Brain expansion: different theories about rapid expansion (Evolution)

by David Turell , Wednesday, September 30, 2020, 15:58 (1294 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: Yes, as we fully disagree. I have God and you want nature.

dhw: Where does nature come into it? My proposal is that an existing mechanism, possibly designed by your God, may have performed the same function in the past as in the present. Nothing to do with nature!

And I have God tightly designing each speciation advance, no independent mechanism involved.

DAVID: Your 'unknown requirement' is pure invention. All pre-Homo sapiens species fossils are aged with new artifacts, but not us!!! Fact, not imagination.

dhw: […] As regards fossils and artefacts, here is a website that may interest you.
https://www.britannica.com/science/human-evolution/Increasing-brain-size

QUOTE: Because more complete fossil heads than hands are available, it is easier to model increased brain size in parallel with the rich record of artifacts from the Paleolithic Period (c. 3.3 million to 10,000 years ago), popularly known as the Old Stone Age. […] Hominin brain expansion tracks so closely with refinements in tool technology that some scholars ignore other factors that may have contributed to the brain’s increasing size, such as social complexity, foraging strategies, symbolic communication, and capabilities for other culture-mediated behaviours that left no or few archaeological traces.

dhw: Please note the reference to contribution to brain size – as opposed to the idea that the brain expanded in anticipation of these new uses.

DAVID: I've read that Britannica section long ago. Of course it is a non-God interpretation in which again natural adaptive activities enlarge the brain. Not news to me.

dhw: So why do you insist on restricting my possible causes of expansion to the production of artefacts? I keep repeating that other causes are possible. The fact that you already know that is hardly a reason for rejecting it. Nor is the fact that somebody in the field appears to support my proposal. We know that the brain changes in RESPONSE to new requirements. Where is your evidence that it changes in ANTICIPATION of them? And finally, back we go to my bolded proposal above: why is not feasible? And please stop pretending that it excludes God.

My view of God's personality precludes His inventing independent mechanism for major advances. I am giving you my view. you have yours. We will not meet in the middle, as I do not see middle ground. You want artifacts to appear before enlargement or to cause enlargement. My view, just opposite, is the enlarged brain is the one capable of creating the new artifacts and comes first as shown by the H. sapiens Moroccans, big brains, no new artifacts.