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CHAPTER 1: WHAT IS
PHYSICAL
ANTHROPOLOGY?
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ANTHROPOLOGY
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Definition: the study of humankind

Four branches:
 Cultural
 Studies culture, or learned, transmitted behavior of
living people
 Archaeology
 Studies culture of past societies by analyzing artifacts
 Linguistic
 Studies study construction and evolution of language
 Physical/biological
 Studies relationship of biology and culture
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PHYSICAL/BIOLOGICAL
ANTHROPOLOGY

Definition: the study of human evolution and biocultural
variation

Use fossils, genetics, comparative anatomy and behavior
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Hominids: ape and human ancestors
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Hominins: ancestors of only humans
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Genes influence biology but the environment does as well

Study: evolution of both extinct and living human relatives,
including modern primates
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PHYSICAL/BIOLOGICAL
ANTHROPOLOGY

Why would anyone want to study bones and teeth?
 They tell us about anatomy, diet, behavior, locomotion, and
our place in nature
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Questions we look to answer:
 Who are we as a species?
 What does it mean to be human?
 Where did we come from?
 How do we fit in with other living things?
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SIX STEPS TO HUMANNESS
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We are connected to other living things, but clearly we are
unique
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(1) bipedalism
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(2) nonhoning canine
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(3) material culture and tool use
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(4) hunting
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(5) speech
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(6) domesticated food
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SIX STEPS TO HUMANNESS
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(1) bipedalism:
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Physical difference of
walking on two legs
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Other primates can do this,
but only for short times
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Major adaptations in
anatomy
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Double curved spine
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Wide pelvis
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Arch in foot
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SIX STEPS TO HUMANNESS
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(2) nonhoning canine
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Loss of large canines
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Loss of diastema
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Because of use of tools to process food
(3) material culture and tools

Completely depend on culture to survive

Manipulate environment
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Tools date more than 2.5 million years ago
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Primates use tools, but only humans use stone tools
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SIX STEPS TO HUMANNESS
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(4) hunting
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Social, organized
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More than 1 million years ago
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Before, we were scavengers
(5) speech
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Due to bipedalism
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Hyoid and voice box position
(6) domestication of food
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10,000 years ago
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Huge impact on biology and behavior
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HOW WE KNOW

We use the scientific method
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Difference between casual and scientific definitions:
 Hypothesis: testable statement of the relationship
between 2 variables
 NOT “an educated guess”
 Theory: best explanation possible, with validation
and testable evidence
 NOT just a story someone comes up with
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Things are never proven and we always stay open-minded
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SCIENCE

The scientific method involves:
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HOW WE KNOW

You cannot prove something right in science

You can only disprove something

We say that evolution is a fact because there is so much
evidence in support of it
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Always keep open-minded because science is selfcorrecting
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It is a fact and a theory
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WHAT IS EVOLUTION

An easy definition is “change over time”
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Does it mean we descended from monkeys?
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Does it try to disprove the Bible?
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Do you have to choose between science and religion?
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WHAT IS EVOLUTION

An easy definition is “change over time”

Does it mean we descended from monkeys?
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Does it try to disprove the Bible?
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Do you have to choose between science and religion?
NO!!!
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EVOLUTION AND RELIGION

Why do people think they are in opposition?

One uses testable evidence, and the other uses faith
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You can, and should, have both science and beliefs
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When people say “evolution is just a theory” they are
misusing the term theory

Evolution is not a straight line; it is a branching bush
NO!
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EVOLUTION
 So, did
a fish just decide to walk out of the water one
day?
 Did
an ape just decide to come down from the trees
and turn human?
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EVOLUTION
 It
is a very gradual process that can take millions of
years
 The
lobe-finned fish, or lungfish, is alive today
It has bones in its fins and a pocket to store air
 Can move from one body of water to another by walking
on ground
 They are precursor to tetrapods, or land-dwelling anmials
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 There
 There
is not one ‘missing link’
are hundreds or thousands and we will study
many in this class
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EVOLUTION
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DARWIN
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Made his observations while traveling the world
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Saw evidence in morphology and though humans had
arboreal ancestor
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Observing finches showed him adaptations
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Observing overpopulation and competition led him to
create theory of natural selection
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Alfred Wallace also had the same idea at the same
time…Darwin just beat him to publication
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
The Scopes Monkey Trial in 1925
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http://findcartoon.com/the-simpsons-season-17-episode-21the-monkey-suit/#.VQtrfin4vlI
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View
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I want you to be able to see the world in a different way after
this class
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How are things connected?
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How has evolution shaped living things?
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How can we learn from the past to prepare for the future?
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How did these guys get this
way…?
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Video
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Keep this in mind during the video of deep sea creatures
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Focus on how they are tailored to their environment through
evolution
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Here are some questions to ponder:
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What is the difference between the casual and scientific
definitions of hypothesis and theory?
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How has the human body changed because of bipedalism?
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Are humans the only species to use tools?
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How can someone study evolution and still keep his or her
religious beliefs?