The Symbolic Species by Terrence W. Deacon
The Co-evolution of Language and the Brain
A cross-disciplinary investigation into how symbolic thought and language co-evolved with the human brain, arguing that the capacity for true symbolic reference—distinct from iconic and indexical signals—uniquely defines our species. Integrating evidence from evolution, neuroscience, child development, and primate communication, it contends that cultural-symbolic systems fed back on biology, restructuring neural circuits and developmental pathways. The result is an account of why other animals fall short of symbolic competence and how this co-evolution explains both the power and constraints of human cognition.
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- Published
- 1997
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Long
- Pages
- 520-540 pages
- Original Language
- English
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- Alternate Titles
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