The Symbolic Species
LC Class | QP399 .D43 1997 |
The Symbolic Species is a 1997 book by biological anthropologist Terrence Deacon on the evolution of language.[1][2] Combining perspectives from neurobiology, evolutionary theory, linguistics, and semiotics, Deacon proposes that language, along with the unique human capacity for symbolic thought, co-evolved with the brain.
The Symbolic Species is a multi-disclipinary book that at the time of publishing was seen as groundbreaking. It is considered to have bound together a wide array of ideas in a way that advanced the understanding of professionals in several fields.
Symbolic thought and language
The reasons for the unique cognitive capacity of humans are explored, along with those for the large number of human activities impossible for animals. The human use of language is said to be responsible for both.
Co-evolution
A
Reference
- ^ "REVIEW OF Deacon's The Symbolic Species". www.lel.ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 2023-05-24.
- ^ Calvin, William H. (10 August 1997). "Talking Heads". archive.nytimes.com. Retrieved 2023-05-24.