Jul 21, 2023Liked by NE - Naked Emperor Newsletter
I'm always amazed at the sense of certainty there is about our history. There are even good reasons to doubt the stories we have from the first millennium.
Used to be (at least in my lifetime) that we taught history like this:
"This is what we /think/ we know happened. If and when evidence saying something else is found and confirmed, this is the way it was."
We teachers were (at least here) supposed to teach students to analyse and criticise any claims of absolute truth, especially ones concerning human thought and belief about the world.
Sort-of the opposite of critical thinking, CRT, and the rest of the [unprintable].
Jul 21, 2023Liked by NE - Naked Emperor Newsletter
I think it reasonable that any creature which can observe cycles of sleep and wakeness, and likely dreamstates too, might feel that the sleep of death might be followed by something else in the natural course of time.
Yes - brain volume seems not to be the only thing that counts. Birds for instance, despite having smaller brains than mammals in relation to body size, have a higher density of neurons and high neural connectivity.
Jul 22, 2023Liked by NE - Naked Emperor Newsletter
Do we have any idea what creature had an obsidian axe farm in Ethiopia 1.2 million years ago? That was the coolest discover recently. We have indeed forgotten “our” past. They tried to warn us wit Gobekli Tepe.
Jul 22, 2023Liked by NE - Naked Emperor Newsletter
Papuans and Aborigines have Denisovan genes and the genes of an unknown hominid. Homo Erectus was present in the adjoining archipelago. Some of us are very different from other humans. We are a diverse species.
Jul 22, 2023Liked by NE - Naked Emperor Newsletter
I watched this last night it blew me away, this distant cousin some 250,000 years ago had fire, pictograms and complex funeral burial, absolutely incredible.
Jul 22, 2023Liked by NE - Naked Emperor Newsletter
Just started watching it and am really enjoying it however I am struck by the regular comparison of brain size to intelligence/humanity. There are many animals with a range of brain sizes that have complex social structures and recognize death in their kind. The show uses 'homo sapien' as some sort of apex of evolution while we are actually on a small twig in the tree of life of which all living creatures are equally evolved over time. It wasn't long ago we humans thought we were exceptional as the only tool users when in reality it was our myopic belief of exceptionalisim that allowed us to overlook all the other tool users in the animal kingdom. The show highlights an amazingly preserved record of past peoples, the conclusions drawn, not so much.
Werner Herzog's 'Cave of Forgotten Dreams' was great.
This adds to that fascination as these beings were seperate species maybe.
Cheers, nice rec :)
I'm always amazed at the sense of certainty there is about our history. There are even good reasons to doubt the stories we have from the first millennium.
Used to be (at least in my lifetime) that we taught history like this:
"This is what we /think/ we know happened. If and when evidence saying something else is found and confirmed, this is the way it was."
We teachers were (at least here) supposed to teach students to analyse and criticise any claims of absolute truth, especially ones concerning human thought and belief about the world.
Sort-of the opposite of critical thinking, CRT, and the rest of the [unprintable].
Sounds like science has followed a similar trajectory, in some spheres anyway!
Millennium? I’d say 1 century. Everything is a lie
I think it reasonable that any creature which can observe cycles of sleep and wakeness, and likely dreamstates too, might feel that the sleep of death might be followed by something else in the natural course of time.
Lovely post; thank you.
The smaller brain cavity along with the capacity for fire, tools and especially navigating to an underworld portal though !
Cats and crows have awfully small brains in the scheme of things but they seem to make every neuron do quadruple lifting, don't they?
Interesting take...
And crows use tools !
I don't have a cat, but like John Gray's stuff, they are interesting creatures :)
https://daily.jstor.org/john-gray-cats-can-teach-us-about-the-meaning-of-life/
Yes - brain volume seems not to be the only thing that counts. Birds for instance, despite having smaller brains than mammals in relation to body size, have a higher density of neurons and high neural connectivity.
Do we have any idea what creature had an obsidian axe farm in Ethiopia 1.2 million years ago? That was the coolest discover recently. We have indeed forgotten “our” past. They tried to warn us wit Gobekli Tepe.
Interesting- thanks for sharing!
Sounds fascinating. I appreciate learning how much I do not know. Thank you for sharing.
Papuans and Aborigines have Denisovan genes and the genes of an unknown hominid. Homo Erectus was present in the adjoining archipelago. Some of us are very different from other humans. We are a diverse species.
Very cool! Thanks for the recommendation I can't wait to watch it.
I have been following History with Kayleigh on You tube. It is from her that I 1st learned about Homo Naledi. https://www.youtube.com/@HistorywithKayleigh/videos
Groundbreaking New Discoveries! Homo Naledi Burials & Engraved Cave Art
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4WsgMUtJTU
Homo Naledi Used Fire To Cook & Navigate The Cave
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oFiMNVbdXA
Where Does Homo Naledi Fit? New Genus?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw-dZ18vhY8
Thanks, I'll have a watch.
Fascinating movie. Unlike most of the tripe on Netflacks.
Graham Hancock in ancient apocalypse on Netflix is another great doc. We’ve been lied to
Thank you. My plan for this evening.
Fascinating! We’ll try to find this program.
I watched this last night it blew me away, this distant cousin some 250,000 years ago had fire, pictograms and complex funeral burial, absolutely incredible.
Around 5 ft tall, weighing about 40 kg and with small brains ... hold on! They are not extinct!
Just started watching it and am really enjoying it however I am struck by the regular comparison of brain size to intelligence/humanity. There are many animals with a range of brain sizes that have complex social structures and recognize death in their kind. The show uses 'homo sapien' as some sort of apex of evolution while we are actually on a small twig in the tree of life of which all living creatures are equally evolved over time. It wasn't long ago we humans thought we were exceptional as the only tool users when in reality it was our myopic belief of exceptionalisim that allowed us to overlook all the other tool users in the animal kingdom. The show highlights an amazingly preserved record of past peoples, the conclusions drawn, not so much.
Watching NOW!