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Not by signalling alone: Music's mosaicism undermines the search for a proper function

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 September 2021

Anton Killin Open the ORCID record for Anton Killin [Opens in a new window] ,
Carl Brusse Open the ORCID record for Carl Brusse [Opens in a new window] ,
Adrian Currie  and
Ronald J. Planer Open the ORCID record for Ronald J. Planer [Opens in a new window]
Anton Killin
Affiliation:
School of Philosophy and ARC Centre of Excellence for the Dynamics of Language, Australian National University, Acton, ACT2601, Australiaanton.killin@anu.edu.au
Carl Brusse
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy and Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australiacarl.brusse@sydney.edu.au School of Philosophy, Australian National University, Acton, ACT2601, Australia
Adrian Currie
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Philosophy, University of Exeter, ExeterEX4 4RJ, UKa.currie@exeter.ac.uk
Ronald J. Planer
Affiliation:
School of Language and Linguistics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria3010, Australiaronald.j.planer@outlook.com
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Abstract

Mehr et al. seek to explain music's evolution in terms of a unitary proper function – signalling cooperative intent – which they cash out in two guises, coalition signalling and (allo)parental attention signalling. Although we recognize the role signalling almost certainly played in the evolution of music, we reject “ultimate” causal explanations which focus on a unidirectional, narrow range of causal factors.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 44 , 2021 , e103
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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