On the emergence of modern humans.

Full Abstract

The emergence of modern humans with their extraordinary cognitive capacities is ascribed to a novel type of cognitive computational process (sustained non-routine multi-level operations) required for abstract projectuality, held to be the common denominator of the cognitive capacities specific to modern humans. A brain operation (latching) that allows this novel computational process is proposed as well as a physics-inspired mechanism that could explain its rather recent emergence without invoking unlikely genetic or structural changes.

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Author information

Author/s: Amati, Daniele (D); Shallice, Tim (T);

Affiliation: International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy. amati(-atsign-)sissa.it

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Cognition (Cognition), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Jun; vol 103 (issue 3) : pp 358-85

Dates: Created 2007/04/09; Completed 2007/06/01;

PMID: 16709406, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Animals
Anthropometry
Cognition - physiology
Evolution

Evolution
Hominidae
Humans
Prefrontal Cortex - physiology

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