Date: Fri, 12 Apr 1996 12:38:13 -0600
Subject:  human / social evolution




Adam:
> The explanation of the rise of human society must start with
hominids in> their African environment, and use the laws of nature to
explain why > human society developed. Chronologically , this refers
to a period> starting roughly 3,000,000 years ago and ENDING with the
demise of> the neanderthals ( 20 ? 15 ? 10,000 years ago ).

Lisa:  I take it in this case you mean the origin of human forager
society.  I expect then that some idea of forager society is needed
here, which is part of what we're talking about, i.e. various ways to
view it.  BTW, the neanderthals are not likely to have been our
direct ancestors.  It is now clear that they were regional, and
coexisted in time with more anatomically modern humans, which were
appearing in parts of Africa by 80-90,000 yrs ago.  Neans disappeared
around 30 kya.  

There may have been a boundary between the two regional types that
moved north and south with climatic changes.  Some people think that
Neans were specifically cold-adapted.  Their remains have been found
down into the near east, i.e. east end of mediterranean, at the same
location as moderns, although they were probably there at different
times.

Jerry:
The chronology can also be developed *backwards* rather than forwards
in  the sense that an evaluation of modern society sheds light on 
pre-capitalist modes of production.

Lisa:  How?  Tell us more.

Cheers,
Lisa



     --- from list marxism2-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---