After Lashley: neuropsychology, metaphors, promissory notes.

Soyland, A. J. (1994) After Lashley: neuropsychology, metaphors, promissory notes. Theory and Psychology, 4 (2). pp. 227-244. ISSN 1461-7447

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Abstract

The argument is that the rhetoric of psychology needs to be analysed in order to understand the processes of persuasion within the discipline. The work of the neurologist Karl Lashley is used to examine the ways in which a particular problem, the localization of memory, was characterized around 1950. An account is given of the holographic metaphor which was regarded as the solution to such a problem. It is suggested that such a metaphor could be regarded as a promissory note which was unfulfilled and rejected around 1980. A discussion is then given of the ways in which Lashley's work is currently being characterized. It is suggested that the assumption of modularity, or the `boxes in the brain' metaphor, could be regarded as another promissory note, and a number of the incentives offered for the acceptance of such a promise are reviewed.

Item Type:
Journal Article
Journal or Publication Title:
Theory and Psychology
Uncontrolled Keywords:
/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1200/1207
Subjects:
?? history and philosophy of sciencegeneral psychologypsychology(all)bf psychology ??
ID Code:
19054
Deposited By:
Deposited On:
31 Oct 2008 16:20
Refereed?:
Yes
Published?:
Published
Last Modified:
16 Jul 2024 08:16