Kathryn Majid wrote:
>
> In a message dated 97-07-08 09:06:12 EDT, you write:
>
> << diet which is possible when a human (or any biological
>  creature) is in its ancestral environment without technology >>
>
> Someone raised a question about fire recently, but if it was answered I
> missed it.  Why is use of fire (cooking) not considered part of our ancestral
> environment?

Because the domestication of fire is a conscious chemical alteration of
the environment. It is not assumed by the evolution of the human body.
You aren't born with the innate knowledge (instinct) of how to start a
fire. Whereas, your body is perfectly designed to throw a sharp stick or
stone with accuracy. If our evolution presupposed the ability to start a
fire at will, we would have Bic lighters for thumbs.

The human digestive system closely resembles that of the wolf as
concerns the size of our guts in comparison to the size of our brains.
Carnivores in general have large brains in comparison to the size of
their digestive tracts, thus requiring that they get as many calories
from their food as is possible. Meat has typically twice the calories
per unit weight of any plant food, thus making it the food of
large-brain/small-gut creatures like humans.

Also, humans don't require large canine teeth because the evolution of
our brain presupposes the use of crude implements to acquire and process
meat.

Troy Gilchrist <[log in to unmask]>
Co-author, NEANDERTHIN: A CAVEMAN'S GUIDE TO NUTRITION