The Cultural Origins of Human Cognition

Tomasello's central argument is that what makes human cognition unique is not raw intelligence but shared intentionality — the ability to collaborate on goals and build on each other's understanding. This is the evolutionary basis for everything from language to institutions to product teams. For anyone who has wondered why some teams think together and others merely divide tasks, Tomasello provides the deepest available answer. The book reframes collaboration not as a management technique but as the defining feature of human cognition itself. Essential reading for understanding why the social architecture of a product organisation matters more than individual talent.