The devil in the details - Response

Despite challenges on minimum necessary competence, intentionality, reliability, and context, the example of cognitive archaeology presented in the target article holds up well. The commentaries also present perspectives on cognition and symmetry that suggest an alternative to the target article's characterization of the cognitive abilities of early Homo erectus. However, the major conclusion of the initial argument-that the human ability to coordinate shape recognition and spatial cognition evolved hundreds of thousands of year ago in conditions unlike those of the modem world-remains intact.