摘要：Although the definition of intelligence is debatable, it can be allocated to only oneanatomical location: the brain. Arguments regarding general measures of animalintelligence and discussions of its evolution up to the Neanderthals arise only becausehominids have evolved to have larger brains; i.e., they have become more “intelligent”.Hominids clearly evolved in the past, but whether evolution is still ongoing is debated.Ironically, because hominids have created technologies and innovations to aid theirsurvival, their evolution has included adaptation to the environment generated by theirinventions. Similar to the recent evolution of ADHD traits or gluten tolerance, thehominid brain has undergone major changes over the past seven million years due toman-made habitats and technologies. Tool-making creates an environment conduciveto increased social interactions, as it facilitates increased provisioning and protection,while increased opportunities for interactions and observations lead to advances in toolmaking.These changes have been offset by the concurrent evolution of language andtool-making. Biologically, hominid brains have increased in size in areas where toolmakingand language-processing coincide. This increase in brain size allowed advancedprovisioning and tools, including the use of fire, and the technological advances duringthe Palaeolithic that stood on the shoulders of the previous evolutionary innovationsof bipedalism and versatile hands enhanced the momentum of brain evolution. Thebeginnings of the reciprocal cause and effect between brain evolution and tool-makingcannot be identified. The applicability of the hunting and fire hypotheses to the evolutionof human intelligence is further discussed.
关键词：Acheulean; homo habilis; Oldowan; palaeolithic; prefrontal cortex
