Re: tree-climbing hominids

H. M. Hubey (hubey@pegasus.montclair.cro)
21 Oct 1995 11:29:21 -0400

Alex Duncan <aduncan@mail.utexas.edu> writes:

>Dave's point is extremely important. All the AAH proponents (when trying
>to tear down the strawman savanna model) assume that there must have been
>a lot of lone (and strictly terrestrial) females wandering around in the
>savanna (couldn't go anywhere else) carrying helpless infants. They note

Not a correct statement. I never said they were alone. Didn't you
read my scenario of groups of them traveling carrying babies
and rocks and presents for their relatives :-)..

>Humans are by far the most social primates. Not only do humans have
>complex and long lasting family bonds, with families that are EXTENDED
>compared to those of any other primates, but humans also have large
>"surrogate families", or networks of friends with whom they participate
>in social interactions.

I already issued my challenge. Put some chimps on the savannah
with some lions, hyenas and wild dogs. We'll leave aside the
saber toothed-tigers :-).. Oh, yes, the chimps have to learn
to throw rocks on their own, no coaching. My guess is that they
scatter like rabbits and lions will make mincemeat out of them
just like babboons.

>And they wonder why we keep suggesting they actually read something.

Hmmmm...

Strawman or is it a strawchimp argument...

-- 

Regards, Mark
http://www.smns.montclair.cro/~hubey