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Geometric patterns incised on pieces of ancient pigment, such as these 100,000-year-old finds, may reveal the surprisingly ancient origins of modern human behavior. Credit: Courtesy of C. Henshilwood and F. d’Errico
Found in: Humans

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  • These conclusions are based on pretty scanty evidence. It is telling that Western Europeans still want to define humanity in terms of artifact, when the true definition of humanity is in terms of communication, information, and culture, none of which require artifact to be real. The Storyteller, The Singer, The Dancer, The Parent, The Teacher, The Healer none require artifact to impart knowledge and a capacity for symbolic thought. What is a word, but a symbol for a thing, or a feeling, or a meta form. This ability is probably far older than 100,000 years, and may not even be restricted to humans.
    James Boettcher James Boettcher
    Jun. 14, 2009 at 11:15pm
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