Ideas worth spreading

1,893,648 views | Mark Pagel • TEDGlobal 2011

How language transformed humanity

Biologist Mark Pagel shares an intriguing theory about why humans evolved our complex system of language. He suggests that language is a piece of "social technology" that allowed early human tribes to access a powerful new tool: cooperation.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Biologist Mark Pagel shares an intriguing theory about why humans evolved our complex system of language. He suggests that language is a piece of "social technology" that allowed early human tribes to access a powerful new tool: cooperation.

This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

About the speaker

Evolutionary biologist

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Using biological evolution as a template, Mark Pagel wonders how languages evolve.

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