>The care taken of 1808 in his/her last days by others seems to be well
>established. Yet non-humans of today are observed to do likewise in many
>instances. See, for example, the book "When Elephants Weep." So the
> care-taking
>can hardly (it seems to me) to be very conclusive evidence of 1808's
> humanness.
>
In the past I have made much reference to the list of tchnological
acheivments of Neandertal and Homo erectus as evidence of their humanity.
Spears made 400 thousand years ago; evidence of body painting 1.4 million
years ago; evidence for the use of fire 1.4 million years ago; evidence
that tools were used for woodworking 1.6 million years ago. This evidence
has been rejected by many.
I have made reference to the fossil evidence for language in the skulls as
evidence of their humanity. This has been rejected.
Christians who only allow anatomically modern humans to be human now face
the prospect of a Neandertal who can not speak, having made a flute! And
an Archaic human(transitional between modern and erectus) having made a
statue of a naked lady. This has been rejected as evidence of humanity.
Now care and concern is rejected. I am beginning to believe that nothing
in the fossil or archaeological record can be used to prove humanity.
Thus I will advance the hypothesis that humanity was created yesterday
afternoon at 2:30 central daylight time. Prior to this, there is no
evidence of human activity in the archaeological record. Can anybody
provide evidence, convincing evidence for, the existence of humans prior
to that time? :-)
Burgy, I am positing the question this way because there seems to be no
standard of humanity. What does it mean to be human? How do you know
that I am human (The guys who work for me don't think I am. Can you prove
them wrong?) Are we the missing links between apes and true humans?
glenn
Foundation,Fall and Flood
http://members.gnn.com/GRMorton/dmd.htm