@inbook {327229,
	title = {Symbols and How We Came to Be Human},
	booktitle = {Speciesism in Biology and Culture: How Human Exceptionalism is Pushing Planetary Boundaries},
	year = {2022},
	month = {2022//},
	pages = {111 - 123},
	publisher = {Springer International Publishing},
	organization = {Springer International Publishing},
	address = {Cham},
	abstract = {<p>A longstanding belief commonly mentioned in support of human exceptionalism is that our species is distinct from others in using symbols (a word I use here, as it is in the social sciences, to describe anything with a socially shared meaning that isn{\textquoteright}t obvious). Countering the assumption that symbols are a distinct category that{\textquoteright}s unique to humans, I propose that they be properly recognized as operating in concert with an impressive number and diversity of less widely meaningful, or outright meaningless, social markers. This chapter critiques the views\&nbsp;on symbolism in our species\&nbsp;often expressed by sociologists, psychologists, anthropologists, archaeologists, and biologists. I consider how symbolism could have evolved from behaviors of non-human animals, some of which live in societies bound together by more superficial {\textquotedblleft}markers{\textquotedblright} of identity that do not convey any more profound significance. Such markers, considered broadly, can be essential in holding societies together.</p>
},
	isbn = {978-3-030-99031-2},
	url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-99031-2_6},
	author = {Moffett, Mark W.},
	editor = {Swartz, Brian and Mishler, Brent D.}
}
