Music Evolution

During the 2012 neuroscience banquet, Gary Marcus gave a speech focusing on the connection between two of his books, Kluge and Guitar Zero.  He argued that music and language were connected through the reasons for their evolution. 

Marcus took the time to talk about possible reasons for why music and language evolved as well as how.  He speculated that two possible reasons that music and language evolved was for them to be used as a "social glue" in addition to a way to attract possible mates.  When he talked about sexual selection in terms of animals, Marcus referenced that birds as well as other animals sing to attract mates.  The better the song, the more offspring were possible.  For humans, Marcus referenced the "Jimi Hendrix Theory."  He pointed out that because Hendrix could play amazing music, he could have had many children from his travels.  Jimi Hendrix's musical talent raised his reproductive success.  Marcus also states that even though the examples favor men, it could also apply to women.

Music is involved in our everyday life, its something we hear constantly in things like commercials, entertainment, etc.  I thoroughly enjoyed Marcus' talk about music, especially since I used to be greatly involved in it when I was younger, playing the violin as well as a few brass instruments.  It was interesting how he pointed out that while one can have musical talent, without success, one cannot raise their reproductive success.  Marcus' take on why we have music was extremely interesting