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Cecilia Heyes – Cognitive Gadgets: The Cultural Evolution of Thinking

    The Nature & Nurture Podcast | 5 May 2021 | 1h 08m | Listen Later | Podcasts | Spotify
    Interview with Cecilia Heyes about her book Cognitive Gadgets: The Cultural Evolution of Thinking. Discusses her background in animal research, the nature versus nurture debate, culture as an evolutionary process, and various “cognitive gadgets” such as literacy and imitation, which Heyes argues are not biologically programmed, but culturally evolved feats of cognition.

    I was nudged to return to this by Robin Hanson’s glowing praise. See also the Brain Science with Ginger Campbell episode and other episodes on cultural evolution.

    Cecilia Heyes on Cognitive Gadgets: The Cultural Evolution of Thinking

      Brain Science with Ginger Campbell | 28 February 2020 | 1h 08m | Listen Later | iTunes
      Interview with Cecilia Heyes about her book Cognitive Gadgets: The Cultural Evolution of Thinking. Explores the evidence that several cognitive skills that appear to be unique to humans are learned from other people rather than being inherited genetically as is often assumed. Considers the implications if language is a cognitive gadget rather than a cognitive instinct.