Human Evolution, Language and Mind: A Psychological and Archaeological Inquiry - Hardcover

Noble, William; Davidson, Iain

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0521445027 ISBN 13: 9780521445023

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 1996

Synopsis

The question of how modern human behaviour emerged from pre-human hominid behaviour is central to discussions of human evolution. This important book argues that the capacity to use signs in a symbolic way, identified by the authors as language, is the basis for behaviour that can be described as human. The book is the product of a unique collaboration between the key disciplines in the debate about human evolution and mentality - psychology and archaeology. It investigates the significance and nature of the emergence of linguistic behaviour. The text critically examines the archaeological record of hominid evolution and argues that linguistic behaviour emerged no earlier than 100,000 years ago. The book's interdisciplinary approach allows critical attention to be given to an impressively broad range of relevant literature. For the first time, all the known pieces of this evolutionary puzzle are examined in detail.

About this title

Review

"The book is well written and does not assume too much prior knowledge on the part of the reader." M.J. O'Brien, Choice "I enjoyed and appreciated their radical position....There is a lot to be impressed with in this book....It is sure to take a central place in future discussions about the evolution of mind and language, how we should intrepret the archaeological record, and what it means to be human." Steven Mithen, Journal of Anthropological Research ."..attrative and challenging to see how the authors attempt to put all the pieces of the puzzle together to produce a fascinating volume. The work is clear, well documented and nicely written." Journal of Indo-European Studies ."..an important contribution to the gathering interest in the origins of language, the role of the symbolic, the nature of minded behaviour, consciousness and other 'big' questions that only recently have become amenable to scientific methods and arguments that appeal to evidence rather than rhetoric." Theory and Pyschology

Book Description

This interdisciplinary text explores the significance, nature and timing of the evolutionary emergence of human behaviour, which the authors argue is based in linguistic behaviour. The book includes surveys of the archaeological evidence and an impressively broad range of relevant literature.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 0521445027
• ISBN 13: 9780521445023
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 286