First paradox – Doubling of Brain Volume in Homo erectus – yet Only Slow Development of Its Cognitive Phenomena

A paradox of hominization needs to be resolved: Homo erectus experienced adoubling of brain volume, yet the development of its cognition took eons. In almosttwo million years of brain growth, Homo erectus made only a few technologicalinnovations. Therefore, in Homo erectus, it seems that the biological processof mutation and selection for the evolution of the cerebrum was primarilyresponsible for the increase in cognition, rather than the accumulation of experience.The only significant difference between the monkey and human brain is as follows:the proportion of the association cortex increased to 80% during the evolutionof Homo erectus. But how can a mere increase in the number of non-specificneurons in the association cortex of Homo erectus explain the cognitive advancesthat can be observed? The partial patterns of sensory perception that the connectomefeeds to the association cortex are evolved intracortically into higher cognitionsby means of unspecialized neurons. These information-providing neural patternscan only be evolved – not calculated – because they are subject to the propertiesof a complex brain system; and they can only be evolved processual becausethe association cortex has a non-specific character – it selects information patternsinstead of neural structures.Thus, the greater the number of neurons, the more pattern attractors of order acquisitioncan be formed, and the higher the cognition. Their number was probablynot sufficient in Homo erectus to continuously develop complex cognition. Theextreme time periods for innovations in Homo erectus therefore suggest that itscognitive advances were not due to a cumulative learning process, but primarilyto the genetically determined increase in brain size and thus neurons. Homo erectuswas not human.Before brain growth stopped in archaic Homo sapiens, a systemic change musthave taken place in the evolving cerebrum. For in the human brain – which remainsconstant – we recognize an unlimited potential for cognition and, above all,creativity that is lacking in Homo erectus.