[ExI] Music again (Was: Re: what's the use?)

[Ben Zaiboc]

On 12/10/2024 19:41, Keith Henson wrote:
> Music is a side effect of our ability to speak and the bilateral
> symmetry of the brain.  A stroke in the area opposite Broca's area
> wipes out musical ability.  (This is in one of Oliver Sacks' books.)

HA!
Thanks for this, Keith. I didn't know it.

While the appeal of music remains a mystery, this could at least be a 
big clue as to why it seems to be a peculiarly human thing.

As various non-human animals have different language abilities (none of 
them reaching human levels, as far as we know), it would be interesting 
to map this against their apparent appreciation or at least use of, 
music or pseudo-music. E.g. we know that some chimpanzees use makeshift 
drums, birds not only sing, but some of them make up new songs, etc.

The hypothesis would be that language and music are roughly matched in 
each type of animal. The difficulty would be in quantifying both 
abilities in a way that makes them possible to measure and compare.

It certainly makes much more intuitive sense now, so it becomes a 
satisfying 'story' to explain something I've long wondered about. I know 
that doesn't make it true, but at least it makes me happier.

Ben
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