Date:          Mon, 20 May 1996 21:02:12 +0000
Subject:       misc


1. Lisa has mentioned that someone brought up the question of
Kwakiutl stratification and/or "class" structure before on the
Marxism (1) list. It was me, in November 1995. You can find it in
the archives or I'll send a copy to anyone who's interested.

2.  Re the discussion between Terry and Lisa on five-
fingeredness. Oh, well, see my article of ... (as professors
say). Actually, this also came up back in January 1996 as a
sidebar by me to a discussion between Adam and Lisa. At that
time, I pointed out that human hand structure is "primitive
reptilian pentadactyly", that is that we maintain more or less
the hand structure of lizards rather than having evolved hooves,
claws, paddles, etc., for more specialized use. This is because
our animals were arboreal, and that's a handy pattern for
arboreal animals (squirrels, etc). Our fellow great apes have
more specialized hands for brachiation.

For us, the maintenance of this primitive structure proved to
very, very ... dare I say handy?

(I think Adam raised the point at that time that the opposable
thumb in humans is more specialized and powerful than that in
lizards and monkeys. I'd have to dig out some old books to check
on this.)

Tom

"Behind every great fortune is a great crime."
    ---Balzac


Tom Condit
<tomcondit-AT-igc.apc.org>
1801-A Cedar Street
Berkeley, California 94703
510-845-7251


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