The Origins of Human Cognitive Development

The aquatic ape theory poignantly lays out quite viable

answers to the many questions that surround the history of the
physical development of the human being. The cornerstone idea of
the aquatic ape theory is that humans are by-products of a transition
process that was never realized in full. It postulates that, many years
ago, our ancestors became trapped in a semi-aquatic environment. In
this flooded situation, they were forced to adapt to a new aquatic life
style. They had to change their ideas about where and how to find
food. They had to learn how to be more comfortable in the water.
Years and years of this semi-aquatic behavior prompted the
response of natural selection, i.e., the fastest swimmers that could
catch the most fish would become the most likely to mate. The apes
who could hold their breath the longest could find the most food.
Over thousands of years of evolution these semi-apes lost their body
hair, their form became more streamlined, and their skin attained
more blubber. All these strange attributes aided the creature in their
new aquatic environment. Todays features of the human body can
be explained by this transition. In essence, there was a period where
humans began to change into dolphin-like creatures.
The extra fat that we develop as we get older in life is a relic of
a protection mechanism or a vanguard against developing
hypothermia. This blubber also provides better buoyancy. The
streamline shape of the human gives us better motion through water.
Less hair means less friction and more speed while swimming. The
AAT theory also explains the origin of biped behavior. It is easier to
stand up in water than on land for early primates. We can imagine, as
the water got deeper, the apes had to stand in order to breathe.

Breathing and holding our breath was the critical evolutionary

spark that caused our early ancestors ascent from feeders to tool
makers. When our ancestors first began holding their breath for long
periods while under water, they also learned how to control their
breathing. Humans are the only land animals that can do this. From
the control of breath, we could control the sounds that we produced.
Hence, we added a great amount of complexity to our communication.
It was this level of added complexity that jumpstarted our cognitive
development.
The range of complex sounds we began to make set the stage
for a production of a system of symbols. This system became
language. It was our ability to communicate in greater detail and
complexity that caused greater cognitive stimulation. As our brains
produced more complex information to be interpreted by the receiver,
there occurred an exponential increase in complex emotional
expression and general mental ability.
There are two main points; one is that it was the desire to
share ideas and connect with others that spurred lingual expansion
and hence cerebral development. The other point is that; as
information gained in complexity due to the new complexity of
available sounds that could be produced by our new larynx, our
memory expanded in a parallel manner. Mental function is dependent
on memory, because memory is directly related to learning capacity.
It was the time our ancestors spent as apes in the water that
paved the road for present humans to become developers of
technology, users of drugs, and vicious monsters of abuse. Humans
are the epitome of dichotomy. We are gentle and sharing but can also
be murderous villains, thirsty for revenge. All this bizarre human
activity is grounded in our enhanced cognitive abilities.

Those abilities are a direct result of the time our ancestors spent
transitioning into aquatic beings. There was something particularly
special about the transition. Essentially, while our ancestors were
learning about their new environment, they acquired the prodigious
ability to consciously control their breathing. It is from this control of
breath that a new wide range of sounds developed. The new
complexity in vocalizations dramatically raised the bar in pre-human
communication. This was the crucial step that kick-started the
development of human consciousness.
It is well known from fossil record that the cetaceans evolved
from land mammals. Most documented, is the small deer like
creature, called `Indohyus`. This land mammal most likely began to
enter water environments to escape the larger predators of the day.
From this `tiny deer`, there began a very long transition from a land
mammal into a sea mammal. The Indohyus lost its fur, developed
thicker skin and blubber, and became more streamlined, just as
humans. However, this transition went all the way and was
completed.
With regards to communication, the cetaceans
developed an efficient method of communication under the water.
This communication system takes advantage of using sound vibrations
that can travel more clearly through a liquid -like medium. For
example, dolphins have a very complex array of verbal communication
under the water. They use sets of clicks, whistles, and bursts to
communicate verbally. It is understood that the vocalizations
produced by dolphins become more intense when they approach an
object of interest. They also employ many symbols of body language
while courting or playing. Most cetacean creatures exhibit highly
complex social behavior. Dolphins have been seen to teach other
dolphins how to use certain tools. Whales have been witnessed
morning dead calf for weeks. Dolphins, on numerous occasions, have
been seen helping members of other species, including humans.

