ANT101H5 Chapter 4: Chapter #4 (Modern Human Variation and Adaptation)
Document Summary
Chapter #4 modern human variation and adaptation. The first (scientific) attempt to describe variation among human populations was. Linnaeus" taxonomic classification: placed humans into four separate categories. Johann friedrich blumenbach (1752-1840), a german scientist, classified humans into five races: often simply described as yellow, red, black, white, and brown, though the criteria used things other than skin color it still had its limitations. Classifying all humans by this system would omit anyone who didn"t neatly fall into a specific category. Also used size and shape of head. Francis galton (1822-1911: believed that civilized society (christians) was being weakened by the failure of natural selection to eliminate unfit and inferior members, wrote about an approach he called eugenics. The philosophy of race improvement through the forced sterilization of members of some groups and increased reproduction among others; an overly simplified, often racist view that"s now discredited.
