Overinterpretation: "if we can extract from the confused message, what the monkey tries to say, the monkey can also do that".
The listener always requires a degree of interpretation.
I 302
Pro. Chimpanzees usually operate at a high level of excitement.
I 303
Interpretation/Dupré: the controversial interpretations of the sign langauge signs of apes require the assumption of a theoretical background, according to which the monkeys try to communicate something.
And that is not undisputed!
>Animals, >Animal language.
I 304
It is impossible to ask whether monkeys say anything without assuming at least as a working hypothesis that they are trying to do just that.
Reproducibility/Test/Dupré: the reproducibility that is aimed at is precisely contrary to the hoped-for spontaneity, which is particularly difficult to repeat.
A) language as a set of stereotypes, is supposed to ensure purely causal and semantically innocent manipulation, rather allows repetitions,
B) Creative language is expected to have less repetitions.
Ad 3: The trainer of a monkey spends most of his life (and the life of the monkey) with it. Distance and emotionlessness is simply not to be expected here.
I 306
Interpretation/Dupré: there is always a (though not necessarily fatal) circularity.
Symbol use/animal: Monkeys are not able to generalize from a kind of use without elaborate training.
>Symbols, >Signs, cf. >Language use.
Dupré: obviously, monkeys can learn to use symbols, to refer to absent and announce actions. They can even teach each other symbols.
I 307
A dwarf chimpanzee acquired language skills without special training.
Orangutans: gain better results than chimpanzees or gorillas despite a quieter temper in different cognitive tests.
>Cognition.

John Dupré, 1991. "Conversation with Apes. Reflections on the Scientific Study of language". In: Investigating Psychology, Science of Mind after Wittgenstein, J. Hyman (ed.) London, New York: Routledge

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