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Re: Brain development.
Ralph L Holloway (rlh2@COLUMBIA.EDU)
Thu, 2 Feb 1995 13:22:22 -0500
F
First off, I'd be careful about coexistence of multiple species at
different stages of brain expansion. In fact, we (paleoanthropologists
really don't know whether A. afarensis is one or more species, or whether
the Olduvai Gorge stuff OH 7, 13, 16, 24 and 62 are really different from
East Lake Turkana hominids 1813, 1805, and whether 1470 should be in it's
own species, H. rudolphensis. Ditto for H. ergaster and H. erectus, and
thence to Neandertals and modern H. sapiens. There is precious little to
go on.
Secondly, though, there is more to the brain than size, and alas,
paleoneurological evidence is very weak. I still believe there is too
much weight given to brain size as the only meaningful evolutionary and
behavioral-related variable.
Ralphg Holloway.
On Thu, 2 Feb 1995, JOHN LANGDON wrote:
> In message Steve Nicholas writes:
> > Is it possible that the 'intelligence' niche had never been filled
> > evolutionally thus paving the way for a very rapid filling of that
> > niche? Is that the way it goes?
>
> This is dangerously close to the fallicy of the single species hypothesis that
> regarded "culture" as an ecological niche. If intelligence is a niche, how can
> you explain the coexistence of multiple species of hominids at different stages
> of brain expansion? I think your "asset" description is better.
>
> JOHN H. LANGDON email LANGDON@GANDLF.UINDY.EDU
> DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGY FAX (317) 788-3569
> UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS PHONE (317) 788-3447
> INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46227
>
>
>
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