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The promise of an ecological, evolutionary approach to culture and language

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2001

Edward Kako
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA 19081-1390 ekako1@swarthmore.edu www.swarthmore.edu/SocSci/ekako1

Abstract

Dichotomous definitions of culture and language do not generate productive questions. Instead, more progress can be made by identifying components of each that other animals might plausibly possess. The evolutionary, ecological approach advocated by Rendell and Whitehead holds great promise for helping us to understand the conditions under which natural selection can favor similar capacities in differently organized brains.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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