The Cultural Origins Of Human Cognition

Download or read book The Cultural Origins of Human Cognition written by Michael TOMASELLO and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2009-07-01 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bridging the gap between evolutionary theory and cultural psychology, Michael Tomasello argues that the roots of the human capacity for symbol-based culture are based in a cluster of uniquely human cognitive capacities. These include capacities for understanding that others have intentions of their own, and for imitating, not just what someone else does, but what someone else has intended to do. Tomasello further describes with authority and ingenuity how these capacities work over evolutionary and historical time to create the kind of cultural artifacts and settings within which each new generation of children develops.