Lumpers And Splitters Analysis

What would one consider themselves as, a lumper or a splitter? A hyper specific individual with extreme perception or a regular John Doe? A normal school age child or one labeled with a disability such as autism? In Darwin's article “Lumpers and Splitters: What makes animals and autistic people different” he has a theory and considers someone who generalizes things a lumper, whereas animals and autistic people are considered splitters because they “particularize” things. This theory can be proven by testing anyone to show how go about doing such things as describing things they see or characterizing things. In the show, Sherlock, Sherlock has shown characteristics that can help prove Darwin's theory. It will be proven that Sherlock particularizes things much the way that characterizes that of a splitter personality. The articles “Lumpers and Splitters: What makes animals …show more content…
Splitters are referred to as animals and autistic people who particularize things. “they see the differences between things more than the similarities” (Darwin 294). In the show Sherlock, Sherlock has proven Darwin's theory and it shows that he is a splitter. For example, at the beginning of the show Sherlock takes a look at John Watson’s phone. He states that, “there is scratching at the charging plug which means he’s an alcoholic” (Sherlock) and he also states that, “the phone was a gift to John from the engraving on the back of the phone, but mentions that John doesn't care about the phone since he puts it in his back pocket with his keys and states that he has a bad relationship with his brother” (Sherlock). This is proving Darwin's theory of either being a lumper or a splitter, because a lumper who generalizes things would have just seen a normal cell phone. Were as a splitter who particulaizes things would have picked up on all the little details that Sherlock did.
In the article “The Hidden Figures Talent” Darwin states that