TY - JOUR
T1 - Evolutionary semantics
T2 - Using NSM to model stages in human cognitive evolution
AU - Goddard, Cliff
AU - Wierzbicka, Anna
AU - Fabréga, Horacio
PY - 2014/3
Y1 - 2014/3
N2 - This study seeks to make a contribution to evolutionary science. It shows how the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) system of semantic-conceptual representation, developed for modern humans, can be "reverse engineered" to produce a plausible model of cognitive evolution from the time of the Last Common Ancestor (LCA) of humans and chimpanzees. We posit six stages of cognitive development, each with its own distinct repertoire of conceptual primes. The progression between the stages is seen as driven by natural selection in the service of enhanced cognitive operations for biological problem solving under changing anatomical, behavioural, environmental and social conditions. The paper draws on a range of evidence and leading ideas from archaeology, paleoanthropology and primatology.
AB - This study seeks to make a contribution to evolutionary science. It shows how the Natural Semantic Metalanguage (NSM) system of semantic-conceptual representation, developed for modern humans, can be "reverse engineered" to produce a plausible model of cognitive evolution from the time of the Last Common Ancestor (LCA) of humans and chimpanzees. We posit six stages of cognitive development, each with its own distinct repertoire of conceptual primes. The progression between the stages is seen as driven by natural selection in the service of enhanced cognitive operations for biological problem solving under changing anatomical, behavioural, environmental and social conditions. The paper draws on a range of evidence and leading ideas from archaeology, paleoanthropology and primatology.
KW - Chimpanzee cognition
KW - Comparative cognition
KW - Evolutionary psychology
KW - Human evolution
KW - Language of Thought (LOT)
KW - NSM
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84893354871&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.langsci.2013.11.003
DO - 10.1016/j.langsci.2013.11.003
M3 - Article
SN - 0388-0001
VL - 42
SP - 60
EP - 79
JO - Language Sciences
JF - Language Sciences
ER -