PLANS AND THE EVOLUTION OF LANGUAGE
Commentary on Bridgeman on Consciousness

Abstract

Bridgeman's (1992) focus on planning as symptomatic of human life makes good sense. The idea that consciousness is the spin-off product of the execution of planned conduct also makes sense. The argument, however, becomes convoluted regarding the significance of language to the execution of plans. A system already so well-organised as to be able to generate language as one of its planned products should be able to deliver it neurally, rather than have to engage the complexities of articulation, acoustics, and phonetics. Also, the converse selective advantage to that suggested may be true, the roots of behaviour that enables signs to be used as symbols may lie in the withholding of plans.

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References

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