Do you agree that signalling intelligence is the main explanation for the evolution of language? To me, it seems like coalition-building is a more fundamental driving force(after all, being attracted to intelligence only makes sense if intelligence is already valuable in some contexts, and coalition politics seems like an especially important domain) Miller has also argued that sexual signalling is a main explanation of art and music, which Will Buckingham has a good critique of here.
I think signaling loyalty (which is very important for coalition-building) and other virtues is probably comparable in importance as a function of language to signaling intelligence, so Miller does seem to over-emphasize the latter as an explanation, and he does also seem to have a tendency to over-emphasize sexual selection.
Do you agree that signalling intelligence is the main explanation for the evolution of language? To me, it seems like coalition-building is a more fundamental driving force(after all, being attracted to intelligence only makes sense if intelligence is already valuable in some contexts, and coalition politics seems like an especially important domain) Miller has also argued that sexual signalling is a main explanation of art and music, which Will Buckingham has a good critique of here.
I think signaling loyalty (which is very important for coalition-building) and other virtues is probably comparable in importance as a function of language to signaling intelligence, so Miller does seem to over-emphasize the latter as an explanation, and he does also seem to have a tendency to over-emphasize sexual selection.