What is a human?: language, mind, and culture

In a sweeping synthesis of new research in a number of different disciplines, this book argues that we humans are not who we think we are. As he explores the interconnections between cutting-edge work in bioanthropology, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, human language and learning, and beyond, James Paul Gee advances, also, a personal philosophy of language, learning, and culture, informed by his decades of work across linguistics and the social sciences. Gee argues that our schools, institutions, legal systems, and societies are designed for creatures that do not exist, thus resulting in multiple, interacting crises, such as climate change, failing institutions, and the rise of nationalist nationalism. As Gee constructs an understanding of the human that takes into account our social, collective, and historical nature, as established by recent research, he inspires readers to reflect for themselves on the very question of who we are--a key consideration for anyone interested in society, government, schools, health, activism, culture and diversity, or even just survival.

Part I -- 1. Terman -- References -- 2. Humans -- The Human Brain -- The Associational Brain -- Other Brains -- Homeostasis -- Takeaways -- References -- 3. More Than Animals? -- Consciousness -- References -- 4. Human-Made Monsters -- A Mad Experiment: Monsters -- Environments Transform Humans -- Baboons and Status -- Montaigne -- References -- 5. Conclusion to Part I -- Part II -- 6. Fetishes -- From Harlow to Fetishes -- Fetishes Led to Human Thinking -- References -- 7. Examples of Fetishes -- Grades -- Money -- Membership -- References -- 8. Doubling Fetishes -- Shamans and Symbols -- References -- 9. The Imaginarium -- Bene and Me -- What I Would Be Thinking If It Were Me -- Bene and I Compared -- References

10. The Conscious Brain -- References -- 11. The Gang of Six -- The Ghost in the Machine -- References -- 12. Language -- The Deepest Fetishes About Language: Meaning Is "In the Head" -- The Deepest Fetishes About Language: Language Is a Picture of Reality -- Conclusion -- References -- 13. Stress and the State -- Stress -- Politics -- State-Based Ideology and Civics -- The State as Fetish -- The Mystery of Civil Obedience -- References -- 14. Another Attempt to Answer …