Human Biological and Human Biological and Cultural EvolutionCultural Evolution

Their Relevance to CultureTheir Relevance to Culture

Culture in Evolutionary PerspectiveCulture in Evolutionary Perspective

To understand culture, we need to:To understand culture, we need to: (1) Know our biological capacity for culture(1) Know our biological capacity for culture (2) How we fit into the animal kingdom(2) How we fit into the animal kingdom (3) How we came to be what we are (3) How we came to be what we are

Our Capacity For Culture: Our Our Capacity For Culture: Our Biological RootsBiological Roots

(1) Our language ability(1) Our language ability (2) Our ability to make and use tools(2) Our ability to make and use tools (3) Our bipedalism—ability to stand and walk (3) Our bipedalism—ability to stand and walk

on two feeton two feet If the “science of humankind” is to be taken If the “science of humankind” is to be taken

seriously we need to know our own anatomyseriously we need to know our own anatomy

First Things First: TaxonomyFirst Things First: Taxonomy

Definition: Hierarchical, systematic Definition: Hierarchical, systematic classification of all lifeforms.classification of all lifeforms.

The classification system starts with the The classification system starts with the broadest or most general categories : first, the broadest or most general categories : first, the kingdom, then the phylum, then the class, then kingdom, then the phylum, then the class, then the order.the order.

The system ends up with specific categories: The system ends up with specific categories: the genus, the species, the variety. the genus, the species, the variety.

Each category, whether broad or specific, is Each category, whether broad or specific, is known as a known as a taxon (plural, taxa)taxon (plural, taxa)

Taxonomy: Binomial Taxonomy: Binomial NomenclatureNomenclature

Every species has at least two names Every species has at least two names We humans belong to the:We humans belong to the: Genus: Genus: HomoHomo Species: Species: sapienssapiens This is an example of This is an example of binomial binomial (that is, pertaining to (that is, pertaining to

two names)two names) nomenclature nomenclature (that is, a system of names)(that is, a system of names) Sometimes we have a third name for variety: for us, Sometimes we have a third name for variety: for us,

that would be that would be sapiens sapiens for some purposesfor some purposes

Stylistic Convention of Binomial Stylistic Convention of Binomial NomenclatureNomenclature

We italicize all names of a given speciesWe italicize all names of a given species Capitalize the genusCapitalize the genus Lowercase the species and varietyLowercase the species and variety Example: Example: Homo (sapiens) sapiensHomo (sapiens) sapiens For broader taxa, families, orders, and phyla, For broader taxa, families, orders, and phyla,

for example, the term is capitalizedfor example, the term is capitalized Thus we belong to the order Primata.Thus we belong to the order Primata.

Taxonomy: The General TaxaTaxonomy: The General Taxa

This is the taxonomy of ourselves:This is the taxonomy of ourselves: Kingdom:Kingdom: Animalia (ingests food, moves) Animalia (ingests food, moves) Phylum:Phylum: Chordata (has spinal cord) Chordata (has spinal cord) Subphylum:Subphylum: Vertebrata (has segmented protective Vertebrata (has segmented protective

bone or cartilage that protects the spinal cord)bone or cartilage that protects the spinal cord) Class:Class: Mammalia (warm blooded, has hair, female Mammalia (warm blooded, has hair, female

secretes milk)secretes milk) Order: Order: Primata: (larger brain, stereoscopic [depth] Primata: (larger brain, stereoscopic [depth]

vision, flexible digits, complex socialityvision, flexible digits, complex sociality Suborder: Suborder: Anthropoidea (monkey, apes, humans)Anthropoidea (monkey, apes, humans)

Taxonomy of Humans and their Taxonomy of Humans and their CousinsCousins

Until recently, all animals were categorized by Until recently, all animals were categorized by their phenotype or visible characteristicstheir phenotype or visible characteristics

DNA analysis has given a different perspectiveDNA analysis has given a different perspective For example, our genome (total genetic For example, our genome (total genetic

composition) is closer to the chimps’ genome composition) is closer to the chimps’ genome than to the gorillas’ and the orangutans’than to the gorillas’ and the orangutans’

So a new typology has been adopted for So a new typology has been adopted for humans and their closest relativeshumans and their closest relatives

Hominid TaxonomyHominid Taxonomy

The chart above is one of the new taxonomies: The chart above is one of the new taxonomies: Hominids Hominids apply to all humans and African apesapply to all humans and African apes Alternative scheme applies “Alternative scheme applies “homininaehomininae” to chimps, bonobos, and gorillas” to chimps, bonobos, and gorillas Hominins Hominins apply to Homo sapiens and all extinct ancestors: apply to Homo sapiens and all extinct ancestors:

Australopithecus, Homo habilis, H. erectus, H. heidelbergensis, and H. Australopithecus, Homo habilis, H. erectus, H. heidelbergensis, and H. neanderthalensisneanderthalensis

Order PrimataOrder Primata

Includes prosimians (tarsier, upper left), old Includes prosimians (tarsier, upper left), old world monkeys (mangabey, lower left), other world monkeys (mangabey, lower left), other monkeys, aapes, and humansmonkeys, aapes, and humans

Some of the traits of primates areSome of the traits of primates are Stereoscopic vision; the eyes of both the Stereoscopic vision; the eyes of both the

tarsier (a prosimian) and the mangabey (an tarsier (a prosimian) and the mangabey (an old world monkey are angled forward, so old world monkey are angled forward, so they can perceive depththey can perceive depth

Flexible hands and fingers both of these can Flexible hands and fingers both of these can grasp objectsgrasp objects

They are both sociable and occur in groupsThey are both sociable and occur in groups

Suborder AnthropoideaSuborder Anthropoidea

Includes monkeys, apes, and humansIncludes monkeys, apes, and humans Both the rhesus macaque (top) and the Both the rhesus macaque (top) and the

chimpanzee are humanlikechimpanzee are humanlike Compared to prosimians, both have Compared to prosimians, both have

larger brainslarger brains Both live in groups with complex social Both live in groups with complex social

interactionsinteractions Both groom and have dominance Both groom and have dominance

hierarchieshierarchies Where they part: most monkeys have Where they part: most monkeys have

tails; all apes have nonetails; all apes have none

Superfamily HominoideaSuperfamily Hominoidea

Both orangutans (top) and Both orangutans (top) and gorillas (bottom) have larger gorillas (bottom) have larger cranial capacities than monkeyscranial capacities than monkeys

Both lack tailsBoth lack tails Both are semi-bipedal; monkeys Both are semi-bipedal; monkeys

are quadrupedalare quadrupedal Apes engage in suspensory Apes engage in suspensory

behavior (suspend themselves behavior (suspend themselves below tree branches); monkeys below tree branches); monkeys rarely dorarely do

Superfamily HomininaeSuperfamily Homininae Comprises chimpanzees, bonobosComprises chimpanzees, bonobos Larger cranial capacity than other Larger cranial capacity than other

hominoidshominoids Have ability to make and use toolsHave ability to make and use tools Have complex social relations, Have complex social relations,

ranging from grooming to ranging from grooming to dominance hierarchies (top)dominance hierarchies (top)

Bonobos: use sex to ease tension Bonobos: use sex to ease tension and recruit new females into the and recruit new females into the troop (below)troop (below)