The Write-Down #10

Each week here at downboy, LLC, we like to take a moment to get to know a little more about our amazing team. One question. Three Answers. No judgment.

---

One of the great mysteries of cognitive archaeology is why Homo Sapiens developed a self-reflective awareness capable of abstract thought and the ability to (re)imagine past and future events and communicate those things with complex language. There is a wide range of opinions on how this happened. One of the theories put forth, articulated in the book The Singing Neanderthals, is that language grew out of music, and that our ancestor’s communication style was more like birdsong.  Elaborate, perhaps, but not ruminative, meditative, or capable of abstraction.   Until it was.

Why do you think our ancestors developed the ability to think symbolically about the nature of existence?

“All I know is this: I develop object permanence before a human baby and I've never worked a day in my life. What’s so great about symbolic communication?”

Philip K, Accounting

“Music seems right.  Or mushrooms, maybe. That also makes sense. ’

Dan-O, Mono-instrumentalist

“Well, from a evolutionary adaptation/selection perspective it would have to mean that this self awareness must have somehow been beneficial. I don’t really see it.”

Haldy, Co-Founder, downboy, LLC