The Great Leap Forward

Some anthropologists such as Jared Diamond, I am a great admirer of all his work, posit that mankind made a "great leap forward" in terms of intellectual, technological and cultural abilities about 50,000 years ago. Evidence for the "great leap forward" has been found in both East Africa the Near East and South Eastern Europe with the discovery of jewellery and standardised stone tools etc. Proponents suggest that this advancement was associated with genetic changes that lead to the development of more complex language and improved mental powers. Some observers also suggest that Cro-Magnon man in South Western Europe was able to use his improved mental powers to assist with the replacement of the Neanderthals, that also lived in the region.

Recent evidence (see my previous blogs) concludes that Neanderthals and Modern humans interbred and that non-African modern humans carry between 1% and 4% of Neanderthal DNA in their genes. Neanderthals and Modern Men should now be regarded as sub-species of Homo Sapiens rather than as separate species.

I am sceptical that there was a sudden "great leap forward" and would prefer to take the view that there was a gradual improvement in the abilities of human beings and that this was shared amongst our species.

Why do we make the value judgement that the production of improved tools, jewellery and cave art were the result of genetic changes? Where they in fact an advance in absolute terms? Alternatively, were they the necessary changes which had to be made by a resourceful species making cultural adaptations to environmental changes and migration etc? Why would men living in the jungle need to invent kayaks and harpoons if they never encountered seals?

There are still some tribes of hunter gatherers living on the planet. The differences between their cultural and technological lives and the lives of city dwellers are much much greater than the differences between Neanderthals and Cro-Magnons. A child born in Singapore would quickly learn how to be a hunter if adopted by a San family from Nambia. And the reverse would be true, a San child would quickly adapt to "modern" life if adopted by a Singaporean family. There are very few intellectual differences between the various groups of humanity; we all have the capacity to adapt. We should not fall into the trap of believing that scientific,technological and artistic prowess is somehow superior and represents a more advanced form of culture and being.

There have been a number of conceptual discoveries which have lead to modernity. The invention of the scientific method was a gradual process started, perhaps, by the Greeks and culminating with Galileo and Newton. Did this make Europeans intellectually superior? Was the invention of the scientific method the result of genetic mutation? I doubt it.

A Hindu mathematician was reputed to have invented the zero which transformed mathematics: was this the result of genetic mutation? All of mankind has the capacity to understand the scientific method and mathematics.

China was a more technologically advanced society than Europe up until the 15th century. Politically, they then chose a different path to the Europeans and fell behind in the technological race. Politically, they have now decide to catch up. Similar politics could have dominated in more ancient times. The Neanderthals may have decided not to standardise their tools or to perform cave art but their mental capacities may have been the equal of modern man. Perhaps we will never know.

We should also be careful not to become hubristic to believe that scientific and technological advancement will lead to continuous improvement to both our lives and ultimate survival. There is evidence to suggest that industrialisation is damaging the environment, so much, that it could lead to the collapse of global ecosystems and dangerous irreversible climate change. Hunter gatherer skills might become a premium if mankind is reduced to a small number of tribes.

The "great leap forward" may have been a "great leap backward". Time will tell.