Cavemen

SkyWriting · Mar 31, 2010

Shemjaza said:
I never denied that people also lived in huts made from wood and sticks, but if you are going to talk about how sophisticated ancient technology was, please give some examples?

As I said earlier, we have their remains and we have left overs from their tools. Ancient Homo sapiens were as intelligent they just didn't have our technology. They had tools made from stone, wood and bone. Often they have particular skills and techniqes we no longer need or posess, but in overall understanding of the universe we are ahead.

Please feel free to demonstrate actual evidence of advanced technology from an ancient culture.

There are people who talk about ancient yet high technology. I don't. But about things that matter, ancient men-kind were brilliant people, and our current level of intellect is "moron" in comparison.

There never were any "Cave-men" type of people who were not so bright who represented the common person.
What idiot-scientists are seeing is the few not-so-bright people who lived in caves and left behind well preserved garbage that not-so-bright people of that day leave behind.
While everyone else recycled.

SkyWriting · Mar 31, 2010

ReverendDG said:
...every one of them is less advanced than us,...

Few if any.
Granted, we are here, they aren't.

Caves and stone houses last, stick houses don't.
This gives the illusion that Cave people existed as a race.
They didn't.

Cities have garbage dumps, American Indians didn't.

Ancient people were brilliant, current people are idiots by comparison.

BananaSlug · Mar 31, 2010

SkyWriting said:
Caves and stone houses last, stick houses don't.
This gives the illusion that Cave people existed as a race.
They didn't.

"Cave man" is really an outdated term anyway. We have found plenty of evidence of cave habitation by neanderthals in Europe.

Cities have garbage dumps, American Indians didn't.

Yes they did. Their garbage was biodegradable. Archaeologists have learned a lot about native culture by studying their middens and dumps.

Ancient people were brilliant, current people are idiots by comparison.

Maybe we have a greater number of dumb people because there are no selective pressures eliminating them from the population, unless you count the Darwin Awards.

Nostromo · Mar 31, 2010

SW:
None of what you've posted appear to back up your points. Perhaps you could explain why the presence of some socially inept super geniuses means that we are all morons compared to ancient folk.

The glorified blog article at matrixbookstore starts with
"since they appeared to have been extremely primitive... therefore, archaeologists reasoned, they were slovenly and dimwitted."

Which archaeologists reasoned that, when and why? Is that the current interpretation of the evidence? Any academic articles to back it up?

SkyWriting · Mar 31, 2010

BananaSlug said:
"Cave man" is really an outdated term anyway. We have found plenty of evidence of cave habitation by neanderthals in Europe.

So idiots lived in caves in Europe as well. Got it.
The rejects of society.

BananaSlug said:
Yes they did. Their garbage was biodegradable. Archaeologists have learned a lot about native culture by studying their middens and dumps.

I stand corrected.. They had middens and dumps.

BananaSlug said:
Maybe we have a greater number of dumb people because there are no selective pressures eliminating them from the population, unless you count the Darwin Awards.

A popular slam on society. Maybe it's due to excess CO2.

SkyWriting · Mar 31, 2010

BananaSlug said:
So what happened to all of the technology left behind by these super advanced civilizations? All we have found are bricks and stones. Where are the super advanced metals that are impervious to corrosion? Where are the towers, landing strips for space craft, and other technologies that we have today?

Technology has almost no effect on the behavior and intellect of humans. It's a very poor way to measure how advanced a civilization is. I use a wired phone in a 100% more advanced and civilized way than the texting slobs driving down the road next to me.

LightHorseman · Apr 1, 2010

SkyWriting said:
Technology has almost no effect on the behavior and intellect of humans. It's a very poor way to measure how advanced a civilization is. I use a wired phone in a 100% more advanced and civilized way than the texting slobs driving down the road next to me.

Then please... by what empirical milestones do you measure your assertion that ancients were brilliant, whilst moderns are morons?

LightHorseman · Apr 1, 2010

For anyone who wants to understand what life as a cave man was really like!
Join Me on BC Wars!

BananaSlug · Apr 1, 2010

SkyWriting said:
So idiots lived in caves in Europe as well. Got it.
The rejects of society.

I thought you said ancient people were more advanced that us? What is so bad about living in a cave?

I stand corrected.. They had middens and dumps.

Most ancient tribes did not live in one area for too long. We do not actually find "landfills" until the first civilizations began to develop.

A popular slam on society. Maybe it's due to excess CO2.

I was merely stating a reasonable explanation as to why it seems there is an overabundance of stupid people.

Technology has almost no effect on the behavior and intellect of humans.

I know, it is the other way around. The intellect of humans has an effect on technology. I wonder why ancient people did not have cell phones, cars, or nuclear power?

It's a very poor way to measure how advanced a civilization is. I use a wired phone in a 100% more advanced and civilized way than the texting slobs driving down the road next to me.

The technology of a civilization tells a lot about the people.

Naraoia · Apr 1, 2010

BananaSlug said:
I was merely stating a reasonable explanation as to why it seems there is an overabundance of stupid people.

