Re: AAT Theory
J. Moore (j#d#.moore@canrem.com)
Thu, 21 Sep 95 12:46:00 -0500
Pa> An hypothesis explaining progress to bipedalism must state the selective
Pa> pressures that would operate every day for a million years. It's not
Pa> enough to talk of occasional behaviours, such as display routines. It
Pa> must cover normal activites: escaping predators, finding food, beating
Pa> off rivals, etc. In the absence of special factors all these will just
Pa> select the best movers - the best quadrupedal movers.
Why just the "best quadrupedal movers" rather than the best for
the task and the environment? Note that all the activities you
mention above do not depend on great speed and in fact would be
enhanced by greater ability to carry tools.
Pa> It seems to me that a complete change of lifestyle is needed. Regular
Pa> wading in deep water would do it; the apes would have to keep their
Pa> heads up. But how could regular wading form part of a million year
Pa> lifestyle?
More importantly, how would they deal with the predators they find
there?
Pa> Until there's another one, all the sniping on side issues
Pa> is pointless (e.g. whether homo sapiens and/or other terrestrials
Pa> can/could detect smells in salt/fresh water - who cares? so what?).
Pa> Paul.
Well, Morgan's the one who brought it up (as evidence for her
position when it's actually evidence against it) maybe you should
ask why she cared about that one. If *you* don't care about accepting
the word of a writer who alteres quotes and cites people as saying
things when they said the opposite, well...
Jim Moore (j#d#.moore@canrem.com)
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