The Man Who Taught a Gorilla to Lie
The story of Koko the gorilla is filled with moments of wonder, but none are as philosophically charged as the time she ripped a steel sink from a wall. When…
Tag: theory of mind
The Linguistics of Lying
That moment a child tells their first lie—"Who ate the cookie?" "Not me!"—is more than just mischief. It's a monumental cognitive and linguistic leap, revealing the hidden architecture of language…
When Did We Start Asking Questions?
Questions represent a monumental leap in human evolution, demanding a complex toolkit of intonation, syntax, and abstract words like "why." Far more than a linguistic trick, asking a question requires…
The ELIZA Effect: Why We Talk to Chatbots Like They’re Human
Have you ever found yourself saying "please" and "thank you" to a chatbot or voice assistant? This is the ELIZA effect, our tendency to unconsciously attribute human-like intelligence and empathy…
The Unwritten Rules of Conversation: Are You Violating Grice’s Maxims?
Ever felt a conversation was awkward or that someone was being evasive, but couldn't pinpoint why? Philosopher Paul Grice proposed four "maxims" (Quality, Quantity, Relevance, Manner) that govern successful, cooperative…