With the complex behavior expressed by mammals that

transitioned into the water millions of years ago, it is interesting to
think what would have happen if primate animals, like apes, were able
to complete this transition. Indeed, one could imagine underwater
civilizations, governed by some strange form of technology. We all
know that there is exceedingly much larger area in the ocean than on
land. Perhaps even an aquatic human race might have evolved into a
more peaceful creature if it had progressed to completion under the
water. Possibly we are still, in a sense, trying to return to that
transition, striving to re-enter the water again, to satisfy that desire for
peace in our hearts.
But, we are stuck on land for the time being and as we age, we
become quite uncomfortable. Gravity has no good effects on bipeds
over time. How did we arrive here, at this point, where we are land
dwelling apes of technology? How did we become so emotional?
How is it that our memory is so enhanced?
All creatures are connected. We are all connected through our
environment. We also all have a common desire to communicate. We
are connected through that desire to bond with each other via
communication. All living organisms have a means of communication.
These methods can be in the form of chemical, thermal, or magnetic
(as with single cell organisms and plant life). Or, they can be more
complex methods of communication that are classified as `cognitive`.
One form of cognitive communication can be observed in displays of
body language. Some examples of body language communication are;
lizards bobbing their heads to give warnings, goldfish puckering their
mouths when hungry, and dogs wagging their tails when feeling
comfortable. Indeed, there is a plethora of these silent symbols used
to communicate various notions and information.

The most complex version of communication is through the

use of sound, or verbal symbolism. Mammals and primate species use
verbal queues to express information. With use of various howls,
barks, growls and hisses, these creatures transfer their messages
outwardly from their brains. There is incredible complexity in the
observable environment. As the complexity of sounds is increased to
express a complexity of data, the receiver must also transcribe these
symbols if they are to attain any purpose or meaning within the code.
It is the expression and the reception of the verbal symbols that
defines communication.
And, if the symbols used in the
communication method have added multifariousness, then the
surrounding environment takes on a special level of increased
complexity.
I propose that it was this act of coping with the increasing level of
complexity in the observable that spurned the evolution in the capacity
of mental development. As the range of sound expressed by the prehominid increased, the art of communicating the environment (the
observable) was enhanced. This enhancement brought about great
leaps in the way in which these creatures interacted with their
environment. Their world opened up, and the floodgates of complex
information poured down. Of course, there was a very long process of
the brain managing this change. The brain had to evolve a greater
capacity of information recall and processing power for the new
symbols as well as the acceptance of a new environment. This was a
demanding task and is what produced expanded emotional capability.
This process developed a new emotional capacity that was a byproduct of the increase in recall aptitude and the difficulty in coping
with the changed view of the ambient. The emotional response to
stimuli grew in complexity in a parallel form with the way the new
human species viewed their immediate environment.

Eventually, the surrounding environment influenced the emotional

response even more. Out of this situation, came a creature that now
bathed in a pool of semi-conscious awareness. It was this added
complexity from the new sounds that humans developed their present
abilities.
These new vocalizations originated from our time transitioning
into aquatic creatures and this led to our awakening. Our present
state of semi-conscious apes is due to the evolved complexity in our
sounds that gave rise to a higher level of lingual communication. The
new language that we used rapidity stimulated our brains. Our brains
were being used at 10% capacity. The new sounds boosted the
performance capacity to 15%. This led to further opening of
complexity from the external as well as internal environment. When
we began to use these sounds to express our visual input from our
environment, a crescendo of cognitive development occurred. From
that point, we developed music. We allowed music to express the
visual information. As Shubert expresses a spring day using a
multitude of horns and strings, so does Bach express much deeper
tones of feelings and death. At this point, new musical expression
might have solidified the arrival of pre-human in terms of mental
development. Future musical and mathematical advancements could
possibly push our evolution to new heights. As vocal or spoken
language becomes less important (de-emphasized) in the future,
musical and mathematical language could supplant our model for
communication.
However, if the human cannot manage the upkeep needed for greater
mental stimulation, especially in the areas of musical science and
mathematics, then there might be a period of de-evolution. In this
situation, there will be witnessed a decrease in the complexity of both
verbal and non-verbal modes of communication.

Over years, humans, with this de-evolution scenario, might even

regress back into the state of primitive ape.
The reason for this drastic dichotomy in our future is that all living
processes occur as either cyclic or exponential systems. Human
civilization is no exception. We will either soar to greater realms or
crash to deeper depths. It all depends on the quality and quantity of
our future cognitive stimulation.

Written by:
Fan Stanner