Ch. 9 - The uniqueness of human being

Chris OConnor · Sun Mar 18, 2012 8:50 pm

Ch. 9 - The uniqueness of human being

heledd · Sat May 05, 2012 7:01 am

'Although all babies can digest milk, the ability to do so (through the action of the enzyme lactase), the consumption of milk and milk based products lead to severe diarrhoea, weight loss and, if it continues long enough death. the only exceptions to this rule are Europeans and a handful of cattle keeping peoples from the northern parts of Africa'
I knew that Orientals often cannot tolerate milk, but thought most Africans did. It's worrying because many charities actually supply milk to schools here. I remember the local headmaster (Fula, and so from a cattle keeping tribe) commenting that if he drank too much milk, he got very bad diarrhoea .

Dexter · Sat May 05, 2012 7:09 am

Yeah, it seems weird that lactose intolerance is apparently very common (I'm one of the intolerant) and yet milk seems like it's also very common.

I have to get caught up on the reading, I figure the book discussion (just a few of us apparently) is supposed to go through May anyway.

heledd · Sat May 05, 2012 7:23 am

I did find chapters 8 and 9 hard going.

Dexter · Sat May 05, 2012 7:54 am


	heledd wrote: I did find chapters 8 and 9 hard going.

The book is a little bit of a dry overview, probably not the best pick for discussion.

Dexter · Mon May 21, 2012 9:50 pm

Interesting discussion around p. 151 of psychology experiments on conformity bias. A student is with a group of other people planted there, and smoke starts coming through the vents. When alone, he would report it immediately, but when other people ignore, he does too. Similarly with giving obviously wrong answers to questions.

It talks about how this is an adaptation for when following the group is a good guide to behavior.

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