Constructing a Concept of the Mind: Proposed Percepts, Rules and Outcomes.

Constructing a Concept of the Mind: Proposed Percepts, Rules and Outcomes Ray S. Jackendoff, Ray S. 1995 Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-60024-2 183 pp $12.50

This book's stated themes--(1) the parting of ways between philosophical theories of the mind in order to embrace psychological theories grounded in function and rule-based constructions, (2) the mind's modularity, and (3) articulation of a theory regarding how knowledge in each of several domain-specific modules is represented, suggested at first glance that I set it aside until after the Texas heat wave. This feeling was reinforced as Jackendoff began his intense focus on the way the mind might process language, spatial information, social cognition, and musical parsing, wherein readers must hold in mind extensive amounts of abstract conceptualization in order to follow the author's sequence! Nevertheless, insulated by equally intense air conditioners, this reader found Jackendoff's ability to seat abstract concepts in nicely concrete examples of language, music, space, and social relationships intuitively appealing, his underlying humor engaging, both aspects stimulating enhanced thinking about how individuals come to know and be able to represent what they know in different forms.

Initially the content seems more relevant to psycholinguists. However, it is essentially a text about constructivism. If you hold this epistemological view, you should find this series of essays and international presentations an illuminating and multi-faceted discussion of the "how" of constructivism; less theoretically-oriented may find the ideas frustratingly elusive. At first there may seem few points of Vygotskian entry; as Jackendoff states, "we don't always understand each other, even when we think we do." (p.173) Yet, the pieces fall into place via Jackendoff's excellent scaffolding through examples. Jackendoff and colleagues exemplify the human desire to reduce the world to manipulatable pieces. The yin and yang tension is constantly in place--trying to analyze how mental representations form in the mind, yet trying to perceive and retain a holistic view. One will never again take language intricacies for granted!

For each of the different mind modalities, Jackendoff describes theory and opposing theories; then translates into examples in language, social cognition, spatial language and cognition, and musical parsing and affect. Comparisons in level of difficulty for the reader's engagement in the writing, as well as parallels in thinking between this and Oliver Sacks' descriptions of special cases of brain mismanagement of body functioning are informative. Sacks' descriptions are so earthly fascinating one is immediately drawn into the considerations of mind-body connections. Jackendoff's are much more abstract in their engagement power, but it was reassuring to encounter Sacks' enlightening case examples in Jackendoff's concluding chapter.

Jackendoff does not provide many experimental proofs for his theoretical expositions, although they seem implicit in his descriptions. Nevertheless, this book should convince readers that we have endless capacity to increase our 'knowing' of `how we know', that is, knowledge about epistemology and intelligence.

The proof of this book's worth and answer to the perpetual question of "So what?" for theory and seemingly esoteric research came in the last chapter, which addresses "The Problem of Reality" and learning to live with constructivism. Be sure to read chapters in sequence so that you too can experience the falling into place of the pieces in chapter 8. It was a reward well worth working for. Though you may still find the ideas confounding or disagree with them, I think you will find Jackendoff's exposition excitingly thought-provoking and thoroughly supportive of constructivism as defensible epistemology.

Reviewed by Patricia Haensly, formerly with the Institute for the Gifted & Talented and a Visiting Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University, and now associated with the Department of Psychology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington.