THE SAPIENT PARADOX AND THE GREAT JOURNEY: INSIGHTS FROM COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, NEUROBIOLOGY, AND PHENOMENOLOGY

After a specific point in history, hominin evolution accelerated to level that could not be accounted for by natural selection alone. An alternative mechanism has been proposed based on mutual interaction among neural, cognitive, and ecological niches positive feedback loop (triadic niche construction [TNC]). Nevertheless, the trigger events cognitive revolution of Homo sapiens as well reasons this event being limited single species remain unknown. In paper, using multidisciplinary approach involving psychology, neurobiology, phenomenology, we propose shift mechanisms underlying TNC, from TNC-1 hominids TNC-2 sapiens, answer these questions. As brain expanded during TNC-1, latent capabilities were incubated within its neural framework expressed with simple rewiring areas TNC-2, quick inexpensive process but one requires unique set preconditions commence. This was bootstrapped advanced function “projection,” which enabled humans recognize “self” particular time space world, allowing manipulation world (in both physical symbolic dimensions) again “positive loop.” Finally, basis hypothesis, discuss immediate problems addressed research fields science, archeology, anthropology, neurobiology.