On Fri, 20 Aug 1999, Ben Balzer wrote:

> The evolutionary stress that we had to meet was very very very strong. How
> else can you explain our phenomenal intelligence.?
>
> The stress was, quite simply, OTHER HUMANS. No other animal was a real
> threat to a band of humans (and dogs).
>
> The fact that we are homicidal sneaky maniacs is the underlying stress that
> caused our intelligence to keep on evolving- there is a survival advantage
> in being smarter than the next human ( the evolutionary force was not being
> better able to survive the environment, it was in being better able to
> survive attack from other humans.

I question this explanation.  For one thing, it fails to explain
why other species haven't been affected by the same evolutionary
cognitive arms race.  Moreover, the reason why other animals
became less threatening to us was *because* of our intelligence.
As we became hunters, we apparently responded to the exigencies
of this lifestyle by becoming more intelligent.  Other predator
species responded by becoming faster, stronger, having more acute
senses, etc.  Our response is unique.

Todd Moody
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