There is good evidence that the art of shooting with bows and arrows has not been handed down from any common progenitor of mankind, yet as Westropp and Nilsson have remarked, the stone arrow-heads, brought from the most distant parts of the world, and manufactured at the most remote periods, are almost identical; and this fact can only be accounted for by the various races having similar inventive or mental powers.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Arrowheads from different parts of the world are nearly identical, suggesting human races share similar mental powers rather than a common ancestor for this specific art.
- In plain terms
- Similar arrowheads worldwide show humans have similar inventive minds, even if they didn't inherit the skill from one ancestor.
- What can you take from it?
- Similar problems often get similar solutions across cultures.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do different cultures invent similar things?
- How do we distinguish invention from inheritance?
Another view
Similarity might also result from trade rather than independent invention.
More from Charles Darwin
It may be doubted whether any character can be named which is distinctive of a race and is constant.
Permalink to quote #39 Now when naturalists observe a close agreement in numerous small details of habits, tastes, and dispositions between two or more domestic races, or between nea…
Permalink to quote #41 At some future period, not very distant as measured by centuries, the civilised races of man will almost certainly exterminate, and replace the savage races th…
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