Society and High Intelligence Go Together

We have large brains due to social interaction.  In early societies culture meant things had to be remembered.  Another important function leading to large brains was tools use, though chimpanzees use tools.  The most intelligent people would inevitably become leaders and have the choice of mates, thus passing on their genes.

Intelligence and brain size are of course interdependent.  Animals such as dolphins and elephants have social structures.  They are also very intelligent.  Higher intelligence appears to be naturally selected for in any species.

Apparently, when society develops intelligence must increase otherwise an individual will be "put upon" by the smarter ones.  There is some evidence that really clever individuals tend to be disruptive to a society.  The naive are certainly at a disadvantage.

A thorn in the side of the above theory is that some highly structured societies are composed of small creatures with tiny brains.  Ants, bees and wasps are in this category.

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Society

Pioneers Had More Children

People living in different places "breed" at different rates. Reasons put forward are level of income, education of women and access to contraceptives. Family size has also changed at various places in history. The adventurous ones who ventured far and wide had more children than those who remained in established urban centers. This is particularly the case for British and French settlers in North America.

Resources were more plentiful in new unsettled regions. For example, buffalo and native animals could easily be shot and eaten on the spot. New settlers were also healthier, being active for most of their lives. An examination of Canadian records since 1608 shows that couples on the outer edge of expansion had 20 per cent more children than those remaining in established regions. They also married younger. The pioneer contribution to the gene pool was four time greater than those who settled in populated areas. Church records were the main data source. If the number of illegitimate children were known the gene pool contribution could have been even higher.

Human growth in new expanses of virgin land is consistent with plant and animals. Weeds grow vigorously on new accessible land. Larger plants soon take hold as do small animals. The small animals also attract larger animals. Over time as life becomes denser reproduction rates decline. Saying that pioneers in the West grew like weeds is close to the truth. The spread of Mankind across the globe is no accident. It seems to be an evolutionary imperative.

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History