Thought in a Hostile World

The Evolution of Human Cognition

Kim Sterelny author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Published:20th Jun '03

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Thought in a Hostile World cover

WINNER OF THE 2004 LAKATOS AWARD!

Thought in a Hostile World is an exploration of the evolution of cognition, especially human cognition, by one of today's foremost philosophers of biology and of mind.

  • Featuresan exploration of the evolution of human cognition.
  • Written by one of today’s foremost philosophers of mind and language.
  • Presents a set of analytic tools for thinking about cognition and its evolution.
  • Offers a critique of nativist, modular versions of evolutionary psychology, rejecting the example of language as a model for thinking about human cognitive capacities.
  • Applies to the areas of cognitive science, philosophy of mind, and evolutionary psychology.
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"Written with both clarity and rigor, Thought in a Hostile World is a richly informed and sophisticated account of the evolution of complex cognition. Sterelny's arguments appeal, not so much because they reinforce our preconceptions – on the contrary, we are frequently challenged – but rather because they are informed, well-reasoned, and leave us with plenty to think about. Sterelny's book could aptly be renamed Clear Thought in a Muddled World and evolutionary psychologists, in particular, would benefit from reading it." Kevin N. Laland, University of St. Andrews

"This book is a godsend for anyone wanting to understand the evolution of human cognition without buying into the wholesale modularism of recent evolutionary psychology. Densely, but elegantly, written and replete with fascinating empirical detail, this book represents a major advance in the philosophical understanding of human cognitive evolution." Fiona Cowie, California Institute of Technology

  • Winner of The London School of Economics and Political Science Lakatos Award 2004 (UK)

ISBN: 9780631188872

Dimensions: 230mm x 155mm x 20mm

Weight: 435g

280 pages