The Skills Of Dreyfus Model And Its Philosophical Significance

It is known to all that human’s activity is closely connected to skills. However, the philosophical problem of how human acquire skills in general is researched only when the Artificial Intelligence was born. The research about this problem is promoted by the seven stages model of skill acquisition Dreyfus and his brother Stuart Dreyfus has provided. The seven stages are called:Novice stage, Advanced Beginner stage, Competence stage, Proficiency stage, Expert stage, Mastery stage and Practice Wisdom stage. In the first four stages, the relationship between the learner and environment is detached, and his response to the environment is analytic; however, from the expert stage, as the learner is gradually involved in the environment, he can discriminate, react automatically and unconsciously, and he can intuitively be aware of what should be done. He has developed the general ability to do the appropriate thing, at the appropriate, in the appropriate way. The intuition provided by them is supported from the current neuroscience. The model is practical and embodied. Need and the emotional satisfaction motivate the skillful coping. Dreyfus’view is surrounded by all kinds of criticisms and praises.This dissertation mainly includes the following five parts, the first part is the introduction about the thesis; the second part discusses the ideological source and realistic background formed the skill acquisition model; the third part systematically examines the content and characteristics of the model, and what motivates the skillful coping; the fourth part researches Freeman’s neural dynamics and Stuart Dreyfus’s neuroscience which support the learner’s intuitive response capacity formed in the senior stage of the model; the fifth part summarizes the comments on the model from Searle. Crease and other philosophers, clarifies some misunderstandings the model is suffered from, and researches the theory meaning and practical value the model could provide for the development of current philosophy of science.