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Biological research
Mark Pagel is a biologist who studies evolution at the University of Reading in Britain. He says that human beings' ability to use language is a big reason why we are such a successful species. "It allows you to implant a thought from your mind directly into someone else's mind, and they can attempt to do the same to you, without either of you having to perform surgery," he said at a Ted.com conference.
Of course, other animals are able to communicate, too. But, unlike them, we can learn from other peoples' ideas, thanks to language. Other animals just do the same thing over and over again – chimpanzees use sticks to find termites in the ground just like they did a million years ago. Only humans use language to learn new ways of doing things. "We can benefit from others' ideas. We can build on their wisdom," Professor Pagel says.
He asks us to imagine how we might have cooperated in prehistoric times. "Let's imagine that you are really good at making arrowheads, but you're hopeless at making the wooden shafts with the flight feathers attached. Two other people you know are very good at making the wooden shafts, but they're hopeless at making the arrowheads."
So, one day, you take a pile of arrowheads that you've made to one of the others. But, he doesn't have language skills. He looks at the arrowheads you’ve brought and thinks they are a gift. He smiles and walks off with them. "Now you pursue this guy, gesticulating. A scuffle ensues and you get stabbed with one of your own arrowheads," Prof Pagel says.
Then, he continues, imagine that you approach the other stick-maker. This person knows language just like you, so you can tell him, "I'd like to trade these arrowheads for finished arrows. I'll split you 50/50." The other one says, "Fine. Looks good to me. We'll do that."
This may sound like just a funny story but, to Prof Pagel, it is probably through conversations like this that humans evolved. "Once we have language, we can put our ideas together and cooperate to have a prosperity that we couldn't have before we acquired it. That's why we build space shuttles and cathedrals while the rest of the world sticks sticks into the ground to extract termites."
Biological research
Mark Pagel is a biologist who studies evolution at the University of Reading in Britain. He says that human beings' ability to use language is a big reason why we are such a successful species. "It allows you to implant a thought from your mind directly into someone else's mind, and they can attempt to do the same to you, without either of you having to perform surgery," he said at a Ted.com conference.
Of course, other animals are able to communicate, too. But, unlike them, we can learn from other peoples' ideas, thanks to language. Other animals just do the same thing over and over again – chimpanzees use sticks to find termites in the ground just like they did a million years ago. Only humans use language to learn new ways of doing things. "We can benefit from others' ideas. We can build on their wisdom," Professor Pagel says.
He asks us to imagine how we might have cooperated in prehistoric times. "Let's imagine that you are really good at making arrowheads, but you're hopeless at making the wooden shafts with the flight feathers attached. Two other people you know are very good at making the wooden shafts, but they're hopeless at making the arrowheads."
So, one day, you take a pile of arrowheads that you've made to one of the others. But, he doesn't have language skills. He looks at the arrowheads you’ve brought and thinks they are a gift. He smiles and walks off with them. "Now you pursue this guy, gesticulating. A scuffle ensues and you get stabbed with one of your own arrowheads," Prof Pagel says.
Then, he continues, imagine that you approach the other stick-maker. This person knows language just like you, so you can tell him, "I'd like to trade these arrowheads for finished arrows. I'll split you 50/50." The other one says, "Fine. Looks good to me. We'll do that."
This may sound like just a funny story but, to Prof Pagel, it is probably through conversations like this that humans evolved. "Once we have language, we can put our ideas together and cooperate to have a prosperity that we couldn't have before we acquired it. That's why we build space shuttles and cathedrals while the rest of the world sticks sticks into the ground to extract termites."
