From communication signals to human language and thought: evolution or revolution?
This article addresses a question which has in recent years been widely discussed: that of the specific features of mental functions and language in humans as compared with other higher biological species. The main hypotheses of the origin and evolution of humans and their language are discussed, along with studies identifying genes responsible for higher functions. The cognitive capacities of animals and their communication signals are addressed, as are the basic principles of brain functions.
St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia. tatiana.chernigovskaya@gmal.com
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D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003071:Cognition; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language