What weapon represents humanity?

[Tayne]

Off-topic:

Persistence hunting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"It is likely that this method of hunting evolved before humans invented projectile weapons, such as darts, spears, or slings."

Also known as "running down" prey. I wouldn't say humans generally have an advantage over animals in this department. The wiki mentioned sweat as an advantage, but surely this is poor compensation for the greater speed of animal hunters?

I just thought of another good candidate - the lance.

 

[Systole]

Also known as "running down" prey. I wouldn't say humans generally have an advantage over animals in this department. The wiki mentioned sweat as an advantage, but surely this is poor compensation for the greater speed of animal hunters?

I just thought of another good candidate - the lance.

There's a difference between the way a cheetah runs down prey and the way that a human persistence hunter runs down prey. It's speed vs. endurance. A cheetah sprints and leaps. Persistence hunting is literally running an animal to death. You chase an antelope for 20 miles until it keels over. You can find videos on YouTube.

Endurance-wise, humans have huge advantages compared to every other animal on the planet, to the point where it's absolutely clear that we evolved to persistence hunt. Quick list of why: epicranius muscle, Achilles tendon, bipedal gait not requiring 1 breath per stride, sweat glands, deactivation of the MYH16 gene.

 

[Tayne]

There's a difference between the way a cheetah runs down prey and the way that a human persistence hunter runs down prey. It's speed vs. endurance. A cheetah sprints and leaps. Persistence hunting is literally running an animal to death. You chase an antelope for 20 miles until it keels over. You can find videos on YouTube.

Endurance-wise, humans have huge advantages compared to every other animal on the planet, to the point where it's absolutely clear that we evolved to persistence hunt. Quick list of why: epicranius muscle, Achilles tendon, bipedal gait not requiring 1 breath per stride, sweat glands, deactivation of the MYH16 gene.

But does that endurance render humans the superior predator when it comes to foot-pursuit? I view it as more of a compensation for lack of speed and killing ability (pre weaponry) than as an establishment of overall advantage.

Which is really better at chasing an antelope - a primitive human or a cheetah? Both will eventually catch their prey, but one will do it a lot faster. I say advantage - cheetah.

 

[Systole]

Evolution doesn't 'compensate.' Evolution produces creatures that are very good at what they do. Humans are very good at being persistence hunters -- it's quite clear from our design. As to the original (off-topic) point, persistence hunting predates javelin throwing.

 

[Tayne]

Evolution doesn't 'compensate.' Evolution produces creatures that are very good at what they do. Humans are very good at being persistence hunters -- it's quite clear from our design. As to the original (off-topic) point, persistence hunting predates javelin throwing.

Well, if you really want to get semantic and nitpicky about choice of words, "design" is probably a poor one.

And yes, persistence hunting predates weaponry, obviously. But my point was humans are not overall better than everything else in the animal kingdom at running down prey (even if our endurance does COMPENSATE [thats right i said it] somewhat for what we lack in speed) like we are at throwing things.

Thus, throwing things was the first thing we were better at than animals when it came to hunting.

It wouldn't really make sense for "running a long time" to be the human-representative weapon, anyway.

 

[gamerprinter]

But does that endurance render humans the superior predator when it comes to foot-pursuit? I view it as more of a compensation for lack of speed and killing ability (pre weaponry) than as an establishment of overall advantage.

Which is really better at chasing an antelope - a primitive human or a cheetah? Both will eventually catch their prey, but one will do it a lot faster. I say advantage - cheetah.

Well if you don't want to compare cheetah with man, how about cheetah versus Cape Hunting Dog, the latter being a very successful persistence hunter. Cape hunting dogs could run a hundred miles a day chasing prey - single target all day long. Though a cheetah is fast, it doesn't always catch it's prey and could not support a larger community of cheetah, really only itself and a few cubs. Cheetah generally hunt alone.

Consider that the cheetah, generally hunts as a single predator with her cubs, while Cape hunting dogs, like humans, hunt in packs. With half a dozen dogs running all day long - at a much slower pace, but a consistent one, eventually running their prey to death.

 

[Tayne]

Well if you don't want to compare cheetah with man, how about cheetah versus Cape Hunting Dog, the latter being a very successful persistence hunter. Cape hunting dogs could run a hundred miles a day chasing prey - single target all day long. Though a cheetah is fast, it doesn't always catch it's prey and could not support a larger community of cheetah, really only itself and a few cubs. Cheetah generally hunt alone.

Consider that the cheetah, generally hunts as a single predator with her cubs, while Cape hunting dogs, like humans, hunt in packs. With half a dozen dogs running all day long - at a much slower pace, but a consistent one, eventually running their prey to death.

Woud you say that the cape hunting dog is better at persistance hunting than primitive humans?

 

[gamerprinter]

Woud you say that the cape hunting dog is better at persistance hunting than primitive humans?

Probably, since Cape Hunting Dogs can run a hundred miles a day, I doubt if primitive man could do the same, although I don't really know. Also since man's first domesticated animal was the dog, it is likely that both hunted together (or something like a cape hunting dog). So it could be moot whichever one is better at it.

 

[frankthedm]

Dagger. For hunting we put them on a stick, for war we make them extra large and for our allies, we plant them in their backs.

 

[Matthias]

The walking stick aka the quarterstaff. Humans definitely tend to be the most well-travelled race in any fantasy setting. In some settings, you can't go anywhere without bumping into one.