Date: Wed, 22 May 1996 16:48:31 -0600
Subject: Tom's misc



>>> "Tom Condit" <tomcondit-AT-igc.apc.org>  5/20/96, 03:02pm >>>
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.

Lisa:  I think I said "somebody" "before", and actually I was
thinking of some anthropologist, such as Ruth Benedict.  Not to
slight you, Tom, but I wasn't thinking of M1 at the time, no offense,
I hope.

Tom:
(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.)

Lisa:  That's about the time I dug out a book and posted an essay on
opposable thumbs, also available from the archives, titled "thumbs". 
Opposability refers to the rotational capacity of the joint at the
very base of the thumb, where it joins the wrist, which allows the
thumb to face the other fingers.  

Primates' thumbs are generally more rotational than any other
mammals, but full rotatability evolved within the primates twice. 
Once for the ancestor of all the species of gibbons, which all have
the same saddle-shaped thumb joint.  Once for the ancestor of humans,
chimps, orangs, gorillas and bonobos, which all have the same ball
and socket joint.

Arboreal apes tend to have curved finger bones, knuckle-walkers have
thicker bones for weight-bearing from the knuckles up through the
elbow joints.

But enough of that.

Nice to hear from you, Tom.

Lisa


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