The Coevolution of Language, Teaching, and Civil Discourse Among Humans, 1st ed. 2020
Our Family Business

This book traces the evolutionary trajectory of language and teaching from the earliest periods of human evolution to the present day. The author argues that teaching is unique to humans and our ancestors, and that the evolution of teaching, language, and culture are the inextricably linked results of gene-culture coevolutionary processes. Drawing on related fields including archaeology, palaeontology, cultural anthropology, evolutionary psychology and linguistics, he makes the case that the need for joint attention and shared goals in complex adaptive strategies is the underlying driver for the evolution of language-like communication. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of these disciplines, as well as lay readers with an interest in human origins. 

Donald M. Morrison, a lifelong educator, is a Research Assistant Professor at the Institute for Intelligent Systems, University of Memphis, USA.

Explores the role of language, teaching, and civil discourse in human evolution

Draws on recent findings in a range of disciplines including archaeology, cultural anthropology, and evolutionary biology

Tells the story of how an ordinary, small-brained African ape evolved into the modern-day human