How Homo Became Sapiens: On The Evolution Of Thinking
Editorial Reviews
Book Description
Our ability to 'think' is really one of our most puzzling characteristics. What it would be like to be unable to think? What would it be like to lack self-awareness? The complexity of this activity is striking. 'Thinking' involves the interaction of a range of mental processes--attention,
emotion, memory, planning, self-consciousness, free will, and language. So where did these processes arise? What evolutionary advantages were bestowed upon those with an ability to deceive, to plan, to empathize, or to understand the intention of others? In this compelling new work, Peter
Gardenfors embarks on an evolutionary detective story to try and solve one of the big mysteries surrounding human existence--how has the modern human being's way of thinking come into existence. He starts by taking in turn the more basic cognitive processes, such as attention and memory, then
builds upon these to explore more complex behaviors, such as self-consciousness, mindreading, and imitation. Having done this, he examines the consequences of "putting thought into the world" -i.e., using external media like cave paintings, drawings, and writing. Immensely readable and
humorous, the book will be valuable for students in psychology and biology, and accessible to readers of popular science.
Book Info
Text embarks on an evolutionary detective story to try and solve one of the big mysteries surrounding human existence: how has the modern human being's way of thinking come into existence. An English edition of an earlier Swedish edition. Revised and updated to bring it in line with the latest developments of research.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
How Homo Became Sapiens: On the Evolution of Thinking,Peter G"ardenfors,Oxford University Press, USA,0198528515,Cognition and culture,Cognitive Psychology,Developmental - General,Evolution,Evolutionary psychology,Life Sciences - Evolution,Life Sciences - Human Anatomy & Physiology,Science,Science/Mathematics,Popular science,Psychology | Cognitive,Science / Evolution
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