Hunter-gatherers, possibly not, but we’ve had agriculture around for 10,000 years. That has been enough time for other selection effects (for instance, the persistent domestication of cattle, and the associated dairying activities, did alter the selective environments of some human populations for sufficient generations to select for genes that today confer greater adult lactose tolerance), so I’d be cautious about putting too much weight on the hunter-gatherer environment.
interesting. So in fact for those adaptations that could be implemented in just 10,000⁄20 = 500 generations are probably more skewed towards rationality.
We can probably see the difference that those 500 generations made by the differences in life outcomes between those with aboriginal Australian DNA and white European DNA.
hmmm well I was actually considering the point purely from an academic POV—it occurred to me that the aboriginals were a near-perfect example. But now that you point it out, I guess that comment could be construed as “in bad taste” or “racist” or something.
Did hunter gatherers really look forward several winters ahead?
Hunter-gatherers, possibly not, but we’ve had agriculture around for 10,000 years. That has been enough time for other selection effects (for instance, the persistent domestication of cattle, and the associated dairying activities, did alter the selective environments of some human populations for sufficient generations to select for genes that today confer greater adult lactose tolerance), so I’d be cautious about putting too much weight on the hunter-gatherer environment.
interesting. So in fact for those adaptations that could be implemented in just 10,000⁄20 = 500 generations are probably more skewed towards rationality.
We can probably see the difference that those 500 generations made by the differences in life outcomes between those with aboriginal Australian DNA and white European DNA.
Why be needlessly inflammatory?
It provides an test for the theory?
hmmm well I was actually considering the point purely from an academic POV—it occurred to me that the aboriginals were a near-perfect example. But now that you point it out, I guess that comment could be construed as “in bad taste” or “racist” or something.
Cultural differences are hard to factor out, too.