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by camelNotation 2509 days ago
It is understandable why we are eager to find capacities for language and culture in similar species, but the thing that gives homo sapiens the ability to survive is not just language or art, but our ability to organize large numbers of people under trans-familial identities (i.e. advanced political states and culture-defining religion). If they weren't politically (high level behavior control) and religiously (low level behavior control) organized, they weren't organized well enough survive.
2 comments
laretluval 2509 days ago
What is the evidence for this claim?
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fsloth 2509 days ago
I think the fact that we can organize billion souls under the flag of a nation state speaks volumes enough.

Did neanderthals have this capacity? I don't know. But if their psychology did not facilitate large scale collaboration, a violent human tribe killing a bunch of them now and again would explain some part why they disappeared.

I'm not saying a human tribe hunted them - just that a violent human tribe would attack all hominids around them.

And if the Neanderthals did not have this capacity for mass violence, in time these conflicts would dwindle their numbers.

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cambaceres 2509 days ago
Is there some evidence that neanderthals did not organize themselves in tribes? I think we were just more aggressive and killed them all.
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camelNotation 2501 days ago
It's not enough to be more aggressive. You have to be more aggressive in larger, more coordinated groups. The greatest warrior in history couldn't fight off an army on his own.
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camelNotation 2508 days ago
It's very difficult (read:impossible) to get evidence for something like this because there is essentially zero detail on these ancient societies. However, it's a theory that is consistent with anthropology, sociology, and evolutionary biology. Could be totally wrong, but probably not.
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est31 2509 days ago
Civilizations started around 12ka ago. Neanderthals went extinct around 37ka ago.
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fsloth 2508 days ago
This is different thing from having the capability to believe so strongly in things like duty and honor that a single king could rule over thousands.
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