4 ms·

There was some documentary I watched about how disparate cultures all over the world independently invented pyramids and similar structures. Basically covergent

There was some documentary I watched about how disparate cultures all over the world independently invented pyramids and similar structures. Basically covergent evolution applied to ideas.

contingencies 4y ago
I think the idea is pre-cognitively expressed in hominid behavioral patterns: sweeping views + army of allies beneath and around you = physical safety. Well, since pterodactyls died out, anyway.
- AlotOfReading 4y ago
  Evo-psych is usually pretty hard to nail down into a singular argument that isn't simply projecting your own assumptions back out. Take the case of Teotihuacan for example, which is at the bottom of a large valley surrounded by mountains. The famous avenue of the dead is oriented to point directly at one of those mountains, Cerro Gordo. It's a lot of effort to go to for a shitty vantage point when you can just build a hillfort a few miles away, like they did at Monte Alban.
  - contingencies 4y ago
    Good point. However, if you can see it in all hominids, it's probably legit. ie. strength in numbers + defensible positions vs. predators, preference for sweeping open views vs. predators, etc. Ultimately moving rocks in an agricultural society can begin with the simple requirements to til the fields more efficiently. What starts as a pile may become the symbol of the legitimacy of the dynasty...
    - throwaway894345 4y ago
      I don’t think you do see it in all hominids, but rather only in sapiens, and probably only in the agrarian societies at that.
duped 4y ago
Another way to look at them is a great example of survivorship bias. There's not much in the way of buildings that humans can build tall with hand tools and preindustrial materials that last thousands of years but stone pyramids. Even masonry doesn't hold up to history, unless it gets buried (people like to tear buildings down and reuse small, light pieces - a limestone block isn't exactly portable).
- gpderetta 4y ago
  Conical towers.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]

There was some documentary I watched about how disparate cultures all over the world independently invented pyramids and similar structures. Basically covergent evolution applied to ideas.

contingencies 4y ago

I think the idea is pre-cognitively expressed in hominid behavioral patterns: sweeping views + army of allies beneath and around you = physical safety. Well, since pterodactyls died out, anyway.

AlotOfReading 4y ago
Evo-psych is usually pretty hard to nail down into a singular argument that isn't simply projecting your own assumptions back out. Take the case of Teotihuacan for example, which is at the bottom of a large valley surrounded by mountains. The famous avenue of the dead is oriented to point directly at one of those mountains, Cerro Gordo. It's a lot of effort to go to for a shitty vantage point when you can just build a hillfort a few miles away, like they did at Monte Alban.
- contingencies 4y ago
  Good point. However, if you can see it in all hominids, it's probably legit. ie. strength in numbers + defensible positions vs. predators, preference for sweeping open views vs. predators, etc. Ultimately moving rocks in an agricultural society can begin with the simple requirements to til the fields more efficiently. What starts as a pile may become the symbol of the legitimacy of the dynasty...
  - throwaway894345 4y ago
    I don’t think you do see it in all hominids, but rather only in sapiens, and probably only in the agrarian societies at that.

duped 4y ago

Another way to look at them is a great example of survivorship bias. There's not much in the way of buildings that humans can build tall with hand tools and preindustrial materials that last thousands of years but stone pyramids. Even masonry doesn't hold up to history, unless it gets buried (people like to tear buildings down and reuse small, light pieces - a limestone block isn't exactly portable).

gpderetta 4y ago
Conical towers.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]