Possible Worlds: Why Do Children Pretend?

Counterfactual thinking makes people different from other creatures because of this ability make the imagination come true, while other creatures also cannot imitate behaviors as humans’ do. According to “Possible Worlds: Why Do Children Pretend?” Gopnik introduces the idea of counterfactual thinking, which is “the woulda-coulda-shoulda of life, all the things that might happen in the future, but haven’t yet, or that could have happened in the past, but didn’t quite (163).” This definition gives people a board idea of counterfactual thinking; more importantly; humans can use the knowledge from counterfactual thinking to make the imagination come true, which is totally different from other creatures. “In fact, knowledge is actually what gives the
Sometimes, the dream will sound unlike unrealistic, however, with the knowledge and the hard working; as a result, human will figure out the way to make it come true. For example, humans have invented cell phones, the Internet, computers…etc.; and all these inventions are beneficial to people. The ability to invent is because the counterfactual thinking, which brings human develop much further than other creatures. This is also significant in Blackmore’s essay; she believes that other creatures cannot imitate as humans’ do. Blackmore addresses the idea of meme, which is “a name for the new replicator, a noun that conveys the ideas of a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation” (36) and then she shows the example of “all of the word in your vocabulary, the storied you know, the skills and habits you have picked up from others and the games you like to play. It includes the songs you sing and the rules you obey. So, for example, whenever you drive on the left (or the right), eat curry with larger or pizza and coke, whistle the theme tune from neighbours or even shake hands, you are dealing in memes”(37).