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From: peter@sugar.UUCP
Newsgroups: sci.bio
Subject: Re: Why are Humans as Smart as They Are?
Message-ID: <597@sugar.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 29-Aug-87 20:33:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: sugar.597
Posted: Sat Aug 29 20:33:02 1987
Date-Received: Tue, 1-Sep-87 03:45:10 EDT
References: <1041@ttidca.TTI.COM> <2851@phri.UUCP> <2172@xanth.UUCP> <2346@calmasd.GE.COM>
Organization: Sugar Land UNIX - Houston, TX
Lines: 32
Keywords: high foreheads
Summary: Ah, but other factors are equal...

In article <2346@calmasd.GE.COM>, jnp@calmasd.GE.COM (John Pantone) writes:
> In article <2172@xanth.UUCP>, kent@xanth.UUCP (Kent Paul Dolan) writes:
> > Chinese ideal of beauty includes a wide, clear forehead.
> > 
> > woman) was:  wouldn't self selection for high, clear foreheads, i.e.,
> > probably enlarged cranial capacity, be an excellent way to bias toward
> > the reproduction of the more intelligent members of a race/species?
> 
> Only one problem, Kent.  High, clear foreheads don't indicate (necessarily)
> a large cranial capacity (could have a small hind-head) nor does large

But there's no corresponding selection for any features that decrease cranial
capacity.

> cranial capacity indicate high intelligence.  Some species of Dolphin,
> almost all whales and elephants have brains physically larger than ours -
> yet it is not true that they have greater intelligence.

Firstly, it's not known whether they have greater intelligence or not. you
could state "it's not known that they have greater intelligence", or "but
this doesn't imply they have greater intelligence". Measuring the intelligence
of a non tool-user is hard.

Secondly, we're not talking about dolphins or elephants here, but humans.

> The "classic" anecdote on this subject is the one regarding the largest
> brain (human) recorded - which belonged to a mentally deficient man.

Of course, one sample point is statistically significant (sarcasm).
-- 
-- Peter da Silva `-_-' ...!seismo!soma!uhnix1!sugar!peter
--                  U   <--- not a copyrighted cartoon :->