(TFT) Skills and the poor Neanderthals

[Michael Taylor <MichaelTaylor1@compuserve.com>]

Message text written by INTERNET:tft@brainiac.com
>
        I wonder if maybe they didn't have any good examples to learn
from...?

You're guess is as good as anyone elses. It is a little puzzling, since
simply flinging your spear is a straightforward concept. But all the
evidence strongly suggests that they just never "got it". It should be
pointed out, though, that Homo Sapiens Sapiens managed to develop bows and
slings from scratch without any examples to learn from (unless one
subscribes to some of the more bizarre theories about extraterrestrial
contacts way back when - sounds like the beginning of the X Files movie
...)
For some reason Neanderthals seemed to have a mental "block" regarding
this.

The only thing I can think of is the tidbit about not being able to speak.
It could be that their communcation ability was limited, which would have
limited their abilities of abstract reasoning - hence not being able to see
what to us is a case of the blindingly obvious.

Of course, all of this may be overturned next week by a new discovery in a
forgotten cave in Europe or the Middle East, showing that Neanderthals had
invented crossbows and water wheels :-)

<

Actually I am doing a fair amount of research on prehistoric men - nothing
deep, but covering alot of breadth. I'll see if I come across anything....

That's one of the things I love about roleplaying, you get an excuse to
study things that would otherwise be boring!

Michael
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