The evolution of culture and human consciousness: the question of causation

The article discusses the origin of consciousness and human creativity in the works of contemporary Anglo-American philosophers and naturalists. Attempt to analyze the problem of the evolution of culture and consciousness. The theoretical basis of this paper is the theory of gene-culture co-evolution, developed in detail by E. O. Wilson, R. Dawkins, S. Blackemore, R. Allot and others, as well as the philosophical ideas of D. Dennett, the patriarch of American philosophy, in particular, his "Multiple drafts model". It is suggested that the basis for the evolution of consciousness and the cause of culture (both material and spiritual) is the human capacity for imitation. The beneficiary of the evolution of culture is not the man himself, but the smallest units of culture - Memes are capable of copying themselves, preservation and dissemination. Evolution and culture in need of a connecting element, which acts as the language. The language in the treatment of S. Blakemore and R. Allot, is a complex coevolving memes. It allows intelligence to realize itself through the implementation of ongoing activities of the narrative. Consciousness is regarded not as an objective given, but rather as a property or state of mind, controlled by the positive feedback the evolution of memes. Any evolution involves selection, and memes are selected on the criterion of Darwinian survival (save in culture). Biological evolution as implemented in the interests of "selfish genes" (R. Dawkins) and cultural evolution - in the interests of memes, not people. We are not the source of changes in our own culture - this is the basic idea of S. Blackmore. Partly, it accepts and D. Dennett, making the reservation: "Even if you think that the Darwinian fitness improvement is the principle that drives the evolution of culture, you have to postulate a direct mechanism for the preservation and transmission of information." As such, a mechanism he calls consciousness, which serves as a "Intuition's Pump." As a result, the author concludes that the processes of evolution of consciousness and culture that went parallel in human history, are interdependent, or as figuratively said E.O. Wilson, "the genes hold culture on a short leash." Biological and sociocultural evolution is part of the overall development process, guiding factor which is the ability to simulate and creativity, and a necessary (but not sufficient) condition - developed mind and consciousness.

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