Unlike Steve, I don't really know that much about the subject, although I will say that the bit Pedestrian posted about music happening in many regions of the brain indicating that music is piggybacking other developed traits, like language - makes sense to me. It doesn't mean I'm not open to a good counter argument if someone provides one.
Songbirds are a good example that have taken this "males sing for females" strategy to the extreme. In some species of birds, probably a lot of them really, you can make them sing more by giving them testosterone. If in 50 million years, something like intellectually and culturally advanced birdmen exist, they could potentially trace the origin of music back to when the first bird started singing. But only if bird song is considered music (it's instinctual rather than intentional), so .. for the purposes of this thread, defining what we mean by music might also be useful! If it's an ape bashing a log to make cool sounds, then one might have to go back very far.
edit :
Quote:
Originally Posted by steveeden888
It is not a mating call, however.  |
The idea that, evolutionary speaking, men make music to attract women doesn't mean every song is a mating call. It just means men who make music are more attractive and so their own intellectual justification or whatever for making the music in the first place isn't necessarily important. What's important is that chicks think it's hot. As long as they do, making music is a good strategy for maximizing fitness.
Anyways, peace Steve!