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Music Is a Vestigial Trait (whatismusic.info)
2 points by pjdorrell on Aug 18, 2019 | hide | past | favorite | 1 comment



On some level, I would posit that music is still a form of language. Music is to language what poetry is to mathematics. Mathematics (or computer programing languages) are a formal method of conveying information in a very strict structural context. Similarly, music conveys emotion in a melodic way much in how poetry conveys emotion using language. I see all these forms on a continuum of structure vs. lyrics, emotion vs. reason. But having said all this, I agree with the basic conjecture that music probably preceded language. Whether it is vestigial I am not as convinced for that, I think it still performs important functions for Human communication.




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