Evolutionary reason behind sharing the same path for food and air?

Question

What is the evolutionary reason behind sharing the same path for food and air? For example, we have a nose and lungs, yet they are linked by the pharynx, which is shared with the mouth and oesophagus. Wouldn't it make more evolutionary sense for the nose + lungs to have their own "path", while the mouth and stomach have a separate system? This would prevent "choking", allow for breathing while eating/drinking, etc.

Answer 1

There is not an evolutionary reason for this observation. Evolution does not work by what is more logical. Instead, evolution is more focused on what functionally works. Once this has been found, it usually stays the same for quite some time.