# The Stoned Ape Theory



## drippin' rock (Nov 17, 2013)

This is an interesting approach to our early development, using edible psychedelic mushrooms to expand consciousness.  According to the theory, mushrooms would have been ingested accidentally and once the benefits were realized, eaten on purpose.  This would help explain the development of tool making, speech, agriculture, and religion.  Read below:

In his book Food of the Gods,[24] McKenna proposed that the transformation from humans' early ancestors Homo erectus to the species Homo sapiens mainly had to do with the addition of the mushroom Psilocybe cubensis in its diet - an event which according to his theory took place in about 100,000 BC (this is when he believed that the species diverged from the Homo genus). He based his theory on the main effects, or alleged effects, produced by the mushroom. One of the effects that comes about from the ingestion of low doses, which agrees with one of scientist Roland Fischer's findings from the late 1960s-early 1970s,[25] is it significantly improves the visual acuity of humans - so, theoretically, of other human-like mammals too. According to McKenna, this effect would have definitely proven to be of evolutionary advantage to humans' omnivorous hunter-gatherer ancestors that would have stumbled upon it "accidentally"; as it would make it easier for them to hunt.

In higher doses, McKenna claims, the mushroom acts as a sexual stimulator, which would make it even more beneficial evolutionarily, as it would result in more offspring. At even higher doses, the mushroom would have acted to "dissolve boundaries", which would have promoted community-bonding and group sexual activities that would result in a mixing of genes and therefore greater genetic diversity. Generally McKenna believed that the periodic ingestion of the mushroom would have acted to dissolve the ego in humans before it ever got the chance to grow to destructive proportions. In this context, he likened the ego to a cancerous tumor that can grow uncontrollable and become destructive to its host. In his own words:


Wherever and whenever the ego function began to form, it was akin to a cancerous tumor or a blockage in the energy of the psyche. The use of psychedelic plants in a context of shamanic initiation dissolved - as it dissolves today - the knotted structure of the ego into undifferentiated feeling, what Eastern philosophy calls the Tao.

—Terence McKenna, Food of the Gods



The mushroom, according to McKenna, also gave humans their first truly religious experiences and, as he believed, were the basis for the foundation of all subsequent religions to date. For example, he proposed that the biblical Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was actually an entheogenic mushroom. Another factor that McKenna talked about was the mushroom's potency to promote linguistic thinking. This would have promoted vocalisation, which in turn would have acted in cleansing the brain (based on a scientific theory that vibrations from speaking cause the precipitation of impurities from the brain to the cerebrospinal fluid), which would further mutate the brain. All these factors according to McKenna were the most important factors that promoted evolution towards the Homo sapiens species. After this transformation took place, the species would have begun moving out of Africa to populate the rest of the planet.[24] Later on, this theory by McKenna was given the name "The 'Stoned Ape' Theory of Human Evolution".[26][27]


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## swampstalker24 (Nov 17, 2013)

This is actually a fairly legitimate theory in modern anthropology of how early humans evolved into the creative, artistic, and spiritual beings  we are today.  IT makes a lot of sense especially considering some of the strange cave art that has been discovered, dating back to early man.


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## drippin' rock (Nov 17, 2013)

Because I tend to believe there are real physical explanations for other worldly experiences(even if we can't explain some yet), I agree this is a valid theory. 

I posted a list here  http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=751465 that shows all the things found naturally we can ingest to alter our perceived physical world.


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## Artfuldodger (Nov 17, 2013)

Were early humans the only animals to eat shrooms? Why didn't dogs develop from eating shrooms? Could we feed our hunting dogs shrooms and make them better hunters?


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## SemperFiDawg (Nov 17, 2013)

"When a Man stops believing in God he doesn’t then believe in nothing, he believes anything."

G.K. Chesterton


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## Artfuldodger (Nov 17, 2013)

I would go so far as saying that early man high on drugs could get a religious experience and develop artistic ability. Maybe it would lower his ego and raise his sexual awareness. It could make him get along with his fellow man. I could even say this is where music & art came from but it's kinda pushing the envelope to thing mushrooms did all that report/research/paper said.


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## Artfuldodger (Nov 17, 2013)

I propose the Annunaki  visited the Earth for our drugs. I overheard one say "your drugs alone was worth the trip."


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## ted_BSR (Nov 17, 2013)

drippin' rock said:


> Because I tend to believe there are real physical explanations for other worldly experiences(even if we can't explain some yet), I agree this is a valid theory.
> 
> I posted a list here  http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=751465 that shows all the things found naturally we can ingest to alter our perceived physical world.



You missed a few on your list.
What about Cannabis indica, toad licking, and Datura?


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## drippin' rock (Nov 17, 2013)

Artfuldodger said:


> Were early humans the only animals to eat shrooms? Why didn't dogs develop from eating shrooms? Could we feed our hunting dogs shrooms and make them better hunters?



Good questions. I certainly don't have all the answers, but it makes for interesting reading.  I'll have to look into it further.


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## drippin' rock (Nov 17, 2013)

ted_BSR said:


> You missed a few on your list.
> What about Cannabis indica, toad licking, and Datura?



Not surprised I missed some since I am a telephone man, and not a scientist. . Like I said, it is fun to think about. I already know what the Bible says about life as we know it. I like to seek other possible answers.


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## drippin' rock (Nov 17, 2013)

SemperFiDawg said:


> "When a Man stops believing in God he doesn’t then believe in nothing, he believes anything."
> 
> G.K. Chesterton



Right...... Because your answers make so much more sense.  

You say God talked to Moses through a burning bush. I say Moses wasn't high, he was really, really high.


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## JB0704 (Nov 17, 2013)

drippin' rock said:


> You say God talked to Moses through a burning bush. I say Moses wasn't high, he was really, really high.



That is certainly one theory.

I would put the stoned ape up there with the "Steve Jobs" pre-human.  Sometimes, it's more about who said what, than what was said that impacts our ability to believe it.


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## Joe of Dirt (Nov 23, 2013)

Drugs such as psilocybin, peyote and lysergic acid diethymide most certainly do change one's ability to see things differently...forever...THC too (but to a lesser extent).  They most definitely do, as a certain "poet" once said...open the Doors to reality.  Go into the inner reaches of your mind, and then you can see things you never saw before.  Really.  Then again, some people are simple-minded enough that reading someone else's ill-translated and compiled words make perfect sense to them.

As an old buddy once told me.


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## swampstalker24 (Nov 23, 2013)

I think everyone should take a shroom/LSD/DMT trip at least once in their life.  It will really open you eyes to what reality actually is.


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