The crises of techo-cognitive niches

from maladaptive to terminator niches

pp. 171-187

in: Tommaso Bertolotti, Patterns of rationality, Berlin, Springer, 2015

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to analyze in full detail a concept I merely introduced at the end of the previous Chap.  8, that is the possibility of a Terminator Niche. The concept of terminator niche should intuitively represent a cognitive niche that instead of benefitting its users with a decreased local selective pressure, has eventually a negative impact on the population's welfare. I will specify this concept along the chapter, first characterizing the specificity of techo-cognitive niche construction, then showing how some maladaptive niches can be individuated in human beings' evolutionary past. Finally I will properly consider the techno-cognitive terminator niche and elaborate upon two relevant cases.