The Symbolic Species by Deacon, Terrence W. -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Praise Title Page Copyright Dedication Contents Preface Part One: Language

1. THE HUMAN PARADOX

An Evolutionary Anomaly Technical Difficulties and Hopeful Monsters The Missing Simple Languages

2. A LOSS FOR WORDS

Gymnastics of the Mind In Other Words The Reference Problem

3. SYMBOLS AREN’T SIMPLE

The Hierarchical Nature of Reference The Symbolic Threshold Unlearning an Insight

4. OUTSIDE THE BRAIN

Chomsky’s Handstand The Other Evolution Emerging Universals Better Learning Through Amnesia

Part Two: Brain

5. THE SIZE OF INTELLIGENCE

A Gross Misunderstanding Brains in Bodies Thinking Your Own Size

6. GROWING APART

The Chihuahua Fallacy Using Fly Genes to Make Human Brains The Developmental Clock

7. A DARWINIAN ELECTRICIAN

Musical Chairs Displacement An Alien Brain Transplant Experiment Beyond Phrenology

8. THE TALKING BRAIN

Hoover’s Brain Visceral Sounds Why Don’t Mammals Sing Like Birds? A Leveraged Takeover

9. SYMBOL MINDS

Front-Heavy Making Symbols

10. LOCATING LANGUAGE

Forcing Square Pegs into Round Holes The Illuminated Brain Where Symbols Aren’t Taking Sides

Part Three: Co-Evolution

11. AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH

The Brain That Didn’t Evolve Language Adaptations Homo symbolicus The Co-Evolutionary Net The Writing on the Wall

12. SYMBOLIC ORIGINS

A Passion to Communicate Why Human Societies Shouldn’t Work A Symbolic Solution Ritual Beginnings

13. A SERENDIPITOUS MIND

The Fail-Safe Computer The Sphinx No Mind Is an Island

14. SUCH STUFF AS DREAMS ARE MADE ON

Ends To Be or Not to Be: What Is the Difference? Reinventing the Mind

Notes Additional Readings Bibliography Index