Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition
Carruthers (Peter) & Chamberlain (Andrew), Eds.
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Back Cover Blurb

  1. How did our minds evolve? Can evolutionary1 considerations illuminate the question of the basic architecture of the human mind?
  2. These are two of the main questions addressed in Evolution2 and the Human Mind by a distinguished interdisciplinary team of philosophers, psychologists, anthropologists and archaeologists.
  3. The essays focus especially on issues to do with modularity of mind, the evolution3 and significance of natural language, and the evolution4 of our capacity for meta-cognition (thought about thought) together with its implications for consciousness.
  4. The editors have provided an introduction which lays out the background to the questions addressed in the remaining essays, and a consolidated bibliography which will be a valuable reference resource for all those interested in this area.
  5. The volume will be of great interest to all researchers and students interested in the evolution5 and nature of the mind.
Book Comment

Cambridge University Press, 2000


"Boyer (Pascal) - Evolution of the Modern Mind and the Origins of Culture: Religious Concepts as a Limiting Case"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition


"Carruthers (Peter) - The Evolution of Consciousness"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition


"Carruthers (Peter) & Chamberlain (Andrew) - Evolution and the Human Mind: Introduction"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition


"Dunbar (Robin) - On the Origin of the Human Mind"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition


"Hopkins (Jim) - Evolution, Consciousness and the Internality of the Mind"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition


"Hughes (Claire) & Plomin (Robert) - Individual Differences in Early Understanding of Mind; Genes, Non-Shared Environment and Modularity"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition


"Mithen (Steven) - Mind, Brain and Material Culture: an Archaeological Perspective"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition


"Morton (Adam) - The Evolution of Strategic Thinking"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition


"Murphy (Dominic) & Stich (Stephen) - Darwin in the Madhouse: Evolutionary Psychology and the Classification of Mental Disorders"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition


"Origgi (Gloria) & Sperber (Dan) - Evolution, Communication and the Proper Function of Language"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition


"Papineau (David) - The Evolution of Knowledge"

Source: Papineau - Roots of Reason - Philosophical Essays on Rationality, Evolution and Probability

Paper Comment

2000. Also in "Carruthers (Peter) & Chamberlain (Andrew), Eds. - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition"


"Samuels (Richard) - Massively Modular Minds; Evolutionary Psychology and Cognitive Architecture"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition, 2000

Paper Comment

For the full text, follow this link (Local website only): PDF File1.


"Wynn (Thomas) - Symmetry and the Evolution of the Modular Linguistic Mind"

Source: Carruthers & Chamberlain - Evolution and the Human Mind: Modularity, Language and Meta-Cognition


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  1. Blue: Text by me; © Theo Todman, 2025
  2. Mauve: Text by correspondent(s) or other author(s); © the author(s)


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