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Developmental Psychology Without Dualistic Illusions

Why We Need Evolutionary Biology to Understand Developmental Psychology

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Homo Novus – A Human Without Illusions

Part of the book series: The Frontiers Collection ((FRONTCOLL))

Abstract

This chapter starts with an epistemological introduction for two reasons: First, if you talk about a human without illusions—as the subtitle of this volume suggests—you refer to epistemological categories. Second, because this book is dedicated to a renowned evolutionary anthropologist and bio-philosopher, this chapter relies on works of other evolutionary theorists, and philosophers also (Bischof 2008; Gadenne 2004; Vollmer 1975; for a more psychological account see Chasiotis 2010 in press). After some epistemological prolegomena on the implicit dualism in psychology, an evolution-based developmental psychology is outlined and selected empirical findings based on this perspective are presented. The chapter concludes with (meta-)theoretical implications of an evolutionary account of developmental psychology. The seemingly paradoxical conclusion is that an evolutionary developmental psychology can help us to gain a more differentiated view of the concept of environment without abandoning a naturalistic and monistic view of reality.

Reality is that which, even when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away(Philip K. Dick 1981)

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tilburg University Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, 5000 LE, Tilburg, Netherlands

    Athanasios Chasiotis

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  1. Athanasios Chasiotis
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Correspondence to Athanasios Chasiotis .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Zentrum für Philosophie und, Grundlagen der Wissenschaft, Universität Gießen, Otto-Behaghel-Str. 10, Gießen, 35394, Germany

    Ulrich J. Frey

  2. Zentrum für Philosophie und, Grundlagen der Wissenschaft, Universität Gießen, Otto-Behaghel-Str. 10, Gießen, 35394, Germany

    Charlotte Störmer

  3. Zentrum für Philosophie und, Grundlagen der Wissenschaft, Universität Gießen, Otto-Behaghel-Str. 10, Gießen, 35394, Germany

    Kai P. Willführ

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Chasiotis, A. (2010). Developmental Psychology Without Dualistic Illusions. In: Frey, U., Störmer, C., Willführ, K. (eds) Homo Novus – A Human Without Illusions. The Frontiers Collection. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12142-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12142-5_11

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-12141-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-12142-5

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