Here is a great update on what early human social consciousness might have looked like:

“Seasonal dualism also throws into chaos more recent efforts at classifying hunter-gatherers into either “simple” or “complex” types of social organisation, since what have been identified as the features of “complexity” – territoriality, social ranks, material wealth or competitive display – appear during certain seasons of the year, only to be brushed aside in others by the exact same population. Admittedly, most professional anthropologists nowadays have come to recognise that these categories are hopelessly inadequate, but the main effect of this acknowledgment has just been to cause them to change the subject, or suggest that perhaps we shouldn’t really be thinking about the broad sweep of human history at all any more. Nobody has yet proposed an alternative.”

Naydler's latest book is an essential read for those interested in recent human development

In the Shadow of the Machine: The Prehistory of the Computer and the Evolution of Consciousness

by Jeremy Naydler

In typical Naydler style this book covers the full spectrum of human existence. In this case the argument is made that present day western civilization overvaluing of dialectic logic is a dead end that threatens our existence as humans. Stretching back to some early decisions in Mesopotamia and Ancient Egyptian on the application of technology over deeper spiritual and higher, Naydler traces numerous small choices that have led up to our present highly technical, engineered life that is missing much that makes us happy and whole.

In great detail he documents (with references) the many steps that has taken us from a water pump to the essential basis for electrical computing. He shines clear light on the many pieces that has led to what we presently take as normal - surrounded and reliant on "computer" processes in every aspect of our lives. The lineage presented shows that this is not normal and misses much that has made us humans for 100's of thousands of years.

The book has a lovely deft touch that is non-anachronistic. This is not a rant against what has been decided and discovered over the past 5,000 years, but more a call for the reintroduction of higher human functioning in our endeavours.

An excellent re-envisaging of our "recent" history that is needed to set the course for our future.

“In the Shadow of the Machine: The Prehistory of the Computer and the Evolution of Consciousness”

Looking forward to getting into Jeremy Naydler’s recent work : “In the Shadow of the Machine: The Prehistory of the Computer and the Evolution of Consciousness”. I love how in the early pages he ties the world views of Mesopotamia and Ancient Egypt with the challenges of present day society. He is truely a great thinker.

https://books.google.ca/books/about/In_the_Shadow_of_the_Machine.html

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