Review of "The First Idea" by Shanker & Greenspan (BSP 6)
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Episode 6 of the Brain Science Podcast is a discussion of The First Idea: How Symbols, Language, And Intelligence Evolved from Our Primate Ancestors to Modern Humans, by Stanley I Greenspan, MD and Stuart G Shanker, DPhil.
I wanted to talk about emotion, but I generally base the Brain Science Podcast on my current reading; which is why I chose this rather difficult book that touches on psychology, child development, evolution, and theories about the emergence of language and intelligence.
The basic premise which is discussed in the podcast is that emotional signaling is the basis for the emergence of language and intelligence. Evidence supporting this hypothesis is discussed, as is how the theory challenges long-standing theories about language and intelligence.
