A Change of Mind begins with an investigation of the development of language, and this is a recurrent theme throughout the book as the topics of art and music, the development of a literate tradition and literature are investigated. Each of the aspects of social development-language, art music, philosophy, myth and literature-are viewed as technologies that have an impact on the social structure and the identification of the individual and his/her role within the social construct. As technology progresses and the pace of change accelerates, the impact on the individual and the long heritage of defining what it means to be human is muted in a haze of immediacy that negates the ability to think critically and creatively.