How We Think

Perhaps the key faculty that has helped make humans human is our ability to represent. That is, to literally “re-present.” To bring things to our mind which are not present, not in the immediate environment. This is what happens to us in dreams as we mix and recreate events. This is what happens when we talk or think about events or people or objects that are far away or even imaginary. This unique ability helped to free us from the present moment and allowed humans to plan the future, using...