What Big Eyes They Had...

[steepholm]

Neanderthals had larger eyes and sockets than we do, and therefore less brain-room with which to perform "higher" cognitive functions. This, it is suggested, is why they died out.

There seems to be a term missing from this argument - namely the bit that explains why higher cognitive function is a more advantageous adaptation than good vision in low-level light. The northern latitudes (with their attendant dark winters) that were said to have encouraged the latter didn't go away, so why did gloaming-vision and the ability to carry out crepuscular hunts suddenly not count for much - as compared with the ability to decorate cave walls? There may be a good explanation, but on the face of it this seems like evolutionary parochialism and a circular argument: "Anything that resembles us is more likely to have survived than anything that doesn't - since, after all, we're still here."

We pique ourselves on our intelligence, but that doesn't make it an evolutionary trump card. The most successful species - sharks, ants, horseshoe crabs, etc. - aren't known for their smarts.

Comments

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

I hope that scientist has been a victim of bad reporting and that the actual study was not as rubbish as the article implies it was.

First the researcher thought up a rather fantastical theory about eye size and brain function, then looked at a very small number of skulls and found a very small difference, then pronounced the theory proven.

Actually I thought the latest view was that the Neanderthals didn't so much die out as interbreed with later waves of Homo Sapiens. They were at least partially assimilated and are thus still here. Apparently Western Europeans carry some Neanderthal DNA and Africans don't.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

That was my understanding as well. I suppose it's not as sexy to suggest that there may have been - gasp - more than one factor at work...

Re: Is it time to rethink the ballot box?

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I look forward to it!

[karinmollberg.livejournal.com]

"Humbug" says my personal M. Cro Magnon (who used to study the subject, bones and stones, the whole bit).
To begin with, there exists no proof whatsoever, that Neanderthals were less smart than Cro Magnon. In fact, their brains had a slightly larger volume, which again says nothing about the level of intelligence. Same goes for eyes and sockets, that do not necessarily give better sight just because of their size.
Then,
he seconds you on the topic of evolutionary trump cards. Having a huge brain with incredible cognitive powers, may not be one at all.

Neanderthals probably (nobody knows, since when exactly) existed for about double the time that "we" have (difficult to say, when anyone started, roman or other dating systems missing, back when) today. We may outdo them yet but still have a little bit of time to go, with all our efforts.
Also,
looking at what we do with our fantastic brain power, I personally (I am, of course, rather Neanderthal than Cro Magnon, comparatively, or so I like to think; yet seldom win arguments with my Cro Magnon) don´t see much proof of heightened cognitive power around anywhere, on the contrary. I´m just glad this, for instance, was written before we go:


Frogs Eat Butterflies, Snakes Eat Frogs, Hogs Eat Snakes, Men Eat Hogs


It is true that the rivers went nosing like swine,
Tugging at banks, until they seemed
Bland belly-sounds in somnolent troughs,

That the air was heavy with the breath of these swine,
The breath of turgid summer, and
Heavy with thunder's rattapallax,

That the man who erected this cabin, planted
This field, and tended it awhile,
Knew not the quirks of imagery,

That the hours of his indolent, arid days,
Grotesque with this nosing in banks,
This somnolence and rattapallax,

Seemed to suckle themselves on his arid being,
As the swine-like rivers suckled themselves
While they went seaward to the sea-mouths.

Wallace Stevens