Evolutionary semantics: Using NSM to model stages in human cognitive evolution

Cliff Goddard; Anna Wierzbicka; Horacio Fabréga

doi:10.1016/j.langsci.2013.11.003

Evolutionary semantics: Using NSM to model stages in human cognitive evolution

Cliff Goddard^*, Anna Wierzbicka, Horacio Fabréga

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

23 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

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.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	60-79
Number of pages	20
Journal	Language Sciences
Volume	42
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langsci.2013.11.003
Publication status	Published - Mar 2014

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title = "Evolutionary semantics: Using NSM to model stages in human cognitive evolution",

abstract = "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.",

keywords = "Chimpanzee cognition, Comparative cognition, Evolutionary psychology, Human evolution, Language of Thought (LOT), NSM",

author = "Cliff Goddard and Anna Wierzbicka and Horacio Fabr{\'e}ga",

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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

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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 -

Evolutionary semantics: Using NSM to model stages in human cognitive evolution

Abstract

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