Our host here has dubbed us the species with amnesia because we have no written history for even 1000 years after the invention of writing. We speculate ancient man invented agriculture and cities through trial and error. We assume early writers didn't need abstract words because they lived in a world of myth, magic, and belief. We wonder at the vast scope of their obvious knowledge and abilities in a world where there was no science and no infrastructure for science or technology. We wonder at the extensive evidence that man has ruled the earth for 40,000 years but we just don't remember most of it and don't really understand the writings of the first 1500 years of the written language inasmuch as it appears to be written by sun addled bumpkins.
If writing was invented to remember which is essentially what everyone believes then why isn't anything remembered from the oldest times? What happened to cause the amnesia?
Of course everyone knows my theory and I don't really intend the thread to be about this. It may come up and I'll probably comment on any theory but what is your theory? Do you think what's actually known about anthropology and archaeology contains no contradictions? Of course I see nothing but contradictions.
If writing was invented to remember which is essentially what everyone believes then why isn't anything remembered from the oldest times? What happened to cause the amnesia?
Of course everyone knows my theory and I don't really intend the thread to be about this. It may come up and I'll probably comment on any theory but what is your theory? Do you think what's actually known about anthropology and archaeology contains no contradictions? Of course I see nothing but contradictions.