Mike, I must respectfully disagree. No one knows what happened to Neanderthal and science has not proven any of my theories as being wrong. It is more than possible disease wiped them out as I said. We know from our own world history what happens when a culture with access to superior weaponry encounters one without. Not to mention the disease factor. If Neanderthal had no immunity from smallpox, for example, it could have wiped them out by the droves. At least a third of a population will die during a smallpox outbreak. Now, if your best hunters die, what happens to the rest?
Good science does not state things to be completely wrong if there is no proof that it is, in fact, wrong. Science is not perfect, either, I must point out. Indeed, science has given us wonderful things like computers and the internet. But let's not forget how the internet came to be. It was originally a classified project from DOD and DARPA to provide a means of sharing vital information in the aftermath of a cataclysmic nuclear war between us and the Soviets. Much of our computer technology came as the result of needing such computers to coordinate the launches of our ICBMs from silos spread out across the country based on orders from NORAD being carried out within minutes. They needed "instant communication" in such a war. And what are the causes and conditions of such an event happening? Because science gave us nuclear weapons in the first place. Science also gave us VX nerve gas. Science isn't as far-looking as it claims to be because it never asked the questions: Is developing these weapons skilful? Is this mindful of what humanity will do with such technology? We are also on the brink of DNA being used to discriminate against people and it's already being used to try and "tailor" children to have certain traits. This is the stalking horse of another thing that science once did, which is eugenics. My point? Science has quite a few flaws and if one practices deep looking, it becomes very clear what those flaws are. Science does not practice deep looking because if it did, it would realize that it is responsible for some rather horrific things and still is. Thus, it would not assume itself to be always correct simply because it is not relying on a cultural religious structure or mythos to explain things. Evolution happens, but we don't know why in some cases. There are causes and conditions attached to all things.
My last point is, there are a lot of mistaken impressions about Neanderthal. But the science of the day is where these mistaken impressions originated. Causes and conditions attached to the mistaken theories originate from science itself. So if science wishes to correct itself, it cannot, therefore, assume itself to be right in any case at any time until it can prove what it says. I do not necessarily believe Cro Magnon engaged in an extermination policy against Neanderthal. But if I look deeply into history, I can see that this is a possibility since this very thing has happened before on this planet when an advanced culture encounters one who is not. Many times, in fact. And very recently. I can also see that disease wiped out a number of civilizations that had no immunities. Humanity has still not learned how to use science skilfully and with mindfulness of future consequences. So, we need to investigate science itself as science investigates things.
