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

Noble, William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521576350 ISBN 13: 9780521576352

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2009

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

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: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0521576350
• ISBN 13: 9780521576352
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 288