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- Title
Did Meditating Make Us Human?
- Authors
Matt J. Rossano
- Abstract
Campfire rituals of focused attention created Baldwinian selection for enhanced working memory among our Homo sapiens ancestors. This model is grounded in five propositions: the emergence of symbolism occurred late in the archaeological record; this emergence was caused by a fortuitous genetic mutation that enhanced working memory capacity; a Baldwinian process where genetic adaptation follows somatic adaptation was the mechanism for this emergence; meditation directly affects brain areas critical to attention and working memory; and shamanistic healing rituals were fitness-enhancing in our ancestral past. Each proposition is discussed and defended. Supporting evidence and potential future tests are presented.
- Subjects
CAMPFIRES; HUMAN beings; SYMBOLISM; ARCHAEOLOGY; GENETIC mutation; BIOLOGICAL adaptation; MEMORY; RITES &; ceremonies
- Publication
Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 2007, Vol 17, Issue 1, p47
- ISSN
0959-7743
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1017/S0959774307000054