Recursive language and modern imagination were acquired simultaneously 70,000 years ago

Phys.org ^ | Recursive language and modern imagination were acquired simultaneously 70,000 years ago

[BenLurkin]

While studying acquisition of imagination in children, Dr. Vyshedskiy and his colleagues discovered a temporal limit for the development of a particular component of imagination. It became apparent that modern children who have not been exposed to full language in early childhood never acquire the type of active constructive imagination essential for juxtaposition of mental objects, known as Prefrontal Synthesis (PFS).

" Flexible object combination and nesting (otherwise known as recursion) are characteristic features of all human languages. For this reason, linguists refer to modern languages as recursive languages."

Unlike vocabulary and grammar acquisition, which can be learned throughout one's lifetime, there is a strong critical period for the development of PFS and individuals not exposed to conversations with recursive language in early childhood can never acquire PFS as adults. Their language is always lacking understanding of spatial prepositions and recursion that depend on the PFS ability. In a similar manner, pre-modern humans would not have been able to learn recursive language as adults and, therefore, would not be able to teach recursive language to their own children, who, as a result, would not acquire PFS. Thus, the existence of a strong critical period for PFS acquisition creates a cultural evolutionary barrier for acquisition of recursive language.

The second predicted evolutionary barrier was a faster PFC maturation rate and, consequently, a shorter critical period. In modern children the critical period for PFS acquisition closes around the age of five. If the critical period in pre-modern children was over by the age of two, they would have no chance of acquiring PFS. A longer critical period was imperative to provide enough time to train PFS via recursive conversations.

An evolutionary mathematical model, developed by Dr. Vyshedskiy... suggests that the "PFC delay" mutation triggered simultaneous synergistic acquisition of PFS and recursive language.

[BenLurkin]

Is it wrong to lack faith in “an evolutionary mathematical model”

[ecomcon]

One thing for sure; none of it is true.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin.

[Red Badger]

I don’t read ‘recursive’......................

[Fedora]

An evolutionary mathematical model developed by a neuroscientist trying to prove his own theory in the absence of any empirical evidence—how could you doubt that?

[SunkenCiv]

Recursive, foiled again! /rimshot

[Yardstick]

You must not’ve been criticized enough during your critical period.

[Red Badger]

Ever notice that ancient scripts had no cursive counterparts.....................

[SunkenCiv]

:^) Hieroglyphs were used for formal stuff, but the Egyptians also had hieratic and demotic and were comfortable using cuneiform for diplomatic correspondence.

[null and void]

I think cuneiform tried to wedge cursive in...

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

Flexible object combination and nesting (otherwise known as recursion) are characteristic features of all human languages.

If you're interested in recursion, I invite you to read anything by Edgar Allen Poe. He was a master of 'flexible object combination and nesting' - so much so that I have to really concentrate to comprehend his works.

[Red Badger]

I read somewhere that cursive was invented as a protest against the PRINTING PRESS!..................🤔

[Quality_Not_Quantity]

I think cuneiform tried to wedge cursive in...

When I drink, I don't slur my words - I'm just speaking in cursive...

[Red Badger]

I see what you did there!...............

[null and void]

I do that when I’m really angry...

[SunkenCiv]

Moveable type is the foundation of white privilege!!!

[catnipman]

“I don’t read ‘recursive’.”

yeah, but can you WRITE recursive? that is the question ...

[Grampa Dave]

So the good Dr. Dr. Vyshedskiy, stepped into his time machine and went back 70,000 years to validate this theory.

We have so much bad science based on half A$$ed assumptions with zero validity.

[sparklite2]

I found Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind much more interesting.

"When Julian Jaynes...speculates that until late in the second millennium B.C. men had no consciousness but were automatically obeying the voices of gods, we are astounded but compelled to follow this remarkable thesis through all the corroborative evidence..."

- John Updike, in The New Yorker