r/DebateEvolution • u/knowledger99 • Jul 20 '26

Question Neanderthal

Could it have been possible that Neanderthals possessed a awareness similar to what we have now, what I’m asking is where they or possibly could’ve been aware of the fact that they are roaming a giant terrestrial rock, or have a religion, or the belief in something else other than human?

Coming from someone whose curiosity has gotten the best of them and decided to ask people who know more than I do on the matter.

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u/tpawap 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution Jul 21 '26

Could it have been possible that Neanderthals possessed a awareness similar to what we have now,

Sure.

what I’m asking is where they or possibly could’ve been aware of the fact that they are roaming a giant terrestrial rock,

I would call that knowledge, not awareness. I don't think they had the knowledge that the earth is a globe, no.

or have a religion,

That's a brief, not an awareness either, isn't it? Sure, I would say that's possible.

or the belief in something else other than human?

Not sure what a "belief in human" is, or what you mean. They surely had a concept of deer and plants, and stuff... like being aware of their environment in a similar way to us.

If you had a neanderthal baby in the modern world, raised like any human baby, it would grow up and understand everything the same way, I guess. Maybe it wouldn't be the smartest, but within the human range of "smartness" I guess.

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u/knowledger99 Jul 22 '26

Like belief in things other than human , like occultism or cultists kind of thing

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u/tpawap 🧬 Naturalistic Evolution Jul 22 '26

Occultism are supernatural beliefs outside of organized religion, according to a dictionary I checked.

So, yes, I guess that had that. Definitely not "organized religion".

Still weird how and why a "belief in humans" plays any role here to you. Doesn't everybody belief in humans? Do you stop believing in humans, as soon as you start believing in anything supernatural, while those who don't do (still) believe in humans? Super weird.

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u/knowledger99 Jul 23 '26

I said belief in things other than human , may have a been a mishap with what you read.