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Communication for collaborative computation: two major transitions in human evolution.

Daniel Dor1

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Summary

Humans uniquely engage in collaborative computation, foundational to cumulative cultures. This relies on instructive communication, evolving through mimesis and language, enabling shared imagination and complex problem-solving.

Keywords:
collaborative computationhuman evolutioninstructive communicationlanguagemajor evolutionary transitionsmimesis

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Evolutionary Anthropology
  • Linguistics

Background:

  • Human uniqueness is often attributed to complex cognition and culture.
  • Cumulative culture relies on the transmission of knowledge and skills across generations.
  • Previous theories have not fully elucidated the computational underpinnings of human socio-cultural evolution.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present theoretical arguments for collaborative computation as the defining feature of the human condition.
  • To explore the role of instructive communication in enabling collaborative computation and cumulative culture.
  • To identify key evolutionary transitions driven by the development of communication tools.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical argumentation and conceptual analysis.
  • Review of existing literature on human evolution, cognition, and communication.
  • Integration of concepts from cognitive science, anthropology, and linguistics.

Main Results:

  • Human uniqueness stems from collaborative computation, the joint effort on shared computational challenges.
  • Collaborative computation is facilitated by instructive communication, where instructions guide receivers' computations.
  • Two major evolutionary transitions are identified: mimesis (representational gestures) and language (imagination-based computation).

Conclusions:

  • Collaborative computation, enabled by instructive communication, is the bedrock of human cumulative cultures.
  • The evolution of communication tools, from mimesis to language, progressively expanded the scope of collaborative computation.
  • Understanding these transitions provides insight into human socio-cultural evolution.