Many animal species use tools, but human technical engagement is more complex. We argue that there is coevolution between technical engagement (the manufacturing and use of tools) and advanced forms of causal cognition in the human ( Homo ) lineage. As an analytic tool, we present a classification of different forms of causal thinking. Human causal thinking has become detached from space and time, so that instead of just reacting to perceptual input, our minds can simulate actions and forces and their causal consequences. Our main thesis is that, unlike the situation for other primate species, an increasing emphasis on technical engagement made some hominins capable of reasoning about the forces involved in causal processes. This thesis is supported in three ways: (1) We compare the casual thinking about forces of hominins with that of other primates. (2) We analyze the causal thinking required for Stone Age hunting technologies such as throwing spears, bow hunting and the use of poisoned arrows, arguing that they may serve as examples of the expansion of casual cognition about forces. (3) We present neurophysiological results that indicate the facilitation of advanced causal thinking.

中文翻译：

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技术导致更抽象的因果推理

许多动物物种使用工具，但人类的技术参与更为复杂。我们认为，技术参与（工具的制造和使用）与人类（Homo）谱系中因果认知的高级形式之间存在共同进化。作为一种分析工具，我们对不同形式的因果思维进行了分类。人类的因果思维已经脱离了空间和时间，因此我们的思想不仅可以对感知输入做出反应，还可以模拟行为和力量及其因果后果。我们的主要论点是，与其他灵长类物种的情况不同，对技术参与的日益重视使一些人类能够推理因果过程中涉及的力量。本论文从三个方面得到支持：(1) 我们将人类对力量的随意思考与其他灵长类动物进行比较。(2)我们分析了石器时代的投矛、弓猎、毒箭等狩猎技术所需要的因果思维，认为它们可以作为对力量的随意认知扩展的例子。(3) 我们提出的神经生理学结果表明高级因果思维的促进。