>This point is well taken although you might get some disagreement that
mans'
>efficiency as a hunter wiped out most of the megafauna.

The first time I was exposed to that idea was in reading literature from
Paleo nutrition writers...and I haven't done my anthroplogy homework since
then, so I can't speak to how widely the anthropology community accepts the
premise.

Here's an irony...Ray's book makes a persuasive, if unintended, argument
that the megafauna itself could be considered a forbidden fruit. According
to the argument presented, we didn't have the means or ability to hunt large
game until we teamed with neotenized wolves (dogs). Dogs in essence became a
'technology' that allowed us access to a food source that we didn't have
beforehand, and it was a source that (if the theory is accurate) we wiped
out, leading to agriculture, leading to.... My childhood dog Snoopy might be
growling at me from above as I consider that our bond with dogs might have
been an early step in our fall from grace.

I think
>the best that we can do is to keep informing ourselves as much as possible
>and live in such a way as to shed our self-serving arrogance and awaken to
>the fact that we are only a small part in the natural order of things.
>Ultimately, instinctively, what is our responsibility as a creature of this
>planet? Where do we fit in the scheme of things? What's our next level of
>evolved adaptation?
>Ralph


Agreed on all counts. And if you discover the answers before me, please
write or email.  <g>

Sam