Evidence seems to indicate that the size of the human brain has been the same for 70,000 years.
It is interesting to think about the implication that we humans have been *equally intelligent* for all this time and the only difference between us and them is that now, with writing and other information storage and communications abilities, we can build on already-discovered ideas and not have them die off in some tribal war or other death of an oral tradition.
It makes you look at all that archeological evidence of “advanced” technologies much differently.
How easily we revert to our basest form should support what you've written.
In modern times we are somewhat better at avoidance of disease and obtaining more adrquate nutrition, which frees up a little bit of our time...
Evidence seems to indicate that the size of the human brain has been the same for 70,000 years.
It is interesting to think about the implication that we humans have been *equally intelligent* for all this time and the only difference between us and them is that now, with writing and other information storage and communications abilities, we can build on already-discovered ideas and not have them die off in some tribal war or other death of an oral tradition.
It makes you look at all that archeological evidence of “advanced” technologies much differently.
To some degree I think you can make the point that as much knowledge has been gained over time, there is a significant amount that has also been lost. Except that most of the time we’re more aware of what we have gained then we are of what we have lost because of course you don’t know what you don’t know :)
Great ideas have been disappearing for a long time...
“Hey, Ungaunga, Hold ma club and watch this!”
One doesn't need to be as smart to live in a civilized society, even if one isn't living on welfare...