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Culture in the world shapes culture in the head (and vice versa)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 September 2019

Edward Baggs Open the ORCID record for Edward Baggs [Opens in a new window] ,
Vicente Raja  and
Michael L. Anderson
Edward Baggs
Affiliation:
Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, London WC1H 0QB, United Kingdom. [email protected]
Vicente Raja
Affiliation:
The Rotman Institute of Philosophy, Western University, London ON N6A 5B7, Canada. [email protected]@uwo.ca
Michael L. Anderson
Affiliation:
The Rotman Institute of Philosophy, Western University, London ON N6A 5B7, Canada. [email protected]@uwo.ca
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Abstract

We agree with Heyes that an explanation of human uniqueness must appeal to cultural evolution, and not just genes. Her account, though, focuses narrowly on internal cognitive mechanisms. This causes her to mischaracterize human behavior and to overlook the role of material culture. A more powerful account would view cognitive gadgets as spanning organisms and their (shared) environments.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 42 , 2019 , e172
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2019 

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