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The covering law model applied to dynamical cognitive science: a comment on Joel Walmsley

Raoul Gervais (UGent) and Erik Weber (UGent)
(2011) MINDS AND MACHINES. 21(1). p.33-39
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Abstract
In a 2008 paper, Walmsley argued that the explanations employed in the dynamical approach to cognitive science, as exemplified by the Haken, Kelso and Bunz model of rhythmic finger movement, and the model of infant preservative reaching developed by Esther Thelen and her colleagues, conform to Carl Hempel and Paul Oppenheim's deductive-nomological model of explanation (also known as the covering law model). Although we think Walmsley's approach is methodologically sound in that it starts with an analysis of scientific practice rather than a general philosophical framework, we nevertheless feel that there are two problems with his paper. First, he focuses only on the deductivenomological model and so neglects the important fact that explanations are causal. Second, the explanations offered by the dynamical approach do not take the deductive-nomological format, because they do not deduce the explananda from exceptionless laws. Because of these two points, Walmsley makes the dynamical explanations in cognitive science appear problematic, while in fact they are not.
Keywords
Covering law, Explanation, Dynamical cognitive science, Cognition, Causal asymmetry, Dynamicism

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MLA
Gervais, Raoul, and Erik Weber. “The Covering Law Model Applied to Dynamical Cognitive Science: A Comment on Joel Walmsley.” MINDS AND MACHINES, vol. 21, no. 1, 2011, pp. 33–39, doi:10.1007/s11023-010-9216-9.
APA
Gervais, R., & Weber, E. (2011). The covering law model applied to dynamical cognitive science: a comment on Joel Walmsley. MINDS AND MACHINES, 21(1), 33–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-010-9216-9
Chicago author-date
Gervais, Raoul, and Erik Weber. 2011. “The Covering Law Model Applied to Dynamical Cognitive Science: A Comment on Joel Walmsley.” MINDS AND MACHINES 21 (1): 33–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-010-9216-9.
Chicago author-date (all authors)
Gervais, Raoul, and Erik Weber. 2011. “The Covering Law Model Applied to Dynamical Cognitive Science: A Comment on Joel Walmsley.” MINDS AND MACHINES 21 (1): 33–39. doi:10.1007/s11023-010-9216-9.
Vancouver
1.
Gervais R, Weber E. The covering law model applied to dynamical cognitive science: a comment on Joel Walmsley. MINDS AND MACHINES. 2011;21(1):33–9.
IEEE
[1]
R. Gervais and E. Weber, “The covering law model applied to dynamical cognitive science: a comment on Joel Walmsley,” MINDS AND MACHINES, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 33–39, 2011.
@article{1855775,
  abstract     = {{In a 2008 paper, Walmsley argued that the explanations employed in the dynamical approach to cognitive science, as exemplified by the Haken, Kelso and Bunz model of rhythmic finger movement, and the model of infant preservative reaching developed by Esther Thelen and her colleagues, conform to Carl Hempel and Paul Oppenheim's deductive-nomological model of explanation (also known as the covering law model). Although we think Walmsley's approach is methodologically sound in that it starts with an analysis of scientific practice rather than a general philosophical framework, we nevertheless feel that there are two problems with his paper. First, he focuses only on the deductivenomological model and so neglects the important fact that explanations are causal. Second, the explanations offered by the dynamical approach do not take the deductive-nomological format, because they do not deduce the explananda from exceptionless laws. Because of these two points, Walmsley makes the dynamical explanations in cognitive science appear problematic, while in fact they are not.}},
  author       = {{Gervais, Raoul and Weber, Erik}},
  issn         = {{0924-6495}},
  journal      = {{MINDS AND MACHINES}},
  keywords     = {{Covering law,Explanation,Dynamical cognitive science,Cognition,Causal asymmetry,Dynamicism}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{1}},
  pages        = {{33--39}},
  title        = {{The covering law model applied to dynamical cognitive science: a comment on Joel Walmsley}},
  url          = {{http://doi.org/10.1007/s11023-010-9216-9}},
  volume       = {{21}},
  year         = {{2011}},
}

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