Comments on: It’s In the Details http://www.blisstree.com/articles/its-in-the-details/ Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles Thu, 24 Dec 2009 18:35:17 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Kev2 http://www.blisstree.com/articles/its-in-the-details/comment-page-1/#comment-547431 Kev2 Tue, 08 Apr 2008 21:59:06 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/its-in-the-details/#comment-547431 I agree with b. sharp: Her theory sounds more like an attempt at mind-reading than actual science. I agree with b. sharp: Her theory sounds more like an attempt at mind-reading than actual science.

]]> By: Regan http://www.blisstree.com/articles/its-in-the-details/comment-page-1/#comment-547563 Regan Sun, 24 Feb 2008 07:02:47 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/its-in-the-details/#comment-547563 Would this qualify as a kind of savantism in typical people? http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080222/ap_on_re_us/memory_man Would this qualify as a kind of savantism in typical people?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080222/ap_on_re_us/memory_man

]]> By: I Think Therefore I Google? http://www.blisstree.com/articles/its-in-the-details/comment-page-1/#comment-547378 I Think Therefore I Google? Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:04:22 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/its-in-the-details/#comment-547378 [...] described how she “thinks in pictures” and compared her thought processes to using Google to search the Internet the images. So perhaps the Googled, or Googling, mind already [...] [...] described how she “thinks in pictures” and compared her thought processes to using Google to search the Internet the images. So perhaps the Googled, or Googling, mind already [...]

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/its-in-the-details/comment-page-1/#comment-544078 Kristina Chew, PhD Sat, 23 Feb 2008 02:24:34 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/its-in-the-details/#comment-544078 Other suggestions for books on this topic are much welcome----sometimes when I have read Grandin's accounts of her associative thinking, I have thought, that sounds like how <i>I</i> think, or how people tend to think in terms of associations. Other suggestions for books on this topic are much welcome—-sometimes when I have read Grandin’s accounts of her associative thinking, I have thought, that sounds like how I think, or how people tend to think in terms of associations.

]]> By: b. sharp http://www.blisstree.com/articles/its-in-the-details/comment-page-1/#comment-550916 b. sharp Sat, 23 Feb 2008 01:55:18 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/its-in-the-details/#comment-550916 Her work might be helpful to help understand some other autistic individuals, but <i>Animals In Translation</i> is so full of scientific errors and a priori arguments full of logical fallacies I couldn't get past the third chapter without wanting to throw it across the room. There are plenty of good books about ethology, cognitive ethology and neuroscience (albeit somewhat expensive at times) that are much more well researched, and far better referenced than anything by Grandin. I hate to say it, but she clearly doesn't know what she is talking about. In the time that she was taught behaviorism, it was very common to not have requirements pertaining to mathematical, chemical, or physical equations; much less neuro or cognitive science in general (though to be fair, neuro-science and cogsci were very young then). Personally, if we're going to speak of autistics, I think Dawn Prince Hughes is much better at commenting on the behavior of animals than Temple Grandin. She certainly majored in something different than Grandin, but academia has changed a bit. At least, I hope. :) <i>Since animals do not have verbal language, they have to store memories as pictures, sounds, or other sensory impressions.</i> A little problem here. Even if animals don't have verbal language like humans do, some species have been found to have subject-predicate communication systems. And even if we can put that aside, this comment sounds a bit more like an attempt at mind-reading than anything else. I'm also bothered by how she seems to imply that the average person can't store information in the same way. I'm not impressed, and the study of animal communication has advanced the past few decades. It seems she has yet to catch up, and call me cynical, I think she's more interested in selling books than writing a good thesis. <i>As a person with autism, all my thoughts are in photo-realistic pictures.</i> I will not go in to that whole, Jesus Christ we do not all think in pictures. But I will state here that she is contradicting herself for making it look like we all do, while at least one of the pages on her website seems to indicate that she does not believe that this is true. Her work might be helpful to help understand some other autistic individuals, but Animals In Translation is so full of scientific errors and a priori arguments full of logical fallacies I couldn’t get past the third chapter without wanting to throw it across the room.

There are plenty of good books about ethology, cognitive ethology and neuroscience (albeit somewhat expensive at times) that are much more well researched, and far better referenced than anything by Grandin. I hate to say it, but she clearly doesn’t know what she is talking about. In the time that she was taught behaviorism, it was very common to not have requirements pertaining to mathematical, chemical, or physical equations; much less neuro or cognitive science in general (though to be fair, neuro-science and cogsci were very young then).

Personally, if we’re going to speak of autistics, I think Dawn Prince Hughes is much better at commenting on the behavior of animals than Temple Grandin. She certainly majored in something different than Grandin, but academia has changed a bit. At least, I hope. :)

Since animals do not have verbal language, they have to store memories as pictures, sounds, or other sensory impressions.

A little problem here. Even if animals don’t have verbal language like humans do, some species have been found to have subject-predicate communication systems. And even if we can put that aside, this comment sounds a bit more like an attempt at mind-reading than anything else. I’m also bothered by how she seems to imply that the average person can’t store information in the same way. I’m not impressed, and the study of animal communication has advanced the past few decades. It seems she has yet to catch up, and call me cynical, I think she’s more interested in selling books than writing a good thesis.

As a person with autism, all my thoughts are in photo-realistic pictures.

I will not go in to that whole, Jesus Christ we do not all think in pictures. But I will state here that she is contradicting herself for making it look like we all do, while at least one of the pages on her website seems to indicate that she does not believe that this is true.

]]> By: Donna http://www.blisstree.com/articles/its-in-the-details/comment-page-1/#comment-543628 Donna Thu, 21 Feb 2008 23:01:17 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/its-in-the-details/#comment-543628 It seems to me that non-human animals always seem more well-rounded and integrated than we are. If anything, I think that people with autism are more human than typical humans - more specialized in their abilities. Some people are more specialized in verbal thinking, and some more specialized in visual thinking. Personally, I am unable to visualize, but think through everything linearly and verbally. Kristina's description of her associative thinking on "chair" would never happen for me. I believe that I strongly use my left neocortex and right limbic system, and that people with autistic-type thinking strongly use their left limbic system and right neocortex. I think non-human animals are more balanced users of their brains. It seems to me that non-human animals always seem more well-rounded and integrated than we are. If anything, I think that people with autism are more human than typical humans – more specialized in their abilities. Some people are more specialized in verbal thinking, and some more specialized in visual thinking. Personally, I am unable to visualize, but think through everything linearly and verbally. Kristina’s description of her associative thinking on “chair” would never happen for me. I believe that I strongly use my left neocortex and right limbic system, and that people with autistic-type thinking strongly use their left limbic system and right neocortex. I think non-human animals are more balanced users of their brains.

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/its-in-the-details/comment-page-1/#comment-549740 Kristina Chew, PhD Wed, 20 Feb 2008 21:34:26 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/its-in-the-details/#comment-549740 it's something about the way I've learned to observe Charlie and not his responses and all of his non-verbal communication----Grandin's books have also made me much more attuned to these. Always so much going on than meets the eye. it’s something about the way I’ve learned to observe Charlie and not his responses and all of his non-verbal communication—-Grandin’s books have also made me much more attuned to these. Always so much going on than meets the eye.

]]> By: Marla http://www.blisstree.com/articles/its-in-the-details/comment-page-1/#comment-546981 Marla Wed, 20 Feb 2008 13:03:21 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/its-in-the-details/#comment-546981 We have read Grandin's books and found them very helpful in understanding our daughter. Her work with animals is amazing. We have read Grandin’s books and found them very helpful in understanding our daughter. Her work with animals is amazing.

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