causal

Categories Given By Culture Not Biology

Although biological evolution gives individuals rich perceptual sensitivity (e.g. to many colors), the categories in a language are delivered by cultural evolution through a history of successful coordination, so there is never a direct link from biology to the words one actually speaks.

causalpending

Speaker

N.J. Enfield

Evidence Quote

the categories in the language are not given to us by the biological evolution, they're given to us by the cultural evolution

Source

203 | N.J. Enfield on Why Language is Good for Lawyers and Not ScientistsSean Carroll's Mindscape
Created: 6/13/2026, 12:18:59 AM

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