Choice Reading #8

Are We "Meant" to Have Language and Music?

Summary: Human speech and music is not part of the "core" of what a human is born with, but they are a part of what we consider to be "human".

I've never really thought of language being outside of the human necessary survival requirements before. It is awesome how much we have "evolved" over the many years we have been on this planet.

I loved the quote: "The reason we have such a head for language and music is not that we evolved for them, but, rather, that language and music evolved—culturally evolved over millennia—for us. Our brains aren’t shaped for these pinnacles of humankind. Rather, these pinnacles of humankind are shaped to be good for our brains."

This quote makes a good point. It shows that things are ever changing because our culture is ever-changing. The author also says that music and language mimic nature in different ways, which is why it appears natural. Not only are these subjects not completely "natural", but reading and writing have also not been around for long. It is very interesting to think about. I'm glad that we can clearly communicate to one another, and that we have conventions that allow for us to enjoy nature (or in this case, created nature).

Changizi, M. (2012, March 15). Are We "Meant" to Have Language and Music? Retrieved from: http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/crux/2012/03/15/are-we-%E2%80%9Cmeant%E2%80%9D-to-have-language-and-music/