The First Idea

How Symbols, Language, and Intelligence Evolved from Our Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans

By: Stanley Greenspan, Stuart Shanker

Write A Review

Paperback | 8 February 2008 | Edition Number 1

At a Glance

Paperback
512 Pages

Dimensions(cm)
22.86 x 15.24 x 3.25

Paperback

$53.75

or 4 interest-free payments of $13.44 with

Ships in 10 to 15 business days

In this highly original work, one of the world''s most distinguished child psychiatrists together with a philosopher at the forefront of ape and child language research present a startling hypothesis-that the development of our higher-level symbolic thinking, language, and social skills cannot be explained by genes and natural selection, but depend on cultural practices learned anew by each generation over millions of years, dating back to primate and prehuman cultures. Furthermore, for the first time, they present their remarkable research revealing the steps leading to symbolic thinking in the life of each new human infant and show that contrary to now-prevailing theories of Pinker, Chomsky, and others, there is no biological explanation that can account for these distinctly human abilities.Drawing from their own original work with human infants and apes, and meticulous examination of the fossil record, Greenspan and Shanker trace how each new species of nonhuman primates, prehumans, and early humans mastered and taught to their offspring in successively greater degrees the steps leading to symbolic thinking. Their revolutionary theory and compelling evidence reveal the true origins of our most advanced human qualities and set a radical new direction for evolutionary theory, psychology, and philosophy.

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $89.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Science Biology, Life Sciences Life Sciences in General Evolution Psychology Cognition & Cognitive Psychology Science in General Popular Science Sociology & Anthropology Anthropology Language & Linguistics

Linguistics Human Biology Zoology & Animal Sciences Zoology & Vertebrates Zoology & Mammals Primates Child & Developmental Psychology

Introduction	p. 1
Origin and Development of Symbols
Origin of Symbols	p. 17
Intellectual Growth and Transformations of Emotions During the Course of Life	p. 41
A New Direction for Evolutionary Theory
Introduction	p. 97
The Early Stages of Emotional Regulation, Engagement, and Signaling: Nonhuman Primates and the Earliest Hominids	p. 103
Problem-Solving Collaborations: Chimpanzees and Early Humans	p. 132
Symbols, Words, and Ideas: Archaic Homo sapiens and Early Moderns	p. 147
Representation and the Beginning of Logic: Homo sapiens sapiens	p. 167
The Engine of Evolution	p. 181
The Development of Language and Intelligence
Introduction	p. 185
The Origins of Language	p. 187
The Role of Emotions in Language Development	p. 208
Emotions and the Development of Intelligence	p. 232
How Emotional Signaling Links Emotion and Cognition and the Brain's Subsymbolic and Symbolic Cortical Systems: Implications for Neuroscience and Piaget's Cognitive Psychology	p. 250
Emotional Development Derailed: Pathways to and from Autism	p. 295
The Development of Social Groups
Introduction	p. 319
The Developmental Levels of Groups, Societies, and Cultures (With Elizabeth Greenspan)	p. 321
A New History of History	p. 375
Future Evolution: Toward a Psychology of Global Interdependency	p. 424
Notes	p. 457
References	p. 471
Index	p. 489
About the Authors	p. 504
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

The First Idea

How Symbols, Language, and Intelligence Evolved from Our Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans

At a Glance

Paperback

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

More in Science in General

Nature's Last Dance

Tales of wonder in an age of extinction

The 21st Century Brain

Cutting edge neuroscience to help us navigate the future

A Bird's IQ

innovation, intelligence, and problem-solving in the avian world

Open When . . .

A Companion for Life's Twists & Turns

Traversal

Exploring Nature through Citizen Science

The New Age of Sexism

How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny

The Energy Game

A Science-backed System to Recharge Without Pressing Pause on Life

The Age Code

The New Science of Food and How It Can Save Us

There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness

Ends of the Earth

Journeys to the Polar Regions in Search of Life, the Cosmos, and our Future

Excel Essential Skills: Science Revision Workbook - Year 8

Excel Essential Skills Ser.

The Butterfly Thief

adventure, empire, and Australia's greatest museum heist

Alchemy

An Illustrated History of Elixirs, Experiments, and the Birth of Modern Science

Sapiens

A Graphic History: Volume 1

Goliath's Curse

The History and Future of Societal Collapse

Breath

The New Science of a Lost Art

Swainston's Fishes of Australia

The complete illustrated guide

Baked to Perfection

Winner of the Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards 2022

Ferment

The Life-Changing Power of Microbes

Nexus

A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI

Thing Explainer

Complicated Stuff in Simple Words

Technofeudalism

What Killed Capitalism

Collins Classics - The Republic

Collins Classics

This product is categorised by