Original scientific paper

The Dual Origin of Modern Humanity

Ian Tattersall

Abstract

Living Homo sapiens can define itself using both behavioral and anatomical uniquenesses.
But is this possible when looking backward? Using a strict morphological
definition, Homo sapiens can probably be traced back in the fossil record to about 150
kyr ago, which fits well with molecular estimates for the ancestor of all living human
populations. However, activities reliably indicating established symbolic cognition can
be recognized in the archaeological record only back to under 100 kyr ago. Since it is
probable that the potential for symbolic cognition was born in the genetic/structural alterations
that also gave rise to the distinctive morphological entity Homo sapiens, it appears
that the expression of the human symbolic cognitive potential had to await, for
many millennia, the »discovery« of that potential through a cultural rather than a biological
stimulus. Most plausibly, this stimulus was the invention of language. Modern
human symbolic cognition is not an extrapolation of pre-existing evolutionary trends,
suggesting that Homo sapiens is not biologically »fine-tuned« for any specific behavior
patterns.

Keywords

origin; Homo sapiens; cognition; evolution; exaptation

Hrčak ID:

28056

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/28056

Publication date:

28.12.2004.

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