Re: Technology, evolution, intelligence -Reply -Reply

James Barnes (Barnesj@SMTP.LMS.USACE.ARMY.MIL)
Tue, 7 Feb 1995 22:12:24 -0600

Cal Eastman, referring to my statement thatthe industrial revolution
and agricultural revolutions occurred after "the evolutionary changes
we are referring to" wrote:

Im not so sure u can seperate these so quickly and easily. Evolution
is an ongoing process.. and big cities, and regular diets are part
of it.
One of teh ways we, as a species have minimized the type of evolution
u are looking for by developing social forms which protect
individuals with weaker eyes,different breeding and/or eating
habits, or whatever....
>>>>>>
Yes, I would agree.
>>>>>>>>
The indutrial revolution is as much a part of teh story of the
development of human intelligence as the increase in brain pan size
over a certain period of time. peace

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Based upon the definition of intelligence I'm using (see previous
post to that effect) these technological revolutions did not occur
until long after the physiological mechanisms were in place. So the
on-going process of evolution is rather immaterial to the topic under
discussion. That is not to say, it is not a topic worthy of
discussion. It's occurred to me a number of thimes over the past few
days. But, I'm wallowing in enough quicksand as it is.

Mainly, I think we need to make a distinction between "intelligence"
which I am thinking of as the physiological correlates of memory,
association and extrapolation, and "knowledge" which is more a matter
of accumulating memories and associations.

Regards,
Jim Barnes