The Social Mind: Language, Ideology, and Social Practice

Stepping beyond cognitive science's new theory of "connectionism," Gee formulates a dynamic social theory of mind and meaning. With penetrating analyses, he illustrates how such psychological entities as memories, beliefs, values, and meanings are not formed in isolation but in a social or cultural context that is inherently ideological or political. Gee's conclusion offers a view of what a socio-culturally situated linguistics would look like, and he persuasively demonstrates how people often construct self-deceptive "stories" that advantage themselves or their group.