Todd,

> The great cultural Leap Forward began about 40,000 years ago,
> well before the advent of agriculture.  I don't pretend to be
> able to explain it, but it's clear that agriculture is not the
> whole story.

It depends on how you define "cultural leap forard". I don't know to what
you are referring but primitive cave paintings and the like do not
consititute a great leap forward in my opinion. In any case, whether you
draw the line at 40,000 BC or 10,000 BC, there was clearly a "Great Leap
Forward" in human history at about this time, and it occured at or within
hailing distance of the beginnings of agriculture and animal husbandry. I am
compelled by common sense to assume a legitimate association between these
events but I am willing to be persuaded of various causal explanations.

One theory is that aliens from outer space came to teach us, and perhaps
even inter-breeded with the earthly human species. I do not believe that
theory but I mention it because its very existence and popularity
underscores the strong need for an explanation. It seems that something very
dramatic happened at the transition from paleolithic to neolithic, and to me
the most logical and non-supernatural explanation is that the human mind was
finally freed up for loftier pursuits by farming and animal husbandry. I see
agriculture more as a cause than an effect of this revolution. It and animal
husbandry would be rudimentary discoveries that would have been most likely
to be uncovered by a hungry but otherwise ignorant paleolithic world. Hunger
can be a great source of inspiration.

-gts