by robsia » September 10th, 2006, 8:46 am
I know - but you make an interesting point there.
Neanderthals have been classed as Homo sapiens neanderthalensis (as opposed to us, who are H. sapiens sapiens), although as it is now clear that we are not directly genetically related, aside from having descended from a common ancestor (H. erectus/heidelbergensis/ergaster), the 'sapiens' is being dropped by some scientists.
However, as it has now been discovered that Neanderthals had a hyoid bone, making them capable of speech, and brains as big, if not bigger than our own, the biological evidence seems to indicate that, although they were physically different to us, they were humans too, just a different kind of humans.
Not so the previous hominids who were definitely less developed and probably not much more intelligent than the apes - their only advantages being bipedal locomotion and use of tools and fire.
So, do you think that God imbued the Neanderthals with a 'soul'?