Review of "The First Idea" by Shanker & Greenspan (BSP 6)
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.
How to get this episode:
Premium Subscribers now have unlimited access to all old episodes and transcripts.
Buy BSP 1-10 (zip file of mp3 files)
New episodes of the Brain Science Podcast are always FREE. All episodes posted after January 1, 2013, are free. See the individual show notes for links the audio files.