Paleoanthropology of self-consciousness
Posted on November 18, 2008
Filed Under Mental Health, Sexual |
Why around 2 million years before our era, some primates of the genus Homo (all species share a recent common ancestor are considered as belonging to the same genus) have begun to acquire cognitive abilities that have enabled them to distinguished from other primates, Australopithecus and the ancestors of great apes today, with whom they shared habitat neighbors? The answer to this question brought the majority palaeoanthropologists is probably accurate, but not sufficient. It is based on the assumption that it is through the use of tools that began the evolution to human evolution. It is undeniable that the use of tools fired up the species that benefited. But the real question is below. Why do some primates have found the interest to supplement their tools systematically corporal natural material objects, while other species apparently close to “satisfied” with what they had acquired after changes back to Tens of millions of years?
Kind of primitive hominid fossils in Africa (2.6 to 1.3 million years), the Paranthropus were once called Australopithecus robustus.
I. The data in paleoanthropology
Remember first what is understood today about the evolution of tools. Origins, spaces extraordinarily long time separated the onset of indisputable tools, tools called Phase 1 (roughly hewn pebbles or chips) and the transformation and upgrading of all kinds emerged later. The first tool is identified a core of quartzite with traces of size, updated in China near the village of Dongyaositou. It would be aged 3 million years, making it the oldest specimen known. It does not mention in this calendar mere pebbles used as percuteurs to break nuts or bones, whose use is probably much older, but are difficult to identify as such. The non-human primates are also used occasionally.
The indisputable tools (stones arranged, punched bifaces said, cutting blades) are evident from - 2.5 MA. They are associated with known populations of Homo erectus and habilis, which have coexisted for 500,000 years without mixing. On approaching these Paranthropus (robustus and boisei) of South Africa and East Africa, dated 2 to 1 MA or more for Paranthropus ethiopicus (2.5 MA). These species are more similar than Homo Australopithecus, with lesquesl they were confused once.
The following table helps to classify the types of tools and their dates of appearance. It is from an article by Olivier Keller: SOME DATA FOR PREHISTORIC of geometry.
* Paleolithic archaic. (-2.5 To -1.5 MA) Homo habilis (500 brain volume to 800 cc). Africa. Oldowayenne industry. Pebbles cut: choppers and chopping tools.
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