Re: [asa] AIG gets it wrong again

Jon Tandy wrote:

> My question was, upon discovery of this site, were anthropologists
> "astonished" at how these early Neandertals appear all of a sudden with fully
> developed technology, contradicting their previous views of human development? If
> not, and if there is actually evidence of prior history of technology
> development, then the "too advanced for evolution" statement is falsified, or at
> least seriously challenged.
>

It's more complicated with anthropologists. The evidence
for an extensive technology is of some debate. Moreover,
what technology we do know of, cannot be shown to have
appeared long before the modern humans also began to
occupy Europe.

So some anthropologist view the Neanderthals as being
little more than technological imitators at best. Neither have
we found solid, indisputable evidence for art amongst the
Neanderthals, although there are some hints for those
willing to cut a little slack there. So some consider the
Neanderthals to not be capable of the technological innovation
to make anything significant beyond cutting a few crude flints.
At any rate, even the issue about where the technology came
from is of contentious debate amongst anthropologists.

In that sense, YECs may be viewing Neanderthals and H erectus
more charitably than some scientists and OECs.

Of course, the same "sudden appearance" argument could be
used with us over the last 150 years. 80000 years from
now, it probably would look like a quantum leap. But
the technological evolution (used in the loose definition that
Gregory has objected to), can be easily explained. Perhaps
the word should be "technological revolution".

> Since there is evidence of earlier H. erectus finds in Europe as David
> stated, another part of their assertion ("earliest sign of humans in Europe") is
> falsified. Unless one makes H. erectus non-human by definition, but that
> doesn't help the anti-evolutionary view which is the point of the article.
>

Agreed. But I reckon the YECs would argue the same thing for H. erectus as
with Neanderthals. Though perhaps well intentioned and thorough in
scientific practice, it seems that fossil man has suffered less derision
under
YEC than under science and our more narrow cultural attitudes. Though
I guess for YECs also, they seem to have received no grace.

Wayne

To unsubscribe, send a message to majordomo@calvin.edu with
"unsubscribe asa" (no quotes) as the body of the message.
Received on Tue Aug 8 20:25:48 2006