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The Recursive Mind: The Origins of Human Language, Thought, and Civilization
Michael C. Corballis
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Description for The Recursive Mind: The Origins of Human Language, Thought, and Civilization
Hardback. Challenges the commonly held notion that language is what makes us uniquely human. This book argues that what distinguishes us in the animal kingdom is our capacity for recursion: the ability to embed our thoughts within other thoughts. It shows how the recursive mind was critical to survival in the harsh conditions of the Pleistocene epoch. Num Pages: 304 pages, 6 halftones. 9 line illus. 2 maps. BIC Classification: CFD; HPM; JMAQ; PSAJ. Category: (P) Professional & Vocational; (U) Tertiary Education (US: College). Dimension: 232 x 164 x 24. Weight in Grams: 564.
The Recursive Mind challenges the commonly held notion that language is what makes us uniquely human. In this compelling book, Michael Corballis argues that what distinguishes us in the animal kingdom is our capacity for recursion: the ability to embed our thoughts within other thoughts. "I think, therefore I am," is an example of recursive thought, because the thinker has inserted himself into his thought. Recursion enables us to conceive of our own minds and the minds of others. It also gives us the power of mental "time travel"--the ability to insert past experiences, or imagined future ones, into present ... Read more
The Recursive Mind challenges the commonly held notion that language is what makes us uniquely human. In this compelling book, Michael Corballis argues that what distinguishes us in the animal kingdom is our capacity for recursion: the ability to embed our thoughts within other thoughts. "I think, therefore I am," is an example of recursive thought, because the thinker has inserted himself into his thought. Recursion enables us to conceive of our own minds and the minds of others. It also gives us the power of mental "time travel"--the ability to insert past experiences, or imagined future ones, into present ... Read more
Product Details
Publisher
Princeton University Press
Number of pages
304
Format
Hardback
Publication date
2011
Condition
New
Weight
563g
Number of Pages
304
Place of Publication
New Jersey, United States
ISBN
9780691145471
SKU
V9780691145471
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 7 to 11 working days
Ref
99-1
About Michael C. Corballis
Michael C. Corballis is professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. His books include "From Hand to Mouth: The Origins of Language" (Princeton) and "A Very Short Tour of the Mind: 21 Short Walks around the Human Brain".
Reviews for The Recursive Mind: The Origins of Human Language, Thought, and Civilization
"The Recursive Mind: The Origins of Human Language, Thought, and Civilization, is a fascinating and well-grounded exposition of the nature and power of recursion. In its ultra-reasonable way, this is quite a revolutionary book because it attacks key notions about language and thought. Most notably, it disputes the idea, argued especially by linguist Noam Chomsky, that thought is fundamentally linguistic
in ... Read more
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