tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post7372628687816182880..comments2024-03-22T06:05:36.544-04:00Comments on Kids Prefer Cheese: The worst mistake in the history of the human race?Mungowitzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02340064320347875601noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-48451300713439994162009-01-27T11:04:00.000-05:002009-01-27T11:04:00.000-05:00Just because the mean heights declined does not ne...Just because the mean heights declined does not necessarily imply that a higher % of tall people were born prior to the introduction of agriculture. Given the population expansion (increase in N on which the mean is based), it is possible that height distribution was unchanged but a larger % of small people survived long enough to be counted. It seems entirely plausible that taller people in a hunter-gatherer society would have an advantage and hence would be more likely to survive to adult age.hpalmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06261544826760577688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-72748108179535337772009-01-25T09:14:00.000-05:002009-01-25T09:14:00.000-05:00Diamond describes our hunter-gather phase as "most...Diamond describes our hunter-gather phase as "most successful," and yet, he doesn't add the punch line. I was expecting the paper to end with "...and so, this is my last essay on anthropology; I will take up a life of gathering nuts and berries and good luck to you all."<BR/><BR/>Since he didn't do that, I have to believe he is somewhere south of merely intellectually weak.<BR/><BR/>As for me, I plan to polish off an enhancement to identity tracking for remote transactions that I'm confident I can trade to some people, who will trade with some people, who will trade with some other people... and benefit the farmers who provided the coffee, toast, eggs, etc that I'm eating while enjoying KPC this morning.<BR/><BR/>Mongongo nuts, indeed!Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08574355302581451838noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-58457761800713444932009-01-24T17:57:00.000-05:002009-01-24T17:57:00.000-05:00I'm curious what the implied counter-factual is he...I'm curious what the implied counter-factual is here. If we'd stayed hunter gatherers, does Diamond think my physique would be average (6'5" and... lean, let's say)? How would humans in New England be fairing right now as hunter-gatherers?Normanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12866136113454261245noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-7097112676682516182009-01-24T15:07:00.000-05:002009-01-24T15:07:00.000-05:00I wouldn't trade my lifestyle for that of a hunter...I wouldn't trade my lifestyle for that of a hunter-gatherer. However, if I lived in the pre-1945 era or in some third world country, my guess is that it would be a tough call.asexualhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14852112207814748258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7464708.post-53646156710215208942009-01-24T13:54:00.000-05:002009-01-24T13:54:00.000-05:00Which would I rather have, six inches of height or...Which would I rather have, six inches of height or <I>civilization</I>? Hmm... decisions, decisions.<BR/><BR/>(I'm sure Rousseau is warmly rotating in his grave though.)Paul Gowderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12987034334075962676noreply@blogger.com