Re: [Marxism] Re: human origins

[Carrol Cox <cbcox@xxxxxxxxx>]

Nick Halliday wrote:
>
>
> Yet there is this arguable belief--it even pervades the humanities,
> professor--that it is precisely language that separates humans from
> even the most intelligent animals.

This is true, but irrelevant to the question at issue, of WHEN language
appeared. Your argument images the "first human" being born from a
non-human, and when she is five she begins speaking to her mother who,
being non-human, cannot understand her child! :-)

What evolved was the _ability_ to speak. The discovery (i.e.
utilization) of that ability is another issue entirely. Linguists,
anthropologists are still arguing about the origins of language, and
Tattersall's speculations are just that, speculations (but the
speculation of a _very_ distinguished primate anthropologist).

Carrol

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