ANT100Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte De Buffon, Evolutionary Anthropology, Binomial Nomenclature
anthro lec 1 9/25/2015 12:09:00 AM
What is evolutionary anthropology?
• Application of modern evolutionary theory to
• “What does it mean to be human? Why are we here? Where did we
come from? Why are the dominant life form on the planet….are
we?”
Primatology
• Scientific study of non-human primates
• Primate anatomy, field studies of wild animals, primate psychology, etc.
• Primatologists seek to conserve primates in vanishing tropical ecosystems
(e.g. mouse lemurs in Madagascar)
• Primates – just like us.
Paleoanthropology
• multidisciplinary study of:
• biological evolution of humans and non-human primates
• advent of and changes in human cultural activities
• evolutionary history of behavior in human and non-human primates
Human Variation
spatial and temporal variations in human features
for example, geographic and climatic variations in body size, skin color
and eye color
Medical Anthropology
How social, environmental, and biological factors influence health and
illness of individuals at the community, regional, nation, and global levels
Forensic Anthropology
Focuses only on skeletal remains of humans
Forensic anthropologists seek to the determine the age, sex, stature,
ancestry and any trauma or disease of the deceased
Major questions about Humans and our Biology
how does evolution work and how does it apply to us?
What are biological characteristics of our species?
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What is physical record of our evolution (paleoanthropology)?
How do evolutionary anthropologists conduct their research?
State the problem
Gather the information
Form a hypothesis
Test the hypothesis
Record and analyze data
State the conclusion
Repeat the work
4 problems limited development of theory of evolution
1. lack of knowledge on age of earth
2. religious concept of fixity of species
3. lack of scientific method
4. religious notion of separate creation for humans and animals
Age of earth
• in 1650, earth created on afternoon of Oct 23, 4004 BC
• accepted because church pronouncements held as secular and
religious law
Fixity of species
• by 8th century, scientists say living things created in present form
• species, especially human species, were unchanging and distinct
from each other
Lack of scientific method
• many ideas & concepts based on singular observations or fanciful
accounts of other travelers
Separate creation for humans & animals
• religious doctrine that God created humans separate from and over
animals
• Humans made in Gods image, so more divinity than animals
• processes that work on animals could not work on us “God-like”
humans
Work of early naturalists that led to development of evolutionary theory
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Carolus Linnaeus (Karl Von Linne, 1707-1778)
• 1st comprehensive classification system for living things
• each living thing named separate species
• on basis of physical resemblances, species grouped into broader
categories called genera (singular genus)
Binomial Nomenclature
• first letter of genus is capitalized, like so:
o Homo
• species designations always lower case, like so:
o sapiens
Linnaeus NOT an “evolutionist”
believed in Nature's ladder
Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon (1707-1788)
• earth’s history > 6,000 years (ca. 75,000 years) major issue with
contemporary religious authorities
• founded biogeography: despite similar environments, different
regions have distinct plants and animals
Jean-baptise Lamarck
• inheritance of acquired characteristics. “vital forces” within
creatures help them adapt to environment
• acquired traits: developed through use or disuse, passed on to
future generations
• among first to formulate method for origination of new species
through use or disuse of certain characters of organism
Charles Darwin (1809-1882)
• naturalism on H.M.S. Beagle, scientific expedition to Pacific coast of
South America (almost didn’t get job because Capt. Didn’t like
shape of his nose)
• observed incredible variety of living and especially fossilized
creatures
• Conclusion: No fixity of species and notion on short, catastrophic
geological history for earth must be incorrect
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find more resources at oneclass.com
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Document Summary
Why are the dominant life form on the planet . are we? . Primatology: scientific study of non-human primates, primate anatomy, field studies of wild animals, primate psychology, etc, primatologists seek to conserve primates in vanishing tropical ecosystems (e. g. mouse lemurs in madagascar, primates just like us. Paleoanthropology: multidisciplinary study of, biological evolution of humans and non-human primates, advent of and changes in human cultural activities, evolutionary history of behavior in human and non-human primates. Human variation and eye color spatial and temporal variations in human features for example, geographic and climatic variations in body size, skin color. Medical anthropology illness of individuals at the community, regional, nation, and global levels. How social, environmental, and biological factors influence health and. Forensic anthropology ancestry and any trauma or disease of the deceased. Forensic anthropologists seek to the determine the age, sex, stature,
