Evolution and humans: all over Africa (Evolution)

by David Turell , Saturday, May 05, 2018, 15:29 (2392 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: I don't think the artifacts are in any way an immediate result of the enlarged frontal lobes. We have to interpret past evolution by studying what we see now. Sapiens took a long time to really use their new brain, and it must have been the same in past stages of evolution of hominins. In survival living, it must be one little improvement at a time invented by an unusually thoughtful person, as you have discussed as below.

dhw: If my hypothesis is correct, the artefacts would have appeared at the time when the new species appeared (it was their implementation that triggered the new sized brain). Unfortunately, your only evidence against this seems to be that you don’t think it’s right.

I don't think you are right for reasons I've given in the past that you constantly slide by. We have risen above animals in the way our brain works. In vision, hearing and general motor activity our brain operates just like apes. We do have better hand manipulation and shoulder movement. Those portions of the brain which we both have that control vision, hearing, general movement, etc., did not enlarge as hominin species advanced in thought ability. The advance in brain size were specifically almost entirely the frontal and pre-frontal cortex, which is where intelligence and emotions are specifically handled. The concept of the spear developed in a pfc complex enough to think of it. Making the spear was done by the other parts of the brain that are similar in size in apes and us. Implementation does not enlarge a brain. Ability to have more complex thought can only come from a more complex thinking area for the s/s/c to use.

DAVID: Logical thought is a series of conclusions based on the initial starting points being accepted. I don't agree at all with your initial proposals as to why the brain grew. But if accepted you have proceeded logically.

dhw: Please tell us what current studies support the hypothesis that the brain changes BEFORE it has the concepts that require brain change for their implementation. Reminder: the starting point is: what caused pre-sapiens' brain expansion?

The changes in the anatomy of the brain makes my approach quite clear. Both apes and we have all the parts of the brain that provide for survival living. The only difference is the huge frontal lobes our s/s/c thinks with. The implementation parts have been here all along and barely changed in six million years. You cannot deny the anatomic evidence. I think God speciates is why it all happened.