Abstract
In this paper I am trying to capture three models of cultural diversity offered by current cognitive science. Two of them represent a universalist approach to cultural phenomena by In this paper I am trying to capture three models of cultural diversity offered by current cognitive science.
Two of them represent a universalist approach to cultural phenomena by advocating for a universal cognitive mechanism. The approach of Noam Chomsky within the generative linguistics and of Jerry Fodor within the informational semantics implies that cultural variety is based on different possession of concepts because concepts are supposed to be universal, i.e. identical in all minds.
Differences emerge only in terms of the availability of identical concepts. The second model is proposed by Cognitive Linguistics, and advocates for variety of cultures being caused by environmental factors such as experience and communication.
According to the third model, cultural variety is based on different cognitive mechanisms. The existence of universal cognitive mechanism is rejected.