Re: A Specification for a
J. Moore (j#d#.moore@canrem.com)
Thu, 19 Oct 95 18:08:00 -0500
> j#d#.moore@canrem.com (J. Moore) writes:
JM> And the variablity of amounts of hair through the human
JM> population, i.e. many humans, usually males, have a great deal of
JM> body hair. And I mean a great deal -- lots and lots. Since this
JM> characteristic varies regionally, it would appear to be of
JM> comparatively recent origin. If hair was "lost" during the
JM> transition from CA, as the AAT insists, it must have returned, in
JM> some people, with a vengeance. If it comes and goes that quickly
JM> (a few 10s of thousands of years or less), any theory postulating
JM> its "loss" during the transition can only be an untestable, and
JM> unwarranted, assumption.
IB> Tens of thousands of years can't be right.
Since amounts of body hair is rather obviously variable throughout
human populations, and because the characteristic varies
regionally, and since all humans today belong to one single
species, it is obvious that this characteristic must have varied,
for whatever reason(s), since the transition to *Homo sapiens
sapiens*. This means that it either comes or goes, or both,
within a few tens of thousands of years.
IB> That could/make Eskimos and other Orientals living in the
IB> north hairy but they're not.
This is an objection only an environmental-determinist could make,
and it is not a valid one. In fact, since in hairy-bodied humans
today there is variation along sex divisions, we can see that at
least a major component (likely the principal component) of these
differences are due to sexual selection.
IB> In any case no sweat glands could mean cold climates using
IB> your logic, and that would mean that the Orientals then would have to
IB> be the hairiest. Doesn't wash.
Again, this is an objection only an environmental-determinist could
make, and it is not a valid one.
To reiterate:
We know that humans today are one single species.
We know that humans today vary in body hairiness.
We know that this characteristic varies regionally.
Consequently, we know that this variation post-dates the transition
to our species, so we know this sort of variation can and did arise
within a few tens of thousands of years.
Therefore, since we see that this characteristic can come and/or
go that quickly (a few 10s of thousands of years or less), any
theory postulating its "loss" during the transition can only be
an untestable, and unwarranted, assumption.
Jim Moore (j#d#.moore@canrem.com)
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