The size of early groups – hunting tools – ‘tailored’ clothing – proto-languages – Siberia to Alaska: Mal’ta, Afontova Gora, Dyukhtai, Berelekh, Denali – sinodonty – the Neanderthals’ hyoid bone – the language gene – Nostratic and other mother tongues – the ﬁrst sounds – the ﬁrst words – the ﬁrst writing?ģ. The Emergence of Language and the Conquest of Cold Scavenging – bipedalism and meat-eating – upright posture – the oldest artefacts – changes in brain size and hand-axes – ﬁre – ochre – burial – Neanderthals – the ﬁrst ‘abstract’ idea – Berekhet Ram – ‘the cultural explosion’ – cave art – Venus ﬁgurines – ‘split houses’ – sexual imagery – textiles – beads and ritualĢ. PART ONE: LUCY TO GILGAMESH The Evolution of Imagination 1. PETER GAY, SCHNITZLER’S CENTURY (2002)Īuthor’s Note Introduction: The Most Important Ideas in History – Some Candidates Prologue: The Discovery of Time While it may be hard to live with generalizations, it is inconceivable to live without them.

ALFRED NORTH WHITEHEAD, DIALOGUES (1953) It is trying to treat them as Whole truths that plays the devil. There are no whole truths All truths are half-truths. IDEAS A History of Thought and Invention, from Fire to Freud

Ideas a history from fire to freud