Behavioral & Brain Sciences (BBS) is an interdisciplinary journal devoted to issues directly relevant to the topics we have covered in this course. An excerpt from their webpage:
BBS publishes important and controversial interdisciplinary "target articles" in psychology, neuroscience, behavioral biology, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, linguistics and philosophy. Articles are rigorously refereed and, if accepted, are circulated to a large number of potential commentators around the world in the various specialties on which the article impinges. Their 1000-word commentaries are then co-published with the target article as well as the author's response to each. The commentaries consist of analyses, elaborations, complementary and supplementary data and theory, criticisms and cross-specialty syntheses.
For the final paper, you will choose one of a selection of BBS target articles. Your choices are:
Arbib, Michael A. (2005). From Monkey-like Action Recognition to Human Language: An Evolutionary Framework for Neurolinguistics. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 28 (2): 105-124. [PDF]
Grush, Rick (2004). The emulation theory of representation: motor control, imagery, and perception. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 27:377-396. [PDF]
Jackendoff, Ray (2003). Precis of: Foundations of Language: Brain, Meaning, Grammar, Evolution. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 26 (6):651-665. [PDF]
Based on what you have learned in the class, write a 4- to 6-page (1000 words max) paper in the style of a BBS commentary that critically examines your chosen article.
NOTE TO COMMENTATORS: The purpose of the Open Peer Commentary service is to provide a concentrated constructive interaction between author and commentators on a topic judged to be of broad significance to the biobehavioral science community. Commentators should provide substantive criticism, interpretation, and elaboration as well as any pertinent complementary or supplementary material, such as illustrations.... Commentaries and articles should be free of hyperbole and remarks ad hominem.