Book excerpt: Affects, Cognition, and Language as Foundations of Human Development considers human development from the three most basic systems—affects (our earliest feelings), cognition, and language. Holinger explores how these systems enhance potential and help prevent problems, both in individuals and in societies. He begins with a focus on the affects of interest and anger and how affects provide the foundation for the sense of self and playing and creating. The author delves into cognition in the context of human relationships and infants’ remarkable capacity to understand language long before they can talk. Drawing on the work of Darwin, Freud, Stern, Basch, and the ground-breaking ideas of Silvan Tomkins, this work thus deepens the exploration into human development by integrating affects, cognition, and language. The author also uses this triad to examine two important societal issues: physical punishment, and bias, prejudice, and violence. This book will not only appeal to psychologists, psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, and social workers but is also accessible to parents, educators, and policymakers.