Becoming Human The Development of Language, Self and Self-Consciousness [Hardcover]

This book is a philosophical examination of the stages in our journey from hominid to human. Dealing with the nature and origin of language, self-consciousness, and the religious ideal of a return to Eden, it has a philosophical anthropology approach. It provides an account of our place in nature consistent with both empiricism and mysticism.Setting Out What Language is Not Language-Games Learning to Talk How the Human Got its Words Self Portrait, Ink on Paper The Further Adventures of Nobody Consciousness Self Consciousness Back to Eden Index

'Canfield's book is a well-informed and highly creative work by a leading philosopher. It is a polished, sophisticated work, but accessible to the intelligent layperson. It illuminates what it is to be human in an original, readable and highly satisfying manner. It is genuinely eclectic, displaying an impressive command of a range of different approaches to its subject. In short, a profound account of our march toward a full humanity, written with great clarity and verve.' - Professor William DeAngelis, Department of Philosophy and Religion, Northeastern University, Boston, USA

'This is a brilliant book! It presents a highly plausible view of the nature and origin of language, consciousness and self-consciousness and goes on, in what is the heart of the book, to give a novel and compelling treatment of the self or ego - the I. Finally, in a stimulating and controversial way Canfield connects these notions to Buddhist ideas about the illusion of the self. The implications of his analysis are enormous.' - Professor Robert Arrington, Department of Philosophy, Georgia State University, USA

'The critique of the concept of self in our understanding of our humanity is a formidable topic, which is here handled with boldness and subtlety. The result is nothing less than a radical and compelling revision of that understanding.' - Dr Dani?le Moyal-Sharrock, Department of Philosophy, Birkbeck, Ul#P