(February 28, 2013 at 4:39 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote: Were the biological differences between chimps and humans of a lesser degree 40,000 years ago?
Undoubtedly humans 40,000 years ago would have been slightly closer genetically to common ancester of humans and chimps than humans living today. But the difference in human populations 40,000 years apart would be comparatively very slight, probably less then 1%, compared to the difference between either human groups and the chimps, or the common ancesters of chimps and humans.
Of course genetic difference does not equal behavioral difference upon close examination. There were probably import changes in genetically caused behviors between humans 40,000 years ago and humans living now, even if these behavioral differences didn't actually require major genetic changes to cause.
But at such a remove as to take in both chimps and humans, genetic difference probably begin to become a valid proxy for overall behavior difference.
