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The different paths to cultural convergence

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 October 2023

Larissa Mendoza Straffon Open the ORCID record for Larissa Mendoza Straffon [Opens in a new window] ,
Aliki Papa ,
Heidi Øhrn  and
Andrea Bender
Larissa Mendoza Straffon
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosocial Science, SFF Centre for Early Sapiens Behaviour (SapienCE), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway larissa.straffon@uib.no; https://www.uib.no/en/persons/Larissa.Mendoza.Straffon aliki.papa@uib.no heidi.ohrn@uib.no andrea.bender@uib.no
Aliki Papa
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosocial Science, SFF Centre for Early Sapiens Behaviour (SapienCE), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway larissa.straffon@uib.no; https://www.uib.no/en/persons/Larissa.Mendoza.Straffon aliki.papa@uib.no heidi.ohrn@uib.no andrea.bender@uib.no
Heidi Øhrn
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosocial Science, SFF Centre for Early Sapiens Behaviour (SapienCE), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway larissa.straffon@uib.no; https://www.uib.no/en/persons/Larissa.Mendoza.Straffon aliki.papa@uib.no heidi.ohrn@uib.no andrea.bender@uib.no
Andrea Bender
Affiliation:
Department of Psychosocial Science, SFF Centre for Early Sapiens Behaviour (SapienCE), University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway larissa.straffon@uib.no; https://www.uib.no/en/persons/Larissa.Mendoza.Straffon aliki.papa@uib.no heidi.ohrn@uib.no andrea.bender@uib.no
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Abstract

Morin envisions the adaptive landscape of graphic codes as an unfertile valley where writing rises as an isolated peak that humans managed to reach only on four occasions throughout all of history. By exploring the different paths to cultural convergence, we suggest an alternative landscape occupied by a mountain range of visual art systems. We conclude that graphic communication through visual art worked well enough to render writing contingent but not necessary in most cases.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 46 , 2023 , e253
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press

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