I have a feeling that intellectuals in every age saw an overabundance of stupid people

Skaloop · Apr 1, 2010

Naraoia said:
I have a feeling that intellectuals in every age saw an overabundance of stupid people

I think even the stupid people in every age perceived an overabundance of stupid people. It's pretty much human nature to over-estimate one's own mental prowess while under-estimating the mental prowess of others. And pretty much any other ability; that's why armchair quarterbacks are plentiful, while actual quarterbacks, not so much.

Sweet_Adeline · Apr 1, 2010

I cant believe that so many people here are actually glorifying ancient people! These people were not civilized, they practised all kinds of horrible things like paganism and polygymy and HUMAN SACRIFICE to their PAGAN gods! why do people always have to glorify the past? We are so much better now then we were back then! Religion and society have brought us a long way!

Skaloop · Apr 1, 2010

Sweet_Adeline said:
I cant believe that so many people here are actually glorifying ancient people! These people were not civilized, they practised all kinds of horrible things like paganism and polygymy and HUMAN SACRIFICE to their PAGAN gods! why do people always have to glorify the past? We are so much better now then we were back then! Religion and society have brought us a long way!

Religion through the ages has both hindered (eg - scientific discovery) and helped (eg - artistic expression) the advancement of society. But I'd say it's had a stronger push on the former rather than the latter.

Sweet_Adeline · Apr 1, 2010

Skaloop said:
Religion through the ages has both hindered (eg - scientific discovery) and helped (eg - artistic expression) the advancement of society. But I'd say it's had a stronger push on the former rather than the latter.

Ok that's your opinion and thats fair, but opinions on the benefits/problems of religion aside, how can people glorify ancient people as somehow better or more advanced (in ANY way) then people today?

Skaloop · Apr 1, 2010

Sweet_Adeline said:
Ok that's your opinion and thats fair, but opinions on the benefits/problems of religion aside, how can people glorify ancient people as somehow better or more advanced (in ANY way) then people today?

I don't know, as I do not attempt to do so.

Well, actually, no, I could think of a way. Ancient people (from circa AD 30) could have been more advanced and knowledgable than people today in terms of the teachings of Jesus, since they were his contemporaries. They didn't have as many translations and transcriptions to sort out.

But that's all I got...

SkyWriting · Apr 1, 2010

LightHorseman said:
Then please... by what empirical milestones do you measure your assertion that ancients were brilliant, whilst moderns are morons?

OK. You win.
I judge a society by the features and the dazzling number of Aps available on the digital devices they use.
Maybe the drivers ability to multi-task as well.

SkyWriting · Apr 1, 2010

Sweet_Adeline said:
I cant believe that so many people here are actually glorifying ancient people! These people were not civilized, they practised all kinds of horrible things like paganism and polygymy and HUMAN SACRIFICE to their PAGAN gods! why do people always have to glorify the past? We are so much better now then we were back then! Religion and society have brought us a long way!

That's a sweet thought, but God has been here from the beginning. So that men are without any excuses. And the point is that they were civilized, right from the start. You may just be reading the opinions of biased anthropologists. Though I doubt any would agree with your statement.

Also:
Evidence of Stone Age amputation forces rethink over history of surgery.
Stone age bones and axes found off Norfolk coast
Israeli Stone Age site shows surprising living patterns

Health Secrets of the Stone Age, Second Edition -- book review
The Stone Age plan consists of thinking as our ancestors did, including some surprising health benefits of things we never knew were so good for us…and

SithDoughnut · Apr 1, 2010

Sweet_Adeline said:
I cant believe that so many people here are actually glorifying ancient people! These people were not civilized, they practised all kinds of horrible things like paganism and polygymy and HUMAN SACRIFICE to their PAGAN gods! why do people always have to glorify the past? We are so much better now then we were back then! Religion and society have brought us a long way!

The only bad thing in that list, IMO, is human sacrifice, and not everyone in the past took part in it. Personally, I fail to see how replacing human sacrifice with wars that kill millions, many of them innocent civilians, makes us particularly better. More advanced, but we're still killing.

Sweet_Adeline · Apr 1, 2010

And there werent wars back then too? Also, slavery, abuse, murder and rape were much more commonplace and the "justice system" was barbaric.

ReverendDG · Apr 2, 2010

SkyWriting said:
Few if any.
Granted, we are here, they aren't.

what group was more advanced than us? we took what they know and expanded on it.

Caves and stone houses last, stick houses don't.
This gives the illusion that Cave people existed as a race.
They didn't.

someone already pointed out to you that scientists have found plenty of evidence people lived in caves.
why you think i am arguing for the idea that humans only lived in caves in beyond me.
what does living in a cave have to do with intelligence anyway? other than the straw-man belief that science still treats groups that live in caves as stupid?

Cities have garbage dumps, American Indians didn't.

how do you know?

Ancient people

Click to expand...

were brilliant, current people are idiots by comparison.

right, because the current population has stupid people that must mean everyone currently is stupid
i bet there was just as many stupid people back in 5000 bce as there is now in 2010 ce.

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