ANTH100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Heredity, Niche Construction, Pangenesis

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANTH100
• Professor: Robert Park

Document Summary

Evolutionary theory - living organisms can change overtime and give rise to new kinds of organisms, with the result that all organisms have a common ancestry. Material evidence in change over time and across space. Fossils found in fossil record differ greatly from present day organisms. Different species of the same animal are similar, but have different traits based on geography. When we see variations in animals, we are seeing their ideal forms (despite variation) Essentialism - all living things belong to a natural kind and every living thing is an imperfect incarnation in the physical world of an ideal in a perfect world. Organisms can be organized on a ocntinuum of most primitive to most advanced. Taxonomy - a classi cation system used to organize organisms. Species - reproductive possibility is the de ning trait of this more speci c group. Four distinct categories of life with no relation to each other.