GP lesson 2: Sapiens

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GP Lesson 2: Sapiens

Today:

• What makes us different than other animals?
• How has that helped us develop like we did?

Name the most important thing you learned last lesson!

Conclusions of lesson 1

• We are the only human species left
• There is something different about us

 What was it again?

Conclusions of lesson 1

• Students: We are more intelligent (based on your conclusions last lesson)
• Greek culture: Humans have the fire that Prometheus stole for us
• Yuval Noah Harari: We can work together, flexibly & in large numbers 

So..

• Why can we cooperate so well?
• What is 'the fire'?
• What makes us different than other animals & other human species?

                     Discuss!

Hier zou ik een klassengesprek aangaan waarbij je met de klas verschillende opties bespreekt en probeert dieper te gaan.

Bv: Leerling: 'we invented technology'

Docent: 'what do we have that helps us invent it'?

--> probeer ze te krijgen richting de 'communication', 'talking', 'language' etc.

Let's go back a bit..

Homo sapiens tried to move from Africa to the Middle East twice. They only succeeded the second time!

Why?

First, we didn't manage to move to the Middle East

For some reason, it didn't work..

After, we started developing more

And this gave us the chance to move to the Middle East again!

We spread everywhere and invented many things

We even started making art!

Oldest art

• One of the oldest works of art
• Sulawesi Cave Art (Indonesia)
• 37.900 years BC

What is it that changed?

Sudden intelligence?

Prometheus came and gave us the fire?

Anything else?

The Cognitive Revolution

• Ability to communicate and cooperate in large groups
• "of, relating to, being, or involving conscious intellectual activity"

What makes our communication special? What makes it intellectual?

Assignment!

First, we figure out how other animals communicate

• Choose an animal species (not humans)
• Look up on the internet how they communicate with each other & explain it in your own words
• 5 minutes looking up
• 5 minutes writing down info

Which species did you choose and how do they communicate?

Time for a break! 

Eat/drink something

Walk around a bit

Don't look at any screens ;)

Keep track of your time!

Pauze van 5min of eventueel de pauze die tussen de uren in zit.

What changed in our communication?

"Careful, a lion!"

We can say much more..

Human communication

Humans have developed a much more intricate language

Developed because of 2 possible reasons (theories!):

1. Survival: Finding&catching food, warning for danger
   
2. Gossip: Strengthening social relations

This works up until 150 people.. And above that number?

Even een korte recap naar wat theorieën ookalweer zijn! 

Human communication

Humans have developed a much more intricate language

Developed because of 2 possible reasons (theories!):

1. Survival: Finding&catching food, warning for danger
   
2. Gossip: Strengthening social relations

Even een korte recap naar wat theorieën ookalweer zijn! 

But gossip has its limits..

More than 150?

What happens if more than 150 people need to work together?

How do we make sure they all work towards the same thing?

How can Porta function with 1200 students and about 100 people working there?

Klassengesprek --> hoe zorg je ervoor dat de school functioneert, dat elke leerling zich hetzelfde gedraagt, en elke docent ook altijd overal op tijd is?

 --> regels waar we allemaal in geloven

But what if 1,000 people believe the same thing?

Then they can work together!

This is what we call Fiction

And we're the only species that can invent and understand it!

What is fiction?

We use fiction very often..

• Religion (animism)
• Trading
• Fighting
• ...

Fiction gave us the chance to work together with people we didn't know well, because we believe the same things and follow the same rules

Religion: Animism & Mother nature, later Gods

Trading: what something's worth = fiction, if we both believe the same thing then we can trade

Fighting: us against them

And we still use this!

And we still use this!

Sapiens vs Neanderthals

• Fiction & communication --> more effective hunting
•  "Winning" from Neanderthals
• What differences between Sapiens and Neanderthals do you see?
• What aspects of this lesson do you recognise?

Religion: Animism & Mother nature, later Gods

Trading: what something's worth = fiction, if we both believe the same thing then we can trade

Fighting: us against them

Sapiens vs Neanderthals

• Fiction & communication --> more effective hunting
•  "Winning" from Neanderthals
• What differences between Sapiens and Neanderthals do you see?
• What aspects of this lesson do you recognise?

Religion: Animism & Mother nature, later Gods

Trading: what something's worth = fiction, if we both believe the same thing then we can trade

Fighting: us against them

Next lesson.. Living

• What makes us the same as other animals?
• How did Homo Sapiens live back then?
• Perspectives of different sciences