Human Evolution, Language and Mind
A Psychological and Archaeological Inquiry

An interdisciplinary exploration of the emergence of linguistic behaviour in human ancestors.

William Noble (Author), Iain Davidson (Author)

9780521576352, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 26 July 1996

288 pages, 48 b/w illus. 4 maps 8 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.5 cm, 0.43 kg

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.

List of illustrations
List of tables
Preface
1. An evolutionary approach to the origin of mind
2. The common ancestor of humans and other apes
3. Symbols and their significance
4. Constructing 'the mind'
5. Communication, perception and symbol use: the place of meaning
6. The early signs of meaning in prehistoric behaviour
7. Behaviour that led to language: Nariokotome to Neanderthal
8. The origin of symbol-making
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Biography: historical, political & military [BGH]