
In What Evolution Is, Ernst Mayr floats the idea that humans are born 17 months premature. I don’t think he intends to critique humans or human development; he is simply describing a difference between humans and primates like chimpanzees. Our neurological development is not very far along at birth; baby chimps are much more capable. Maybe you’re not familiar with baby chimps, but perhaps you’ve seen (video of) a baby deer or horse or giraffe tentatively taking its first steps within hours of birth; that’s a skill humans need a year to be ready for. That’s the price we’ve paid for greater capabilities mediated by a proportionately larger brain; we have to wait longer for the full functionality and spend more time taking care of our infants.
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