Multi-species skill-evolution: stages and assumptions

Theory for the multi-layered evolution of skills in vertebrates, primarily in mammals

1. There are multiple layers of simultaneous evolution for skills. Up to five for humans, three for most mammals, and at least two for most vertebrates.
   1. Genomic evolution as the first and bottom layer.
   • Encoding of program for skill: genome
   • Execution of the skill: neurons of the brain
   • Example: a calf standing up and walking to nurse, within minutes after birth
   2. Apprenticeship mimicry as the second layer, with directly observed skilled behaviour being copied and learned.
   • Encoding: genome for innate functions required for learning and execution
   • Encoding: visual sequence (like video) for the skill actions to be mimicked
   • Execution of the skill both during mimicry and after for the learnt skill: neurons of the brain
   • Examples: imprinting, pack-based learning to hunt
   3. Communication such as animal calls or speech being used to invoke and-or modify skilled behaviour.
   • Encoding: genome for innate functions required
   • Encoding: visual sequence (like video) for the skill actions to be mimicked
   • Encoding: auditory sequence (like sound recording) for the communication to be mimicked
   • Execution of the skill both during mimicry and after for the learnt skill: neurons of the brain
   • Examples: using sound to coordinate herd defence, using speech utterances to coordinate a hunt
   The present research focuses on these three layers, up to the beginnin of speech for humans.
2. Functionality is accrued over time and over successive generations, species, and layers. The sequence of first appearance of functionality is ordered in time and over species. Similarly, the sequence of first appearance of the layers is ordered over time and species. It is not implied, however, that evolution of lower layers ceases once higher layers are evolving.
3. The sequence of first appearance of functionality during evolution or maturation reflects functional dependencies. These functional dependencies are preserved during the execution of a skill to produce skilled behaviour.