About this title: Drawing on the author's own breakthroughs in human and comparative neuroscience and evolutionary anthropology, and on the latest findings of research on artificial life and artificial intelligence, this book what it means to be human. This theory of the origin of language traces language development back to the primary needs of human family life.
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Description: Good. Purchasing this DVD supports the North Central Regional Library. Thriftbooks and NCRL have partnered to help raise additional funds for the library system. Library ID found on DVD and case. Ex-Library book-will contain library markings. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Fine. Almost in new condition. Book shows only very slight signs of use. Cover and binding are undamaged and pages show minimal use. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Good. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Description: Very Good. Great condition for a used book! Minimal wear. Shipped to over one million happy customers. Your purchase benefits world literacy! read more
Binding: HB
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9780393038385ISBN:0393038386
Description: VG in VG/VG- jacket. DJ: some rubbing & edgewear; few creases at edges. Book: some rubbing & edgewear; overall clean & tight. 527 pages. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Date Published: 4/1/1998
ISBN-13:9780393317541ISBN:0393317544
Description: Fine. 0393317544 NEW/UNREAD! ! ! Text is Clean and Unmarked! --Be Sure to Compare Seller Feedback and Ratings before Purchasing--Has a small black ink mark on outside edge of pages. May have light shelf wear to cover from storage, if any. read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Date Published: 1998
ISBN-13:9780393317541ISBN:0393317544
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 527 p. Contains: Illustrations. Audience: General/trade. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Date Published: 1997-07
ISBN-13:9780393038385ISBN:0393038386
Description: New. Book is Brand New, Gift condition. Free tracking # included! International buyers are welcome. We ship every business day. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed! read more
Description: New. 0393038386 Brand NEW Hardcover with beautiful Dust Jacket, slightest shelf wear possible, ~ We would ship within 24 Hours, reply to customer emails ASAP, accept returns and offer 100% satisfaction guarantee! read more
Description: Fine. 0393038386 Norton hardcover, 1997, 1st edition/1st printing, dustjacket price $29.95, unused, No marks/tears, small crease in rear dustjacket flap...As New/Fine...New mylar cover, bubble-wrapped and mailed in a Box w/delivery confirmation...NOT a remainder or ex-libraryjunk. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: W W Norton & Co Inc
Date Published: 1998-04-01
ISBN-13:9780393317541ISBN:0393317544
Description: NEW. Softcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780393317541. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Date Published: 1998
ISBN-13:9780393317541ISBN:0393317544
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, New York
Date Published: 1998
ISBN-13:9780393317541ISBN:0393317544
Description: Very Good+ with no dust jacket. 0-393-31754-4. 527 pp. Light edgewear. A fascinating study of language and brain, drawing together a wealth of information about neuropsychological, anatomical, and brain evolution evidence about language providing great insight into the importance of symbolic thinking, and what this has meant to the species as a whole.; 8vo 8"-9" tall. read more
Description: Fine; Collectible. 1st printing with full 10 number line. Tiny rip on dj (~ 1 cm), otherwise a new book. Free deliver confirmation! Satisfaction guaranteed! read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: W W Norton & Company, Inc., New York
Date Published: 1997
ISBN-13:9780393038385ISBN:0393038386
Description: New. 0393038386. FLAWLESS COPY, AVOID WEEKS OF DELAY ELSEWHERE. --clean and crisp, tight and bright pages, with no writing or markings to the text. read more
"This is a great book that can get a little dense and technical at times. The main premise of the text is that what really separates humans from animals and other forms of life is language. Humans use language symbolically as opposed to indexically. The explanation for what this means was one of the hardest parts of the book to get. What it boils down to is that animals, particularly smart animals like chimps and dogs, can map words to specific meanings but they cannot do things like string words together to form long sentences or use the same symbol (word) for multiple meanings. Chimpanzees even struggle with this even though they can learn an impressive vocabulary of word to symbol mappings. Another important fact is that languages simply do not exist in nature outside of humans.
The author then proceeds to examine why or how humans can do this complicated trick. Simple net intelligence is examined and found to be not sufficient. He brings up the fact that mice have similar brain to mass ratios to humans and mice are not considered exceptionally smart. He also points out that Chihuahuas have a much higher brain to body mass ratio than other dogs, even close to humans, but they are not even considered smart for dogs. The reason must have something to do with brain size and structure (not just size). He goes on to show that several regions of our brain are quite a bit larger than expected if we simply scaled up a chimp brain to human size. Some how the pre-frontal region of the brain was exceptionally expanded.
How do things like this happen in nature? Evolution. And why would evolution select for this language ability? The author supposes it has to do with our social organization (pair bonding within a large group) which also turns out to be unique in nature. Humans needed language to determine who was sexually available and who was not. They also needed communication between the pairs so that the male who helps with provisioning of the children can be ensured he is in fact provisioning his own child (genetically).
The final chapters are devoted to how the brain actually learns. Pretty cool stuff. For a fairly large and challenging book, I found it a fairly easy read."
"A brain-melter of a book. Fascinating and brilliant and dense. Written clearly but at great length and depth. Suggests language shaped the human brain as much as the brain shaped language, and shows just how that was accomplished, and why there's no such thing as 'simple' languages in other animals. It's all about the hurdle of symbolic thought and communication. My brain feels like it was re-shaped just to take it all in."
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