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It’s not an assumption, it’s a viable theory based on overwhelming evidence from fossil records. What’s NOT supported by evidence is an unknowable, untestable

It’s not an assumption, it’s a viable theory based on overwhelming evidence from fossil records. What’s NOT supported by evidence is an unknowable, untestable spiritual requirement for cognition.

j2kun 1y ago
What overwhelming evidence do fossil records provide about human cognition?
- mediaman 1y ago
  We don't need fossil records. We have a clear chain of evolved brain structures in today's living mammals. You'd have to invent some fantastical tale of how God is trying to trick us by putting such clearly connected brain structures in a series of animals that DNA provides clear links for an evolutionary path. I'm sympathetic to the idea that God started the whole shebang (that is, the universe), because it's rather difficult to disprove, but looking at the biological weight of evidence that brain structures evolved over many different species and arguing that something magical happened with homo sapiens specifically is not an easy argument to make for someone with any faith in reason.
  - znort_ 1y ago
    >clear links for an evolutionary path there are clear links for at least 2 evolutionary paths: bird brain architecture is very different from that of mammals and some are among the smartest species on the planet. they have sophisticated language and social relationships, they can deceive (meaning they can put themselves inside another's mind and act accordingly), they solve problems and they invent and engineer tools for specific purposes and use them to that effect. give them time and these bitches might even become our new overlords (if we're still around, that is).
    - cindyllm 1y ago
      [dead]
    - pennomi 1y ago
      And let’s not forget how smart octopuses are! If they lived longer than a couple years, I’d put them in the running too.
lurk2 1y ago
> it’s a viable theory based on overwhelming evidence from fossil records No one has gathered evidence of cognition from fossil records.
- pennomi 1y ago
  Sure they have. We see every level of cognition in animals today, and the fossil record proves that they all came from the same evolutionary tree. For every species that can claim cognition (there’s lots of them), you can trace it back to predecessors which were increasingly simple. Obviously cognition isn’t a binary thing, it’s a huge gradient, and the tree of life shows that gradient in full.

j2kun 1y ago

What overwhelming evidence do fossil records provide about human cognition?

mediaman 1y ago
We don't need fossil records. We have a clear chain of evolved brain structures in today's living mammals. You'd have to invent some fantastical tale of how God is trying to trick us by putting such clearly connected brain structures in a series of animals that DNA provides clear links for an evolutionary path. I'm sympathetic to the idea that God started the whole shebang (that is, the universe), because it's rather difficult to disprove, but looking at the biological weight of evidence that brain structures evolved over many different species and arguing that something magical happened with homo sapiens specifically is not an easy argument to make for someone with any faith in reason.
- znort_ 1y ago
  >clear links for an evolutionary path there are clear links for at least 2 evolutionary paths: bird brain architecture is very different from that of mammals and some are among the smartest species on the planet. they have sophisticated language and social relationships, they can deceive (meaning they can put themselves inside another's mind and act accordingly), they solve problems and they invent and engineer tools for specific purposes and use them to that effect. give them time and these bitches might even become our new overlords (if we're still around, that is).
  - cindyllm 1y ago
    [dead]
  - pennomi 1y ago
    And let’s not forget how smart octopuses are! If they lived longer than a couple years, I’d put them in the running too.

lurk2 1y ago

> it’s a viable theory based on overwhelming evidence from fossil records No one has gathered evidence of cognition from fossil records.

pennomi 1y ago
Sure they have. We see every level of cognition in animals today, and the fossil record proves that they all came from the same evolutionary tree. For every species that can claim cognition (there’s lots of them), you can trace it back to predecessors which were increasingly simple. Obviously cognition isn’t a binary thing, it’s a huge gradient, and the tree of life shows that gradient in full.