5.6 Scenario Visualization at Work in the Early Hominin Mind

Next we consider two diagrams that have to do with the construction of

a harpoon and the generation of a piece of artwork. These schematizations

are supposed to represent the slower, intelligent processes associated with

two of our early hominin ancestors’ abilities to consciously select and

integrate the free fl ow of visual information between mental modules, as

well as transform and manipulate these visual images against a backdrop

of environments in scenarios, so as to solve some problem and imagine a

novel piece of art.

The fi rst diagram (fi gure 5.2) is based upon information gathered from

Mithen (1996) and Oswalt (1976) regarding the Angmagsalik hunters of

Greenland and their construction of harpoons utilized to hunt seals. Their

harpoons are fairly complex, having a spearhead equipped with a line

attached to a fl otation device, as well as several other parts designed to make

the harpoon sturdy, accurate, and easy to throw. These hunters are an

interesting case because it is likely that their harpoon technology has not

changed much in thousands of years; thus, their technology can be studied

to get a sense of what early hominin toolmaking may have been like.

In the schematization, I ask you to imagine that the problem to be solved

has to do with throwing a projectile at a seal from a distance, for the

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Scenario 1 Scenario 2

Figure 5.2

The construction of a harpoon

purposes of killing it, skinning it, and using its body parts for food and

warmth during the approaching winter months. I also ask you to imagine

that this is the very fi rst instance of some hominin coming up with the idea

of the harpoon. At fi rst, this particular hominin has no prior knowledge

of the harpoon, but through the process of scenario visualization, he eventually

“puts two and two together” and devises the mental blueprints for

the harpoon. In other words, this is supposed to be a schematization of

vision-related, nonroutine creative problem solving at work in the early

hominin mind.

In the fi rst step, the hunter has separate visual images associated with

seal characteristics, the properties of objects in water, the manufacture of

the bifaced hand ax, and projectiles moving through the air. Consistent

with Mithen’s idea of cognitive fl uidity, the visual information among

these mental spheres has the potential to intermix and is represented by

the dotted-line bubbles. Further, consistent with the data presented by

developmental and evolutionary psychologists, there are several mental

modules (dotted-line bubbles) that make up a person’s mind. In the second

step, scenario visualization is beginning as the animal, biological, technological,

and intuitive physics modules are bracketed off or segregated from

the other mental modules. In the third step, the process of visualization

is continuing because the hominin is manipulating, inverting, and transforming

the images as they are projected into a future imagined scenario.

In the fourth step, these modules are actively integrated so that a wholly

new image is formed that can become implemented in the actual production

of the harpoon.

The next diagram (fi gure 5.3) concerns the construction of fi sh–human

fi gurines discovered by archeologists at the site of Lepenski Vir on the

Danube and dated to about 7,000 ya (Mithen, 1996). These are considered

pieces of artwork, probably constructed for some religious signifi cance.

Like problem solving and toolmaking, producing a novel piece of art

follows a similar process of scenario visualization. As with the harpoon, I

ask you to imagine that this is the very fi rst instance of some hominin

coming up with the idea of the fi sh–human fi gurine.

In the fi rst step, the artist has separate visual images of human and

animal morphology and behavior; however, the information between the

two spheres has the potential to intermix and is represented by the

dotted-line bubbles. In the second step, scenario visualization is beginning

as the human and animal modules are bracketed off or segregated from

the other modules. In the third step, scenario visualization is continuing

as the artist is transforming, adjusting, and reconfi guring the information regarding fi sh and human characteristics in some imagined future visual

scenario. In the fourth step, the information regarding fi sh and humans

has been integrated, and something wholly new—the fi sh–human—has

been formed. The fourth panel in the schematization is based upon one

of the fi gurines found at Lepenski Vir (poorly, given my lousy drawing

abilities). These fi gurines are signifi cant because they are some of the fi rst

pieces of art constructed by hominins whereby it could be said that the

artist did not already possess an image of that particular kind of fi nished

product in his or her mind. There have been fi sh fi gurines and human

fi gurines found that predate these fi gurines, but never specifi cally fi sh–

human fi gurines.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Scenario 1 Scenario 2

Figure 5.3

The construction of a fi sh-human fi gurine

Next we consider two diagrams that have to do with the construction of

a harpoon and the generation of a piece of artwork. These schematizations

are supposed to represent the slower, intelligent processes associated with

two of our early hominin ancestors’ abilities to consciously select and

integrate the free fl ow of visual information between mental modules, as

well as transform and manipulate these visual images against a backdrop

of environments in scenarios, so as to solve some problem and imagine a

novel piece of art.

