Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Psychological Neoteny - A Mind Forever Young

Article by Bruce G Charlton proposes that scientists within the Twentieth Century have shifted from wise, traditionalists, to young-minded discoverers, still rapt in their phase of youthful exploration of the world.

I'm not sure I by it. I'm not sure that ancients and historical intellectual giants were also not inclinded toward novelty. Pythagoras, Newton, Pascal, these were scientists with child-like perspectives on the world around us. Charlton brings up Einstein as an example of the old guard, yet his greatest contribution was made when he was young. In fact most prolific scientists peak in productivity around age 30.

It does seem, though, that a different logical inference is worth speculating upon: Is pyschological neoteny an enabling characteristic of scientific genius? Perhaps a childhood sense of wonder is an intellectual tool for thinking in novel ways. New great ideas must always be revolutionary or evolutionary; they must overturn or supersede established wisdom. Being intellectually flexible is no doubt an aid.

Within the field of game design, psychological neoteny seems to be the norm. I'm hard-pressed to think of a famous game designer who is also stogged. Considering the field focuses on games, which are engagements in play behavior, an activity characteristic of the young in many mammals, this seems plausible if not obvious.

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