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From: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: Re: Orphaned Response
Message-ID: <544@cybvax0.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 23-May-85 15:08:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: cybvax0.544
Posted: Thu May 23 15:08:42 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 26-May-85 00:50:12 EDT
References: <-41400@psivax.UUCP> <14600014@hpfcrs.UUCP>
Reply-To: mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz)
Organization: Cybermation, Inc., Cambridge, MA
Lines: 31
Summary: 

In article <14600014@hpfcrs.UUCP> lief@hpfcrs.UUCP (lief) writes:
> >[Sarima (Stanley Friesen)]
> >Humans have a
> >natural *capacity* to *learn* language, something which no other
> >animal has ever been demonstrated to have.
> 
> Any idea what mutation or natural selection mechanism caused mammals which
> have no *capacity* for learning languages to somehow gain that ability?

GACK!  Talk about fallacious insinuations!  Shame, Lief.

Let's rewrite the question to fit in with evolutionary thought, rather than
creationist misrepresentations.

"Any idea what mutation or natural selection mechanism enabled mammals which
have precursors for ability to learn languages to gain that ability?"

There's no doubt that other mammals have elaborate systems of communication
which (for technical reasons) we don't call language.  But no insuperable
gap has been identified between human language ability and that of apes.
Chimps and gorillas seem to be on the threshold of language ability: I say
that because as of yet, we've not been able to tell one way or the other.
First, we need more understanding of just what our language ability is.

As for the specific mechanisms, no we don't know yet.  However, we have a
wide variety of plausible evolutionary mechanisms to explore.  (Which
reminds me, that I ought to go out and read "Promethean Fire", by Lumsden
and E. O. Wilson.)
-- 

Mike Huybensz		...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh