Evolution of Language and Intelligence
Theories of Language Evolution
Early Stages of Language Development
According to Steven Pinker, the emergence of language may be linked to areas of the brain’s cortex. These areas, responsible for abstract thought, could have connected with areas controlling information flow. Vervet monkeys, for example, use distinct distress calls for different predators. This “quasi-referential” communication, as Pinker calls it, might have come under voluntary control as the cortex developed, allowing for the expression of complex events. Simultaneously, an ability to analyze combinations of calls into segments may have emerged. The exact stage of evolution where proto-language arose and its rate of development remain unknown. A possible link exists between tool-making, indicative of a complex mind, and the development of complex language.
Ballistic Movements and Language
William Calvin proposes a theory connecting the cerebral planning of ballistic movements with the emergence of language. Ballistic movements, unlike slower movements, require precise planning due to their speed. Calvin suggests that brain areas regulating facial muscles for sound modulation share similarities with those controlling hand movements for throwing projectiles. Thus, improvements in ballistic movement ability could have enhanced language capacity.
Language and Intelligence
Adaptive Advantages of Language
What are the adaptive advantages of language, and how does it contribute to intelligence? Daniel Dennett‘s “tower” model offers an evolutionary perspective. The first level, Darwinian creatures, evolve through natural selection. A subset, Skinnerian creatures, adapt through behavioral reinforcement. Popperian creatures, building upon the Skinnerian level, develop hypotheses and plan behavior. Finally, Gregorian creatures utilize language not just for communication, but also to enhance intelligence. Dennett compares language to a tool, like scissors, that amplifies our abilities.
Language’s Role in Cognition
Andy Clark‘s concept of “supra-communicative” language emphasizes its impact on brain circuitry. Language and culture rearrange our innate hardware, complementing existing resources to generate intelligent behaviors. This includes creating self-knowledge structures for behavioral control and hypothesis-based modulation.