Up From Dragons: the Evolution of Human Intelligence by John Skoyles and Dorion Sagan (McGraw-Hill, 2002)





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 This is the third such book (on the evolution of intelligence) that I've read in the last little while.  It's interesting that some of the same examples are used across the books.  Primates seem to be a fount of human intelligence theorizing.  This book takes evolution as a given.  I haven't read much about evolutionary theory, but I have come across in my readings opponents to the theory - and not just from creationists!

I'll read up on it more because of this quandary and so won't talk too much about it here.  The other theory that is the foundation of Skoyles' and Sagan's argument is that of increasing complexity of neural software (they use the term "mindware") that over thousands of generations evolved from proto-human-intelligence to human intelligence.  They even indicate that in the past 100,000 years or so, the mindware has increased in complexity. Their argument makes some sense, since early hominids didn't build computer systems in heavier than air objects that can fly, augmenting human interaction (ie. jumbo jets).  What the hominds had, and what chimps and apes have, is a biocomputer with capabilities that exceed necessity and are able to extend human endeavour into increasingly abstract, complex and transcendent notions.  Culture is an example of a human tendency that has analogs in primate "fission-fusion" groups.  Fission-fusion groups are primates that live together for a bit, then split up for a bit (to do their own monkey/human thing, like go to work during the day), then get together again (come home and spend time with the family).

The need to maintain an image or sense of continuity regarding one's kin-group enabled some creatures with a sufficient mindware biocomputer to maintain long term relationships with varied individuals (or groups) over increasingly vast distances.  Thus we could create super fission-fusion groups.

The authors spend a lot of time talking about neurology.  Their explanation of the different areas of the human brain is excellent.  Their discussion of the prefrontal cortex shows that there are innumerable connections and sub-specialties in many areas in the prefrontal lobes.  "Somehow" these areas are synchronized, overseen, so that what we experience is a continuous reality in which we function usually with great effectiveness.  Unfortunately, I have trouble with the scientific promise that "although we don't know, we soon will...."  To me it's akin to saying "God works in mysterious ways," or, "When you die, you go to a better place (or disappear completely)" - they are all non-answers.

The authors' bias towards objective materialism is apparent throughout.  As an aside, I recently read a paper that indicated that researcher bias will influence the conclusion made concerning consciousness - basically, if you believe only in objective materialism, then you find evidence in data supporting such a notion.  The same is true if you believe in transcendent consciousness; which is usually correlated with some type of personal mystical experience.  As has been seen in other books I've written about in this blog, these personal mystical experiences such as telepathy have been empirically studied with positive results. 

Overall, this book was excellent in showing the function of some brain areas, especially through studies concerning damage.  Phantom limbs, epilepsy, and schizophrenia are just some of the examples used to show what the function of certain areas of the human brain are thought (and rightly so) to "control."  Because I have a bias towards "primacy of consciousness" (as opposed to human intelligence being a modern phenomenon of an increasingly learned "superbiocomputer"), I would rather believe that these certain brain areas and observed functions are more appropriately "correlated."  But I will have to do more reading concerning that.  Clearly, these are authors who would likely not support the notion of inorganic, non-human intelligence.

Curiously, while they do purport that neurons (and their networks) are responsible for human intelligence, they do allude to the notion that we don't know how this comes to fruition.  I think that objective materialism reductionism is only part way to an answer, because inevitably reductionist observation will tend towards the quantum universe.  And as other researchers have indicated, the quantum universe is way bizarre; but it does interact with our "objective" macro universe.

Two other points: the first concerns a possible anti-Native bias (though I may just be hypersensitive to word choice) and the second concerns marijuana!  I don't think the use of the word "Indians" to describe North American Native groups is appropriate, especially when specific identifying terms are used for tribal peoples in the Americas (Inca, Aztec, Toltec) and Japan (Jomon).  So why not say Haida or Tlingit instead of Northwest Coast Indians?  With regards to marijuana, I'll quote from the book: "Carl Sagan once reported that on marijuana he was able, for the first time, to hear each individual member of an orchestra play." (p.41).  This is more a side-note for a personal interest in the spiritual (or "mystical") use of marijuana - it is the only such reference to it in the book.

I'll finish this blog with a formula derived by the authors to denote how contemporary human intelligence arose:

       

NP + PC + FF ape skills + symbols + 10 billion hours = your mind

where NP = neural plasticity (the adaptability of the "mindware" over short time spans, like during a lifetime),
and PC = prefrontal cortex
and FF ape skills = fission-fusion
and symbols = the use of such abstract and arbitrary notions that stand for something (ex. "+" = addition)
and 10 billion hours = the time since the emergence of early, modern human intelligence.

Okay, one last point: Gamma synchronization - I'll definitely look into this more, as the 40-Hz brain wave range is something I've come across elsewhere...!