No description available.

Thesis (Doctoral)--Ruhr-Universität Bochum, 1982.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Bowling Green State University, 1987.

Thesis (DPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this dissertation I enquire into the status, scope and limits of human knowledge, given the fact that our perceptual and cognitive faculties are the product of evolution by natural selection. I argue that the commonsense representations these faculties provide us with yield a particular, species-specific scope on the world that does not ‘correspond’ in any straightforward way to the external world. We are, however, not bound by these commonsense representations. This particular, species-specific view of the world can be transgressed. Nevertheless, our transgressing representations remain confined to the conceptual space defined by the combinatorial possibilities of the various representational tools we possess. Furthermore, the way in which we fit representations to the external world is by means of our biologically determined epistemic orientation. Based on the fact that we are endowed with a particular set of perceptual and cognitive resources and are guided by a particular epistemic orientation, I conclude that we have a particular cognitive relation to the world. Therefore, an accurate representation for us is a particular fit (our epistemic orientation) with particular means (our perceptual and cognitive resources). / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie tesis handel oor die aard, omvang en limiete van kennis, gegewe dat ons perseptuele en kognitiewe vermoëns die resultaat van evolusie deur middel van natuurlike seleksie is. Eerstens, word daar geargumenteer dat die algemene voorstellings wat hierdie vermoëns aan ons bied ‘n partikuliere, spesie-spesifieke siening van die wêreld aan ons gee, wat nie op ‘n eenvoudige manier korrespondeer aan die werklikheid nie. Ons is egter nie gebonde aan hierdie voorstellings nie. Hierdie partikuliere, spesie-spesifieke siening van die wêreld kan oorskry word. Ons is egter wel beperk tot die konseptuele ruimte wat gedefinieër word deur die kombinatoriese moontlikhede van die voorstellingsmiddele tot ons beskikking. Verder word die manier waarop ons hierdie voorstellings aan die wêreld laat pas deur ons biologies gedetermineerde epistemiese oriëntasie bepaal. Dus, gegewe dat ons ‘n spesifieke stel perseptuele en kognitiewe vermoëns het en deur ‘n spesifieke kognitiewe epistemiese oriëntasie gelei word, staan ons in ‘n spesifieke kognitiewe verhouding tot die wêreld. ‘n Akkurate voorstelling (m.a.w. kennis vir ons) is om spesifieke vermoëns (perseptuele en kognitiewe vermoëns) op ‘n spesifieke manier (epsitemiese oriëntasie) aan die wêreld te laat pas.

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Dissertation--Marburg--Universität, 2003. / Bibliogr. p. 255-273.

No description available.

The series of papers in this dissertation are aimed at testing evolutionary hypotheses concerning the adaptive advantages of religious values or experiences, a gender difference in purpose in life and the evolutionary relationship between deception and self-deception. Explanations are argued for in terms of their consequences for evolutionary fitness contributing to individual survival within the human species. Darwin's theory of natural selection within the framework of evolutionary psychology provides the theoretical background for the study. In psychology as well as in other social sciences, Darwinian theories of natural and sexual selection have been undergoing a revival with a significant upsurge of an interest in evolutionary psychology as a unifying paradigm for the understanding of human functioning as a living organism, optimising its fitness to survive the exigencies of environmental and social selection pressures. The broad or covering hypothesis addressed is that religious values or experiences, purpose in life, deception and self-deception each involve a kind of consciousness or strategic cognitive process that has evolved through the operation of natural selection due to its importance and worth for the survival of the individual. The study is empirical, conducted by using the technique of secondary analysis on the data yielded by the World Values Survey collected in 43 countries in its second wave of 1990 to 1993 as well as on a South African dataset containing variables of interest to the second and third papers of this dissertation. National aggregate data has been obtained from the United Nations Development Reports for the corresponding years under study. Findings showed a significantly positive relationship between religious values and evolutionary fitness promoting factors derived by factor analysis; a significantly greater purpose in life in females as compared to males; and a significantly positive relationship between deception and self-deception. However, the relationship between deception and evolutionary fitness promoting factors, derived by factor analysis, was inconclusive. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, 1999.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Duquesne University, 2008. / Title from document title page. Abstract included in electronic submission form. Includes bibliographical references (p. 285-298) and index.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2009. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains vi, 256 p. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 244-256).