What are the basic cognitive capacities shared between humans and other vertebrates? By examining this question, we arrive at a comparative understanding of cognition—one that helps distinguish shared mechanisms from those that are specifically human. Some of these shared principles can already be found in organisms with only a few hundred neurons.

Evolution has produced cognitive systems that do not represent the external world in a one-to-one fashion. Instead, they generate selectively biased representations that enhance survival and reproductive success. This chapter traces the evolutionary origins of these cognitive processes by focusing on three key developmental milestones: 1. simple, hardwired responses 2. flexible behavioral systems supported by learning 3. mental simulation of actions and their consequences

The video examines how these milestones are situated within an evolutionary framework and how they build upon one another as cognitive complexity increases.

Authors: Fabian Mueller & William Palmer

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