Transcript Paleoanthropology

Paleoanthropology
• The interdisciplinary approach to the study of
earlier hominids, their chronology, physical
structure, archaeological remains, habitats,
etc.
Genetics
• The study of gene structure and action and
the patterns of inheritance of traits from
parent to offspring.
• Genetic mechanisms are the foundation for
evolutionary change.
DNA
• Deoxyribonucleic acid
• Double-stranded molecule that contains the
genetic code, a set of instructions for
producing bodily structures and functions.
• DNA is a main component of chromosomes.
Cloning
• Cloning and
sequencing methods
are frequently used
to identify genes in
humans and non
human primates.
The Scientific Method
• State the research problem.
• Develop a hypothesis.
• Test the hypothesis through data collection
and analysis.
• If the hypothesis is verified, it becomes a
theory.
SCIENCE: A body of knowledge gained
through observation and experimentation;
from the Latin scientia, meaning
“knowledge.”
Theory
• A broad statement of scientific relationships
or underlying principles that has been
substantially verified through the testing of
hypotheses.
• “tested explanations of facts”
Quantitative
• Pertaining to measurements of quantity and
including such properties as size, number, and
capacity.
• When data are quantified, they’re expressed
numerically and can be tested statistically.
Anthropological Perspective
• A broad perspective that helps us understand
the diversity of the human experience within
the context of biological and behavioral
continuity with other species.
• By learning about cultures other than our
own, we can avoid an ethnocentric view of
other cultures.
• By recognizing that we have similarities with
other animals, we may recognize that they
have a place in nature just as we do.
Why the Anthropological Perspective
Matters
• Anthropology offers a wider appreciation of the human
experience, in order to understand human beings and
how our species came to be.
– How humans differ from and are similar to other
animals, including nonhuman primates
– Understand the limits and potentials of humankind
– Allows us to understand other people’s concerns and
view our own culture from a broader perspective