Is massive modularity an empirically progressive research program?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15448/1984-6746.2019.3.34192Keywords:
Modularity. Cognition. Evolutionary psychology. LakatosAbstract
Massive modularity can be described as a research program, in Lakatos’ philosophy of science terminology. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the hard-core, to show evidence that it is assumed as non-falsifiable (negative heuristics) and to examine strategies of articulation and sophistication of the protective belt (positive heuristics). In the present work, I do this in order to answer the question posed in the title. Considering three recent developments, whose predictions have found empirical corroboration, I am led to infer that this program is, indeed, empirically progressive.
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