The Biological Basis of the Symbolic: Exploring the Implications of the Co-Evolution of Language, Cognition and Sociality for Management Studies

Abstract

In this essay, we approach the question of what it means for something to be symbolic in a different way from the usual answers rooted in philosophy, sociology or anthropology: we argue that the symbolic is, first and foremost, rooted in human biology and human evolution. We discuss how the development of the capability to create and share symbols was a key moment in human evolution that underpins our capability to communicate and store knowledge through language, to think abstractly about problems, and to live and work together effectively in large groups. It also underpins the unique ecological niche – the cognitive niche – that Homo sapiens construct using our capability to create and share symbols. We go on to explore some of the implications of an evolutionary understanding of the symbolic for management and organization research.