I fight, therefore I am (intelligence)

Glenn J. Conrad (g.conrad@MCI2000.com)
3 Jan 1997 10:18:09 GMT 

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G. Conrad@MCI2000.com

>

>1. Has it occurred to anyone that warfare may have been a huge factor

influencing the development of language? >>>Communication is a

formidable weapon if the other side lacks it. 

>>>

>2. At some point in our pre-history, music and singing may have been

the premiere method of communications. >>>Music appears to be an

emotion-based medium useful for attracting mates and audiences even

today. With our >>>primitive 'inner brain'  using complex

neurotransmitters to guide behavior via emotional motivations, music

was the >>>key to the soul. Language, being more efficient at

transcribing reality, took over the job. Humans now had the >>>means to

begin crawling out of their emotion-induced confusion. I would argue

that even today human behavior >>>averages much less than 50%

rationality, still basically emotion-based. Free will exists, but is

usually a hard or >>>unclear choice for most. Birds developed singing,

too.

>>>

>3. The main uses for language today are to facilitate cooperation

(through communication) and to effect persuasion. In fact, knowing how

to persuade well is arguably far more valuable than simply

communicating well. This is not as surprising as it seems; implied in

the art of persuasion is a deep understanding of human motivations, and

applying such knowledge requires both intelligence and objectivity. 

>>>

>4.  It is likely that at the time of the dawn of agriculture, many

extremely intelligent people existed, perhaps even by today's

standards. This is likely because humans lived as individuals,

families, and small tribes prior to farming technology. Societies

formed upon the development of agriculture, and a societal individual

needs less intellect to survive because of societal support mechanisms

like economy, division of labor, storage of food, etc. Think about how

many would survive today if all societal resources disappeared beyond

memory. Those that lived then may have been surprisingly intelligent.