Mathematics is a-priory knowledge, a closed and self-sufficient system which connections with the material world are incidental rather than definitory. To make mathematics applicable and useful in a pragmatic sense one has to give meanings to numbers. The interplay between a-priori and a-posteriori thinking leads to useful applications of the former.The Limits of Counting: Numerical Cognition Between Evolution and Culture is a very interesting article proposing the hypothesis that the use of numbers can be associated with the evolution and culture. In my opinion, the interplay between evolution, culture and development of complex counting systems, as proposed by the authors of this paper, is open to further discussion and debate. The human brain is able to understand the concepts of numbers in the preoperational phase of thinking. Once this stage is achieved, when a population uses a less advanced numeric system, if the need arises it is possible to adopt a more advanced one (e.g. Adzera language speakers used less complex numbering and eventually borrowed numbers with higher complexity from Tok Pisin language). Pure (a-priori) thinking (e.g. mathematics but also some bizarre delusions, some scientific hypothesis to mention a few) is correlated with scientific advancements that are not likely to be incremental.However, it is possible, that the object specific counting in Mangareva could constitute echoes of past evolutionary steps already accomplished, or a convention carried through generations or simply a failsafe to avoid mixing dissimilar objects. Evolutionary, object specific counting is more advanced that group defining words still used in English such as herd of cattle, flock of birds or school of fish.Culturally, the argument seems to be stronger as during the process of learning we create meanings and beliefs that could be more resilient to changes as long as the learned knowledge’s still serves the pragmatic utilitarian purpose (trade in Polynesia).In conclusion, evolution can cause changes in which we can use abstract concepts but it is likely the changes to occur less frequently and have larger magnitude and not likely to contribute to differences between mentioned populations.