Re: The origin of human consciousness

Gordon Hill wrote:

> (If this is an inappropriate post, please say so and I'll remove it.)
>
> In light of all the Bull* posted in TO lately, I am reluctant to bring
> what I see as a serious question to the group, but will risk it.
>
> In my "web research" on the origin and evolution--hoping this is an
> appropriate use of the term--of human (homo sapien) rational
> consciousness, I have been unable to find anything on the rational
> state of mind, especially the extent to which early humans had advanced
> rational capabilities (if this is the right phrase) and the rate at
> which it developed (evolved?) or has remained intact only to be
> utilized, that the advance of intelligence is the result of usage, not
> increasing capability.
>
> This question has become important as I experience the range of
> postings on TO (Yes, I detect a varying evolution of thought here, too
> often my own.)
>
> At the core of this query is my puzzlement over our gift (rational
> thought) and our willingness (or choice) to use it.
>
> Of all the life forms I know (even ants which is my current study)
> humans seem to possess an extrodinarily high coefficient of
> capriciousness or am I out of my league...again.
>
> Thanks for your thoughts in advance. All the best, GH
>

This topic of the origin of human
consciousness/rationality/thinking/intelligence comes up often, so I'll
just boilerplate my reply using a previous post:

[begin repost from 10/18/2005]

Books on the origin of human intelligence fill entire shelves in
libraries. Start with Carl Sagan's _The Dragons of Eden_. Then move on
to Dorian Sagan's _Up from Dragons_. Dorian Sagan is the scion of Carl
Sagan and Lynn Margulis. Here's an Amazon link to the reviews:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0071378251/002-6995113-0540820?v=glance

"Taking its cue from The Dragons of Eden, Carl Sagan's 1977 classic and
New York Times bestseller, Up from Dragons traces the development of
human intelligence back to its animal roots in an attempt to account for
the vast differences between our species and all those that came before
us. In a book that will spark a storm of debate, neuroscientist John
Skoyles and awardwinning author Dorion Sagan introduce a controversial
theory of the origins of human intelligence that may hold the answers to
questions that have haunted scientists about mind, consciousness, and
the evolutionary odyssey of humankind. It also introduces the
revolutionary concept of "mindware" ­­the human, evolutionary equivalent
of computer software ­­and describes how the evolution-accelerating
symbol-using programs that make it up have empowered us with the
unprecedented ability to take charge of our own evolutionary destiny."

It's not a lack of material on the origin of human intelligence that's a
problem, but a deluge of it, each book seemingly presenting its own
novel set of theories. Books like _The Runaway Brain_, _The Throwing
Madonna_, _A Brain for All Seasons: Human Evolution and Abrupt Climate
Change_, _The Ape That Spoke: Language and the Evolution of the Human
Mind_, etc. Neuroscientist William Calvin, in particular, has written
about a dozen books on the subject.

[end repost]


--dkomo@xxxxxxxx



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