Re: The need for theory in PA

Alex Duncan (aduncan@mail.utexas.edu)
6 Nov 1995 14:26:55 GMT

In article <815625946snz@crowleyp.demon.co.uk> Paul Crowley,
Paul@crowleyp.demon.co.uk writes:

>In a few years or decades the answer will be clear. I am sure that
>you will then look back and kick yourself for not realising it;
>because enough of the facts are known now; and the AAT has a
>better attitude to most of them than you do.

There's a greater problem here than I think you realize, and it has to do
with our expectations of what science can accomplish. You seem to want a
definitive answer WHY hominids became bipedal. I do not think that we
will ever be able to answer that question. Even if we had a
time-machine, we would still be asking "why did the proto-hominid leave
the tree?" We can offer potential models and suggest possible adaptive
advantages.

Alex Duncan
Dept. of Anthropology
University of Texas at Austin
Austin, TX 78712-1086
512-471-4206
aduncan@mail.utexas.edu