Chapter 15

Question 1

How is human cognition unique?

Answer 1

1. human thought is verbal, where other animals it’s non verbal.

Question 2

3 things language has.

Answer 2

1. Language provides the brain a means of categorizing info. It allows us easily to group together objects, actions, events that have common features.
2. Language provides a means of organizing time, especially future time. It enables us to plan our behaviour around time in ways animals can’t.
3. Perhaps most important, human language has syntax- sets of rules for putting words together to create meaningful utterances.

Question 3

Why is human language flexible compared to chimps?

Answer 3

Chimps can use and recognize vocalizations but can’t rearrange them to produce new meanings. Without the linguistic flexibility that grammar allows- no higher level thought can emerge.

Question 4

Discuss how stringing together events is due to NS.

Answer 4

it’s highly adaptive. It would allow for building houses or weaving for example. Allows for someone to throw a spear in a fluid movement at a moving target.