Study: Early Humans Developed Kindness, Compassion Before Intelligence

Perhaps next scientists will realize kindness and compassion are forms of intelligence?

According to a new study conducted by researchers at York University, kindness, compassion and a sense of beauty developed in early humans long before intelligence did.

“Human evolution is usually depicted as driven by intelligence, with empathy and deeper emotions following,” said Penny Spikins, human origins researcher at  York University. “However, the evidence suggests it happened the other way round. Evolution made us sociable, living in groups and looking after one another, even before we had language.”

Our success since then, including the evolution of intelligence, all sprang from that,” Spikins said.