The Sapient Paradox: Social Interaction as a Foundation of Mind

Please RSVP for lecture and seminar at sapientparadox.eventbrite.com

Colin Renfrew is a Disney Professor Emeritus of Archaeology and former Director of the McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research at the University of Cambridge.

Intelligent purposive behaviour is a feature of many species. Yet systematic engagement with the material world takes on a new dimension with the systematic production of tools. Why it took so long for this to develop into more impressive aspects of behaviour seen with the first village communities constitutes the sapient paradox. It will be argued that within the new social relations that then developed lie the key foundations of mind.

Related seminar:
Tuesday, 11/15, 10am-12pm
Ahmadieh Family Lecture Hall
C105, Bay 4, Smith Warehouse

Measure as a Metric of Mind

Mind is a difficult property to discern and to pin down in early prehistoric communities. Yet the practice of measure, sometimes involving the use of recognisable units, is a valuable indicator.

This event is presented by "The Ancient Mind: Neuroarchaeology," a Humanities Futures working group, and is generously co-sponsored by Classical Studies; Art, Art History, & Visual Studies; and the Wired! Lab.