Michael Arbib was a pioneer in the interdisciplinary study of computers and brains, and has long studied brain mechanisms underlying the visual control of action. For more than a decade he has devoted much energy to understanding the relevance of this work, and especially of mirror neurons, to the evolution of the language-ready brain.

A stimulating review of recent thinking on language evolution along with the most complete explication to date of his mirror system hypothesis, which has been presented in several recent articles...The theoretical breadth is impressive [and it] will be accessible to readers with different backgrounds. I recommend Arbibs book to serious students of language evolution and it should be a valuable resource.

• Part I. Setting the Stage ; 1. Underneath the Lampposts ; 2. Perspectives on Human Languages ; 3. Vocalization and Gesture in Monkey and Ape ; 4. Human Brain, Monkey Brain, and Praxis ; 5. Mirror Neurons and Mirror Systems ; Part II. Developing the Hypothesis ; 6. Signposts: The Argument of the Book Revealed ; 7. Simple and Complex Imitation ; 8. Via Pantomime to Protosign ; 9. Protosign and Protospeech: An Expanding Spiral ; 10. How Languages Got Started ; 11. How the Child Acquires Language ; 12. How Languages Emerge ; 13. How Languages Keep Changing

Michael Arbib was a pioneer in the interdisciplinary study of computers and brains, and has long studied brain mechanisms underlying the visual control of action. For more than a decade he has devoted much energy to understanding the relevance of this work, and especially of mirror neurons, to the evolution of the language-ready brain.

A stimulating review of recent thinking on language evolution along with the most complete explication to date of his mirror system hypothesis, which has been presented in several recent articles...The theoretical breadth is impressive [and it] will be accessible to readers with different backgrounds. I recommend Arbibs book to serious students of language evolution and it should be a valuable resource.

• Part I. Setting the Stage ; 1. Underneath the Lampposts ; 2. Perspectives on Human Languages ; 3. Vocalization and Gesture in Monkey and Ape ; 4. Human Brain, Monkey Brain, and Praxis ; 5. Mirror Neurons and Mirror Systems ; Part II. Developing the Hypothesis ; 6. Signposts: The Argument of the Book Revealed ; 7. Simple and Complex Imitation ; 8. Via Pantomime to Protosign ; 9. Protosign and Protospeech: An Expanding Spiral ; 10. How Languages Got Started ; 11. How the Child Acquires Language ; 12. How Languages Emerge ; 13. How Languages Keep Changing