225 | Michael Tomasello on The Social Origins of Cognition and Agency
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
Perspective Shapes Understanding
Language and cognitive flexibility emerge from social interactions rather than isolation, highlighting the importance of perspective-taking in understanding the world. Unlike other creatures, humans can interpret objects variably, recognizing that different viewpoints can yield multiple interpretations of the same item. This capability reflects a sophisticated level of symbolic representation, wherein the significance of symbols is shaped by conceptual understanding rather than mere definitions. Thus, human cognition is deeply intertwined with context and social engagement, reinforcing the notion that learning and interpretation are inherently collaborative endeavors.
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