The fi rst diagram (fi gure 5.2) is based upon information gathered from

Mithen (1996) and Oswalt (1976) regarding the Angmagsalik hunters of

Greenland and their construction of harpoons utilized to hunt seals. Their

harpoons are fairly complex, having a spearhead equipped with a line

attached to a fl otation device, as well as several other parts designed to make

the harpoon sturdy, accurate, and easy to throw. These hunters are an

interesting case because it is likely that their harpoon technology has not

changed much in thousands of years; thus, their technology can be studied

to get a sense of what early hominin toolmaking may have been like.

In the schematization, I ask you to imagine that the problem to be solved

has to do with throwing a projectile at a seal from a distance, for the

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Scenario 1 Scenario 2

Figure 5.2

The construction of a harpoon

purposes of killing it, skinning it, and using its body parts for food and

warmth during the approaching winter months. I also ask you to imagine

that this is the very fi rst instance of some hominin coming up with the idea

of the harpoon. At fi rst, this particular hominin has no prior knowledge

of the harpoon, but through the process of scenario visualization, he eventually

“puts two and two together” and devises the mental blueprints for

the harpoon. In other words, this is supposed to be a schematization of

vision-related, nonroutine creative problem solving at work in the early

hominin mind.

In the fi rst step, the hunter has separate visual images associated with

seal characteristics, the properties of objects in water, the manufacture of

the bifaced hand ax, and projectiles moving through the air. Consistent

with Mithen’s idea of cognitive fl uidity, the visual information among

these mental spheres has the potential to intermix and is represented by

the dotted-line bubbles. Further, consistent with the data presented by

developmental and evolutionary psychologists, there are several mental

modules (dotted-line bubbles) that make up a person’s mind. In the second

step, scenario visualization is beginning as the animal, biological, technological,

and intuitive physics modules are bracketed off or segregated from

the other mental modules. In the third step, the process of visualization

is continuing because the hominin is manipulating, inverting, and transforming

the images as they are projected into a future imagined scenario.

In the fourth step, these modules are actively integrated so that a wholly

new image is formed that can become implemented in the actual production

of the harpoon.

The next diagram (fi gure 5.3) concerns the construction of fi sh–human

fi gurines discovered by archeologists at the site of Lepenski Vir on the

Danube and dated to about 7,000 ya (Mithen, 1996). These are considered

pieces of artwork, probably constructed for some religious signifi cance.

Like problem solving and toolmaking, producing a novel piece of art

follows a similar process of scenario visualization. As with the harpoon, I

ask you to imagine that this is the very fi rst instance of some hominin

coming up with the idea of the fi sh–human fi gurine.

In the fi rst step, the artist has separate visual images of human and

animal morphology and behavior; however, the information between the

two spheres has the potential to intermix and is represented by the

dotted-line bubbles. In the second step, scenario visualization is beginning

as the human and animal modules are bracketed off or segregated from

the other modules. In the third step, scenario visualization is continuing

as the artist is transforming, adjusting, and reconfi guring the information regarding fi sh and human characteristics in some imagined future visual

scenario. In the fourth step, the information regarding fi sh and humans

has been integrated, and something wholly new—the fi sh–human—has

been formed. The fourth panel in the schematization is based upon one

of the fi gurines found at Lepenski Vir (poorly, given my lousy drawing

abilities). These fi gurines are signifi cant because they are some of the fi rst

pieces of art constructed by hominins whereby it could be said that the

artist did not already possess an image of that particular kind of fi nished

product in his or her mind. There have been fi sh fi gurines and human

fi gurines found that predate these fi gurines, but never specifi cally fi sh–

human fi gurines.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Scenario 1 Scenario 2

Figure 5.3

The construction of a fi sh-human fi gurine