The Last Hominin

Should we be worried? Are we on the verge of extinction? Before we can speculate on that question we need to first ask “What makes us human?”

Most people would consider our intelligence to be the defining factor that makes us uniquely human. Things like large brains, bipedalism, opposable thumbs, dexterity in tool making and the ability to imitate are also considered far superior in humans than in animals. But it is our capacity for language that is arguably the single most important and unique capability we have as humans.

Why Language Matters

Why is it that humans have languages and animals only have chirps, grunts, squeaks and squeals? If we assume it was evolution we have to explain how a “random” process could produce such a complex brain capable of language and then ask why it didn’t appear in any other animals.

The first question is easy because contrary to what some believe, evolution is not a random process. It is the process of natural selection and it drives organisms to adapt to an ever changing environment. (Stickleback Evolution)

The second is trickier because evolution should have come up with large brains capable of language in multiple species. Humans are so far removed from the norm that something “special” must have happened. It is estimated there are around 8.7 million species on earth. How is it possible that only one developed the capacity for language?

If we assume that there was some sort of “proto-language” needed to exchange information especially about tool making, then language could have started around the time of Homo habilis, aka “handy man,” (2.1 to 1.5 million years ago).

In the chart below you can see how much overlap there is between hominin species. If language was needed in tool making then it likely existed in several species at the same time as indicated by the blue bars at the far right.

Why are we the only hominin species left? 

The chart above also gives you an idea of how many hominin species there have been in the past. So why are we the only ones left? If we image how many species of fish, fowl and mammals there are in the world we might come to the conclusion that we are on the verge of extinction. Maybe we are but from what?

Evolution doesn’t take place in a vacuum. It works on multiple species at the same time changing the environment that those species occupy. This is especially true of symbiotic relationships between two or more species. I’m not talking about the relationships between species of hominids but the relationship between host and symbiont.

In a previous post “Steemit – Is It A Fluke?,” I describe three types of symbiosis: Mutualism, Commensalism and Parasitism. Each symbiont creates highly specialized co-evolutionary interactions between themselves and their hosts. These interactions often lead to a kind of “arms race” that improves both organisms. Parasitism is not always bad, at least from an evolutionary standpoint.

What type of symbiont would lead to large brains, language and intelligence? Recent gene sequencing research shows there was probable inbreeding between Neanderthals and modern humans. If there was an exchange of genes wouldn’t there likely be an exchange of memes, i.e., beliefs and ideas?

In previous posts I made the case that beliefs are replicators that evolve and adapt to their host for the benefit of the belief. If beliefs are a kind of parasite or “virus of the mind,” what would be the best way for a belief to spread?

Language & Co-Evolution 

Language

Imagine what it must have been like when language was first being developed. Useful information would be exchanged like what you can and can’t eat, how to make tools and hunting techniques would all benefit the receiver of the information. But what about the information itself, isn’t it benefiting by getting copied?

Genetic information gets transmitted by chromosomes and memetic information (beliefs), get transmitted by language. Whether it’s a gene or a meme, once a replicator gets started it’s nearly impossible to get it to stop replicating.

Co-Evolution

We now have an environment where co-evolution can take place because there are two replicators interacting with one another. The “arms race” process begins and both replicators benefit by becoming better adapted to each other. However when false beliefs hijack a mind they can be considered “bad” symbionts or parasites because they now have no regard for their host. A replicators’ only intent is to replicate so it evolves many tricks and adaptations to achieve that goal up to and including the elimination of the host.

Language & Large Brains

What is the best way for information to travel from one person to the next? Besides direct imitation, speaking would make the most sense. Once language and the ability to speak has been established, complicated information can be exchanged quickly and easily. This is co-evolution at its best, providing mutual benefit for both the host and the information being transmitted.

Large brains capable of remembering information would also be very useful for both the information and the host. The ability to create art, writing and songs to convey elaborate stories of events long since passed would also be a major advantage to both. It is this co-evolution between us and our information that created brains capable of these incredible feats.

On The Verge of Extinction

Beliefs would soon die off if they couldn’t find hosts willing to spread those belief to others. What better way is there to replicate than to create hosts that are exceptionally good at spreading beliefs? What other attributes would a belief want in a host?

1. Hosts that can’t tell fact from fiction
2. Hosts that are easy to fool and quick to forget
3. Hosts that don’t require evidence to believe things
4. Hosts that are stubborn and unwilling to change their minds
5. Hosts that prefer simple answers even when there are none

Co-evolution between genes and memes provide all the selection pressures needed to account for the types of people listed above. Now imagine that this not only occurred in us but in all the hominin species that acquired language. Wouldn’t it be likely that they were not only fighting over natural resources but over what to believe? Hominin species eliminating other hominin species until we ended up being the last. It isn’t that far-fetched is it?

Now imagine that this process did not stop with the final elimination of our Neanderthal cousins and we continue to fight over what to believe, only now it is amongst ourselves. The types of hosts listed above are still with us and they are dangerous. They are often well meaning but they don’t know they are in the service of their beliefs not the truth.

We are the last of our species and the process that got us here has not stopped. If we don’t wake up and soon, we could be on the verge of extinction.

Source Images:
Gas Mask
Human evolution/Species chart
Language Word Cloud
Brain