2004-11-18
The evolutionary advantage of Music
Some debate the evolutionary advantage of music. Pinker says music is a spandrel (Gould and Lewontin's idea that in evolution some highly intricate structures are nonfunctional in origin, or at least do not arise via selective pressures, but rather arise from scaffolding, hitchhiking, or self-organizing mechanisms).
In the Science piece Michael Balter says: "For social-cohesion theorists, the challenge is to explain why singing or dancing enhanced social bonding--and why that in turn fosters greater fitness and survival."
These guys need to get out more. Only lab rats would question the evolutionary value of music... Does music give you a reproductive advantage? Duh! Meet the Groupies!
In the Science piece Michael Balter says: "For social-cohesion theorists, the challenge is to explain why singing or dancing enhanced social bonding--and why that in turn fosters greater fitness and survival."
These guys need to get out more. Only lab rats would question the evolutionary value of music... Does music give you a reproductive advantage? Duh! Meet the Groupies!
# posted by Luis Rocha @ 03:29 
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My long trips on the bus to the university (I should say commute) I give me the chance to think on anything but math. Well, (syncronicity?) just a few days ago I was thinking on music as a time counting device... do you remember that movie by Paul Newman where he is a burgler? He works along with another guy and need to enter in a building. For that they need to coordinate and syncronize their timings: so they use songs. For 10 sec one for 1min 10 sec another piece and so on... couldn't that the beginning.. say for hunting coordinately.. and so.. and when you sing you are just trying to coordinate your "procreative" system with that of other females?
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