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[G-Flex]

The location of such hair could always be accidental in some fashion that's neither beneficial nor harmful. For instance, it could be triggered by certain hormones which are there primarily to serve other purposes (e.g. giving off certain scents in sweat). Just throwing the possibility out there.

[Cruxador]

Since the pubic hair discussion seems to still exist:
I believe I saw on the National Geographic or Discovery channel at some point a theory regarding this. Apparently pubic haris are placed correctly to reduce friction when walking on all fours. Unfortunately, this is inconsistent with armpit hair, which is located for bipedal walking, so if this is a major reason (and it seems likely to me) then it has some odd connotations about human hair loss.

I dont see how its inconsistent.

One grew in response when we were quadrapedal and one grew in response when we were bipedal. A physical attribute does not go away simply because its intended use is no longer present. There has to be evolutionary pressure to remove the physical attribute. Its just vestigial.

Perhaps, but it denotes a very convoluted evolutionary path. If we lost all our hair save for that which expedited movement, then it would be placed for a single method of movement. It is currently not. So what happened? Perhaps armpit hair merely redeveloped later.

[MrWiggles]

Since the pubic hair discussion seems to still exist:
I believe I saw on the National Geographic or Discovery channel at some point a theory regarding this. Apparently pubic haris are placed correctly to reduce friction when walking on all fours. Unfortunately, this is inconsistent with armpit hair, which is located for bipedal walking, so if this is a major reason (and it seems likely to me) then it has some odd connotations about human hair loss.

I dont see how its inconsistent.

One grew in response when we were quadrapedal and one grew in response when we were bipedal. A physical attribute does not go away simply because its intended use is no longer present. There has to be evolutionary pressure to remove the physical attribute. Its just vestigial.

Perhaps, but it denotes a very convoluted evolutionary path. If we lost all our hair save for that which expedited movement, then it would be placed for a single method of movement. It is currently not. So what happened? Perhaps armpit hair merely redeveloped later.

Evolution in a word is... convoluted.

There is no end point, so its meanders based on various pressures that change through the course of an evolutionary past.

[Qloos]

The location of such hair could always be accidental in some fashion that's neither beneficial nor harmful. For instance, it could be triggered by certain hormones which are there primarily to serve other purposes (e.g. giving off certain scents in sweat). Just throwing the possibility out there.

Male lions grow mains to show off to females, I think it worked like this:  A yellow main means the lion never lost a fight, when a black one means he has lost in the past.  The longer a main, the more fights he's won.  Something like that. 

[Grakelin]

So, the longer our armpit hair, the more attractive we are to mates?

[Qloos]

Oh baby!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

[monkeyfetus]

Armpit hair is to hold pheromones.

[Kilo24]

Evolution in a word is... convoluted.

There is no end point, so its meanders based on various pressures that change through the course of an evolutionary past.

It's also pretty hard to precisely check errors in figuring out what each evolved structure was used for.  So even if it is widely accepted that one structure has one specific purpose, there's few ways to verify that theory beyond analyzing living creatures, liberal use of Occam's Razor, and shouting matches with colleagues.  It is rather hard to find funding for an experiment lasting 3 million years, after all.

And for an example, just look at the wide amount of theories posted on hair growth in this thread.

[Qloos]

Armpit hair is to hold pheromones.

The armpit is a major location for heat loss in cold weather climates, along with the head and other areas. 

[Enzo]

Oh baby!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Heh, I was expecting worse of that spoiler. As is, it just reminded me of MGS2...

[Innominate]

I'd be surprised if it hasn't already been asked, but will dwarves plait armpit hair? I want my dwarves to have as many beards as possible.

[monkeyfetus]

I don't think dwarves have body hair yet.

[MrWiggles]

I don't think dwarves have body hair yet.

DF 2010 they do!

[SmileyMan]

I wish people would stop writing "DF2010".  It's a curse that's bound to come back and bite you...

[PsyberianHusky]

Oh baby!

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Heh, I was expecting worse of that spoiler. As is, it just reminded me of MGS2...

I think we got a lil off topic here, I think the topic we are sposed to be talking about is pubic hair