If our predecessors developed full-blown spoken language (from gesture to speech) while 'domesticating' dogs (from wolves), perhaps we need to reconsider the possibilties for co-evolution, with one result being full-blown language for humans. Consider that wolves have a more complex social structure than the great apes, and they understand human gesturing better than great apes do. Something has been going on here. Our destiny was to become post-modern humankind, and the canines became post-modern pets (and escaped wolf extinction).
http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/s/275/Science/Coevolution03.pdf excerpts follow: Lupification of Canids When we talk about our own primate descent, about the hominization of Australopithecines, we are easily led to believe that our ancestors had nothing better to do than to leave their beastly existence behind and let those not worthy of becoming “humans” die out (Neanderthals, bushmen, or the like). In spite of accepting the new creed of Darwinian natural selection , we find comfort in our cherished belief to be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue it… to have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. In other words, instead of seeing ourselves as part of the complex system of nature, we continue to pretend to be the very crown of creation. If wolves could dig up the dens of their ancestors in Europe, Asia, and North America, sniffing at the old bones of their dead and the bones left of their meals, what would they find? How would wolves view the lupification of their canid ancestors? --- Only during the last few thousand years did humans propel themselves in mass to the top of the food pyramid, displacing the canid pack hunters. ------ In a fair comparison, Neanderthals were superior to wolves only in (1) having greater cognitive ability and foresight (reflected especially in their scouting and scavenging skills), (2) seeing better at longer distances (having an eye level twice that of wolves, able to cover four times an area in the steppe), and (3) being able to hit a distant target. The latter is especially significant in dealing with herds of ungulates, which tend not to run away from every little disturbance, but approach a serious predator with curiosity: ------- Wolfkind Today Once a few Neanderthals had learned to live with wolves and adopt the pack algorithm (going beyond the close ties of kinship, learning to cooperate closely, and sharing risks) many alternative ways to make a living became available. Within this process of coevolution, technology transfer and diversification began to thrive. Humans became better gatherers, better hunters, more successful fishermen, gardeners, astronauts, you name it. Wolves became hunting companions, guards, sled pulls, beasts of burden, baby substitutes, toys, food, human substitutes in experiments, and the first “astronauts” to circle our planet. ---- Today, man sits atop the food pyramid throughout the entire world. Reindeer are mostly out of sight, and of all the non-human mammalian species that roamed Eurasia 1 Ma BP, wolves were the most successful in increasing their numbers as dogs, that is, presumably followed by the aurochs ------ Wolves meeting humans in a phase of the latter’s apprenticeship in wolf pastoralism and, in a subsequent process of coevolution, wolves becoming dogs and early humans becoming modern man, is a good alternative hypothesis to the current theories of domestication with man conquering beasts, including wolves, through cognitive superiority and to the bootstrapping theory of hominization with man domesticating himself (e.g., BUDIANSKY’s idea that wolves weaseled their way into our hearts as scavengers). ------- As noted above, humankind separated from chimpanzee- like tree-dwelling and fruit-eating ancestors in Africa around 6 Ma BP and moved as true humans (Homo erectus) into the open savanna. In the absence of fruit trees, early humans turned into omnivorous gatherers and scavengers. Thanks to their superior brain power, they learned to discriminate among a multitude of resources, to avoid peril, e.g., by carrying a big stick and speaking softly (at least, at first) and to bluff the fierce predators into deserting their quarry. As cunning scavengers, they moved into the plains of Eurasia during the mild interglacials of the Ice Age, culminating in the successful Neanderthal of Europe and adjoining Asia. Meanwhile, around 150 ka BP the tribe of the legendary African Eve had emerged, and her daughters entered the Neanderthal domain. At this point, a strange coincidence occurred: at some time during the last ice age, our ancestors teamed up with pastoralist wolves (Figure 6). First, some humans adopted the wolves’ life style as herd followers and herders of reindeer, horses, and other hoofed animals. Wolves and humans had found their match, and “dogs” diversified and moved into other human cultures. Of course, not all wolves had become pastoralists, and neither had all humans. In the fringes of their range, humans remained gatherers and scavengers, or specialized as fish?hunters, hunter?gatherers, hunter?gardeners and, ultimately, became agriculturists. And dogs complemented human skills and satisfied human needs in many ways beyond herding and hunting: as beasts-of-burden, guards, hot-water-bottles, diaper service, and as true trusted companions, e.g. as seeing- eye dogs. _______________________________________________ Marxism-Thaxis mailing list Marxism-Thaxis@lists.econ.utah.edu To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism-thaxis
