Have you seen the archaelogical ‘hobbit’ stories today? Briefly, on some remote island in Indonesia they have found preserved skeletons of a completely new species of human: Homo floresiensis.
It only just hit me how significant the story really is.
National Geographic is misreporting the hobbits as a new ‘ancestor’. This misses the point completely. These lads weren’t ancestors but peers, living at the same time as modern humans. They may have been physically isolated on their wee island, but they co-existed in exactly the same way that Men and Hobbits co-exist in LotR.
The idea (pictured, being wrong) that humans developed in a progressive series – with chimps evolving in steps into a bloke – just isn’t how it happened. We lived alongside several different branches of the Homo tree.
These wee lads were scampering around in 16,000 BCE, i.e. yesterday in relative terms. For reference, our species were drawing up basic calendars in 15,000 BCE and seriously getting our shit together around 4,000 BCE. We only just missed them.
That is to say, there is no strong reason why they shouldn’t be running around today. Of course by far the most likely outcome is that they are extinct: ironically, that our galoot species kebabed them all for kicks.
*slap*
I can’t help feeling the discovery is an excellent slap in the face for creationists. This is exactly the kind of evidence we need to highlight the fact that their whole viewpoint is screamingly, appallingly, wrongly egotistical.
It’s all founded on the vanity that we’re special; that our chosen species alone was specifically placed here by God.
Or to consult Genesis (chapter 1):
26Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.
27And while We are at it, let us also make the wee hairy-footed man, who is somewhat after our likeness but not quite as tall; and he shall have dominion over a nice wee island unknown to the bible writers, who despite having access to Our omniscience failed to mention a whole bunch of startlingly significant things.
28And don’t get me started on the fucking dinosaurs.”
29-Oct-04 at 4:50 am | Permalink
Although, yer man Dawkins wishes it to be known that they are, in fact, termed or otherwise, ‘hobbits’.
29-Oct-04 at 10:50 am | Permalink
As I understand it the scientists who actually made the discovery proposed the whole Hobbit thing (rather than the fact-bagpiping tabloids), which is quite cool.
29-Oct-04 at 10:52 am | Permalink
You saying am a homo!!!!!!
29-Oct-04 at 11:21 am | Permalink
No JJ, you were never admitted to the proud homo race because you consistently failed the mirror test.
The latest scientific thinking places you as a member of gingo celticus.
29-Oct-04 at 4:17 pm | Permalink
In fact all cave men were homosexuals; that is why you do not see drawings of cave women, and why monkeys do not have breasts.