Introduction
Throughout the years of intellectual and scientific development, there has been much discussion and debate around the very controversial topic surrounding the level of intelligence of the Neanderthal. There are many debates on the matter as to whether Neanderthals were complete failures and lacked the mental capacity to survive or if they were indeed intelligent for their time; the use of skeletal and other bodily structures, language development, the knowledge and use of tools and symbolic capacity are all arguments and evidence on the grounds of proving the levels of intelligences Neanderthals are granted.
The Neanderthal Brain and Cranial Structures
There is much debate around the topic of Neanderthals and their intellectual …show more content…
It is believed that due to their inability to communicate with modern human language they did not possess the same intellectual levels as the modern human being. On the other hand some argue that Neanderthals are the reason for our advanced and complex language today; Neanderthals are the beginning of the evolution of language. Phillip Lieberman and Edmund S. Crelin (1971:218) argue that “it is possible, however, that Neanderthal man, who had a large brain, also made maximum use of his essentially non human vocal tract to establish vocal communication. This would provide the basis for mutations that lowered the larynx and expanded the range of vocal communication in modern Man’s ancestral forms”. The Neanderthals’ levels of intelligence are also assessed and criticized through their knowledge and use of tools and their symbolic …show more content…
They did have spears, we have some of them, but try as they might they just couldn’t throw them” (Speth, 2004:520). According to Speth (2004), Neanderthals had little intelligence on the use and making of tools; and the only tool they really did have they couldn’t even properly use, suggesting they are definitely not as intellectually developed as modern Homo sapiens. Matt J. Rossano (2010:592-593) argues that “while archaic such Neanderthals made use of beads and pigments, they produced none of the decorative abstract remains that seem to demand a symbolic interpretation”, meaning they lacked the symbolic capabilities to attach any symbolic meaning to objects or anything for that matter, thus proving their less-than-human status. Speth (2004:520) also argues that “they didn’t paint walls or their caves, despite ample opportunity to do so”, meaning they lacked the symbolic and mental capacity to attach meaning to pigment and to paint their caves and even create art. Speth (2004:524) furthers his point that Neanderthals “have little or no evident internal structure; there are few if any formal hearths; burials are extremely rare or absent altogether, and those few that do exist
Throughout the years of intellectual and scientific development, there has been much discussion and debate around the very controversial topic surrounding the level of intelligence of the Neanderthal. There are many debates on the matter as to whether Neanderthals were complete failures and lacked the mental capacity to survive or if they were indeed intelligent for their time; the use of skeletal and other bodily structures, language development, the knowledge and use of tools and symbolic capacity are all arguments and evidence on the grounds of proving the levels of intelligences Neanderthals are granted.
The Neanderthal Brain and Cranial Structures
There is much debate around the topic of Neanderthals and their intellectual …show more content…
It is believed that due to their inability to communicate with modern human language they did not possess the same intellectual levels as the modern human being. On the other hand some argue that Neanderthals are the reason for our advanced and complex language today; Neanderthals are the beginning of the evolution of language. Phillip Lieberman and Edmund S. Crelin (1971:218) argue that “it is possible, however, that Neanderthal man, who had a large brain, also made maximum use of his essentially non human vocal tract to establish vocal communication. This would provide the basis for mutations that lowered the larynx and expanded the range of vocal communication in modern Man’s ancestral forms”. The Neanderthals’ levels of intelligence are also assessed and criticized through their knowledge and use of tools and their symbolic …show more content…
They did have spears, we have some of them, but try as they might they just couldn’t throw them” (Speth, 2004:520). According to Speth (2004), Neanderthals had little intelligence on the use and making of tools; and the only tool they really did have they couldn’t even properly use, suggesting they are definitely not as intellectually developed as modern Homo sapiens. Matt J. Rossano (2010:592-593) argues that “while archaic such Neanderthals made use of beads and pigments, they produced none of the decorative abstract remains that seem to demand a symbolic interpretation”, meaning they lacked the symbolic capabilities to attach any symbolic meaning to objects or anything for that matter, thus proving their less-than-human status. Speth (2004:520) also argues that “they didn’t paint walls or their caves, despite ample opportunity to do so”, meaning they lacked the symbolic and mental capacity to attach meaning to pigment and to paint their caves and even create art. Speth (2004:524) furthers his point that Neanderthals “have little or no evident internal structure; there are few if any formal hearths; burials are extremely rare or absent altogether, and those few that do exist