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The Ādam Paradox Hypothesis 210
The Takeaway
Without symbols: trust erodes as groups expand; survival probability
stagnates.
With symbols: trust is preserved, effective pp stays high, and survival
probability for large groups quickly approaches 100%.
This mathematical truth matches the historical record: after ~70,000 years ago,
when symbols became durable (rituals, language, myth), human groups
expanded exponentially, spread across continents, and survived where others
did not.
Figure 21.1 — Survival Probability and Dunbar’s Number
Each curve shows how group survival probability changes with group size n. With higher cooperation
(p=0.1p=0.1 or 0.20.2), the probability reaches certainty (near 100%) much faster.
Without symbols, trust erodes around ~150 individuals (Dunbar’s Number), limiting survival.
With symbols preserving cooperation, survival probability rises rapidly, enabling groups of thousands to
endure and expand.
