Exploring Human Natures: and their variation in the Genus Homo

This thesis explores the ideas of Human-Natures, and if they are unique to Homo sapiens. Human-Natures are individual traits than when combined provide evidence for modern cognition, and therefore modern humans. Modern cognition is seen as a kit of biological traits that are linked to and support different behavioural and cultural phenomena. Whilst previously thought to be unique to H. sapiens, the five Human-Natures explored here can now be seen amongst the Homo Genus, and indeed, the Primate Order. The five Human-Natures addressed in this thesis are: Abstract and Symbolic thought; Theory of Mind, (ToM); Tool Production and Application; Language; and Cooperation and Egalitarianism. When these Human-Natures coexist modern H. sapiens are present. Proxy evidence sources are used during the thesis. Proxies are physical markers within the archaeological record that are substituted evidence for when a concept does not preserve. Language, Art, Brain Size and Cranial Morphology have all been used as proxies for Human-Natures. Hunting and hunting sites are an important proxy explored here, as explained by (Underdown and Smith, 2019), the proxy offers insight into modern cognition. This thesis references each proxy when appropriate, and often in conjunction, in order to explore: when Human-Natures evolved; what factors drove their evolution; and how they are seen in the Homo Genus. The proxy evidence sources reveal how changes in social structure, exposure to new flora and fauna, and ecological and geographical changes in the Palaeolithic are factors for the evolution of Human-Natures The thesis follows a structure, whereby each Human-Nature will be defined, its relevancy explained, examined to see if it is in the wider Primate Order and the Homo Genus, and then analysed to see if it is unique in H. sapiens. This method of approach produces data and results that show how Human-Natures are actually present across the Homo Genus, and their foundations seen in the wider Primate Order. So whilst traditionally Human-Natures have been argued as exclusive to H. sapiens, this data will examine how these Human-Natures differ across different Homo – notably, Homo erectus, Homo neanderthalensis, and Homo heidelbergensis. This cross-species examination reveals similarities when compared to H. sapiens, but the application and resulting consequences are different.

Grantor dc:publisher

Oxford Brookes University

Year dc:date

2023

Author dc:creator

• Johnson, James

Contributors dc:contributor

• Underdown, Simon

Statement dc:rights

• All rights reserved

Language dc:language

en

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.24384/jg6a-n583

OAI identifier oai:identifier

tle:b6245bcc-c0d2-4963-87db-5890deae5ecb:d6bd9758-527a-46cd-bfe2-c433766e8fca:1