From a reader:

Dear Mr. Goldberg: The most salient point in your favor may be the accumulating paleontological evidence for the theory that it was the DOG that domesticated man, and not vice versa. Canine remains have never been found in Neanderthal sites. What propelled Homo sapiens sapiens to mastery of the world was his adoption by the dog. Clever canines realized that although humans had terrible eyesight and no sense of smell, they could communicate very well using their odd, complicated calls (especially the children among them — but the neotenous origin of language is another story), and had a very crafty opposable thumb. Most importantly, the dogs recognized that humans hunted in a pack, as they did, and hence there were possibilities for work-related communications. Capitalizing on the human child’s love of cuteness, the clever dogs introduced their friendliest, most submissive puppies to human children in the caves, and thus tamed mankind. You can pursue this theory at these locations: Alaskanplumbline.info Swampfox.demon.co.uk Nature.com People.fas.harvard.edu