Maxwell, N;
(2001)
Evolution of Sentience, Consciousness and Language Viewed From a Darwinian and Purposive Perspective.
In: Maxwell, N, (ed.)
The Human World in the Physical Universe: Consciousness, Free Will and Evolution.
(pp. 162-201).
Rowman and Littlefield: Lanham, Maryland.
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Abstract
In this article I give a Darwinian account of how sentience, consciousness and language may have evolved. It is argued that sentience and consciousness emerge as brains control purposive actions in new ways. A key feature of this account is that Darwinian theory is interpreted so as to do justice to the purposive character of living things. According to this interpretation, as evolution proceeds, purposive actions play an increasingly important role in the mechanisms of evolution until, with evolution by cultural means, Darwinian evolution takes on a Lamarckian character. According to this view, as evolution proceeds, the mechanisms of Darwinian evolution themselves evolve.
Type: | Book chapter |
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Title: | Evolution of Sentience, Consciousness and Language Viewed From a Darwinian and Purposive Perspective |
ISBN: | 0742512266 |
ISBN-13: | 9780742512269 |
Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
Publisher version: | https://rowman.com/ISBN/9780742512269/The-Human-Wo... |
Language: | English |
Additional information: | Copyright © 2001 Nicholas Maxwell. All rights reserved. Deposited with the permission of the publisher, Rowman and Littlefield. |
Keywords: | Darwinian evolution, Consciousness, Sentience, Language, Neuroscience, Purposive action, Cultural evolution |
UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Science and Technology Studies |
URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1463707 |
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