is just the branching worldline
of that first DNA molecule
swaddled in RNA, protein, and phospholipids
accumulating encoded behaviors
triggerable by
environmental changes
coordinating these behaviors via
hormones
and a nerve net
each environmental trigger
and each behavior
presenting
to the rest of the nerve-net
a characteristic aspect
symbolised in neural rhythms
rhythms of alarm
of heightened alert
of desire
of contentment
simpler desires at the root of the Tree
becoming subtler as we rise
and when a pattern like alertness
needed to be maintained even when
all external triggers were hidden
(in the underbrush, in the dark)
a sort of neural
whistling-a-tune
to keep your mood focused
would be invaluable
causing that characteristic aspect
to keep repeating
like a rhythmic phrase
from earliest times
among the trigger-patterns of behaviors
were mechanical/acoustic vibrations
varying in frequency and volume
with the ear emerging as
the primary detector
sifting specific triggers
from the welter
and routing them, ASAP
into responsible behavior
abstracting key sonic features
for disambiguation
laying the groundwork for a mapping
from sounds to feelings
among the ear's assignments
detecting others of the same species
was essential for mating purposes
and the sounds those others made
must have corresponded to similar sounds
made by the listener
under comparable circumstances
so variations in these sounds
corresponded to variations
in their shared repertoire
of inner states
(eg thrashing around when frustrated)
which made
empathy
important
projecting yourself into the other's shoes
by mapping their actions onto
your past feelings
and then choosing to make sounds
that the other will interpret
in a specific way
to frighten a competitor
or charm a potential mate
and these sounds also shape
the inner 'tune' you 'whistle'
and if your species
shows mutual assistance
the inner voice you hear
might be the projected voice
of a helpful other
(cf julian jaynes' theory
that ancient humans
heard in their inner ear
their god-boss's voice
urging them against laziness)
