The nonlinear evolution of human cognition

Abstract

Humans are special. We tell ourselves this all the time, and maybe we are right. Over the last several hundred thousand years we have populated the globe, mastering both our physical environments and our social ones. It is widely held that these achievements have something to do with how smart we are, and in particular, with our social intelligence. Compared to other primates, humans appear to be social geniuses: we are able to live peacefully, and even cooperate, in groups both large and small. We are experts at reading each others’ thoughts, feelings, intentions, and desires. We transmit information using elaborate systems of symbols, leveraging the accumulated knowledge of those who have gone before us to transform our landscapes, domesticate our food, govern ourselves, and land on the moon.