The blind men and the elephant: What is missing cognitively in the study of cumulative technological evolution

Behavioral and Brain Sciences 43 (2020)
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Abstract

I describe and explain evidence regarding a key role for autism spectrum cognition in human technology; tradeoffs of autistic cognition with social skills; and a model of how cumulative technological culture evolves. This model involves positive feedback whereby increased technical complexity selects for enhanced social learning of mechanistic concepts and skills, leading to further advances in technology.

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10.1017/s0140525x20000151

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Are children with autism acultural?Simon Baron-Cohen - 1993 - Behavioral and Brain Sciences 16 (3):512-513.

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