From: Trehinp@aol.com
Date: Thu 26 Feb 2004 - 08:09:09 GMT
Dans un e-mail daté du 26/02/2004 05:10:38 Paris, Madrid, hkhenson@rogers.com
a écrit :
> >Mutual interdependence decreases the importance of the individual.
>
> I don't think so, not from a gene's viewpoint.
>
There is some evidence that people with handicaps were able to survive to a
rather old age in the palaeolithic and that the "tribes" were supporting their
survival. (sorry I can't find the articles ref. on that subject) These people,
some of which were carrying genetic condition wouldn't have survived without
the group and their genes would have become extinct.
What would be important to understand is what was motivating the "tribes" to
protect an individual with a handicap.
There is of course the natural empathy for another human being, but there may
have been more, some early "religious" beliefs and rules, the fact that a
handicap is only one aspect of a human personality and that some other aspects
could be quite important to the "tribes" survival as a group.
Each one of us using his/her own knowledge, I am working on a paper that
gives some clues at what may have been the "value" of people with autism for a
"tribe". Autism is a condition that is now consider to have strong genetic
components and which by its own mode of expression (poor social skills, difficulties
in communication and repetitive behaviors) would not allow survival.
I have sent to a list specialized in prehistory a post that gives some of
these arguments.
Anyone interested can contact me off line.
Yours sincerely.
Paul Trehin
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