Acquisition and use of cultural systems. Reading between brain, culture, and the web

Abstract

Several cultural systems make possible and direct human cognitive activities. Contemporary cognitive psychology with an evolutionary predilection does not consider these systems as simple constructive consequences of ’high culture’ and schooling, but as results of representational shifts (Merlin Donald) requiring parametrization and stabilization during individual life. These are possible thanks to the biologically based human sociality and the attitude of natural pedagogy accepting the arbitrary aspects of culture (Csibra and Gergely). Natural language as a universal system allows not only communication about distant objects, but also the acquisition of non-perceived knowledge, the formation of a dual epistemology of Russell (knowledge by acquaintance and knowledge by description). Language as a primary cultural system provides us with codes and generic and specific knowledge. The same is true for secondary cultural systems, for the systems of writing/reading, counting, music etc. The paper concentrates mainly on reading and WEB-based knowledge I present some of the challenging aspects of these secondary systems that place them in the common questions of cognitive research and organized teaching. Secondary systems while being slowly formed in the individual user, in their functioning are as fast and efficient as the primary systems of perception. While they do not have a modular neural „centre”, due to neural recycling (Dehaene) they find the cortical systems optimal for their functioning. Besides presenting these paradoxes, I also discuss issues raised by the newest systems today. Problem solving supported by digital tools, constant wondering on the screen and the continuously available knowledge systems being a click away and WEB-based search are the new techno-cognitive systems. Shall they firm their neural niche as was the case of reading, and would they deconstruct existing cognitive systems or force them towards new categorizations?