Mid-Term Exam Flashcards
What is Archaeology?
Archaeology is the study of human history through the analysis of artifacts, physical remains, and structures. Archaeologists seek to understand past cultures, human behaviour, and society by examining material culture and the context in which it is found.
What is Biological Anthropology?
Biological anthropology explores the biological aspects of humans, including their evolution, genetics and primatology. Biological anthropologists aim to understand the evolution of origin and Homo Sapiens, biological diversity, and human adaptation.
What is Cultural Anthropology?
Cultural anthropology is concerned with the study of contemporary human cultures, including their beliefs, practices, and social structures. They seek to understand the diversity of cultural practice, human societies, and the ways in which people render meaning in their lives.
What is Linguistic Anthropology?
Linguistic anthropology examines the role of language in human societies, including how languages evolve, function, and shape cultural identity. They aim to understand the relationship between culture and language, the diversity of languages, and the ways in which language influences societal dynamics.
How Did The Scientific Revolution in the 16th And 17th Century Transform The Approach to Understanding The Natural World?
The Scientific Revolution encouraged a departure from philosophical approaches to evidence-based methods. In archaeology, this shift meant moving away from conjectures about the past based solely on historical texts to a reliance on tangible evidence uncovered through excavation.
What Are The 4 Key Enlightenment Ideals?
- Empiricism
- Emphasized the role of empirical evidence in understanding reality.
- Stressed the importance of drawing logical conclusions from observing the natural world. - Humanism
- Advocated moral principles based on logic and reason.
- Rejected reliance on divine sources. - Liberalism
- Emphasized individual freedom, property, and rights. - Rationalism
- Asserted knowledge acquisition through logical and rational thought.
In summary, The Enlightenment challenged established views on nature and the past. It laid the foundation for an increased empirical, individualistic, and rational approach to understanding the world.
What Was The Pivotal Discovery in 1856 That Significantly Impacted The Field of Paleoanthropology And Our Understanding of Human Evolution?
The discovery in 1856 occurred in Neander Valley, Germany, where limestone quarrymen discovered unusual bones. These bones were later identified as belonging to an ancient hominid.
Who Were The Key Individuals Involved in The Investigation of The Discovered Bones, And What Was Their Contribution?
The key individuals involved in the investigation of the discovered bones were John Carl Fuhlrott, an amateur naturalist and local teacher who received the bones from the quarrymen, and Schaaffhausen, a German paleontologist. Fuhlrott recognized the significance of the bones and investigated them, eventually seeking the expertise of Schaaffhausen due to his background in anatomy. Their analysis revealed unique features, particularly in the structure of the skull and additional skeletal elements, distinguishing them from modern human remains.
Who is Rudolf Virchow?
Virchow applied his expertise in pathology to the examination of skeletal remains, contributing to the understanding of diseases in ancient civilizations.
What Are The 3 Important Changes in Understanding The World?
- The Extreme Age of The Earth
- The Extreme Age of Human History
- The Mutability of Organisms (Evolution)
Why Was The Age of The Earth a Mystery?
The age of the Earth was initially a mystery to archaeologists as, historically, scientific methods and understanding were limited, and cultural beliefs influenced interpretations of the Earth’s age.
- Lack of Scientific Methods
- Before the development of contemporary scientific methods, archaeologists lacked the tools to accurately measure the age of artifacts and geological formations. - Limited Geological Understanding
- Early archaeologists had a limited understanding of geology and gradual processes that shape the Earth’s surface over extended periods. - Religious Beliefs
- Many ancient cultures and religious traditions held beliefs that the Earth was relatively young, often per religious texts. - Resistance to Change
- Scientific paradigms are not easily overturned, and the acceptance of an older Earth required a paradigm shift.
What is The Law of Uniformitarianism?
The Law of Uniformitarianism is a geological concept that implies that the same natural laws and processes observed today have operated throughout Earth’s history.
How Did Charles Lyell Contribute to The Development of The Law of Uniformitarianism?
Charles Lyell built on the ideas of James Hutton. Lyell argued for the concept of “Deep Time,” challenging the prevailing belief that the Earth was a few thousand years old. He advocated recognizing the Earth’s age in the order of millions, particularly opposing the notion of a 6000-year-old Earth.
Why Was The Age of Human History a Mystery?
- Inadequate Understanding of Evolution
- The acceptance of human evolution as a gradual process spanning millions of years was not universally embraced. - Lack of Written Records
- Ancient civilizations left behind written records. but these merely extended back a few thousand years. - Scarcity of Preserved Materials
- Materials from ancient eras decay over time, leaving behind a fraction of the original artifacts.
What Term Did Charles Darwin Introduce in The Context of Biological Evolution?
Transmutation
What Was Darwin’s Significant Contribution to Evolutionary Theory?
Darwin’s significant contribution lies not merely in introducing the idea of evolution, but in formulating a comprehensive explanation enduringly known as “Evolution Through Natural Selection.” This emphasizes the hereditary transmission of traits through generations, and the gradual transformation of organisms. Despite potential resistance to his theory, Darwin delayed publishing it, but influential figures like Charles Lyell encouraged him to share his ideas with the scientific community.
What is The Relationship Between Darwin And Wallace?
Alfred Wallace independently developed a theory similar to Darwin’s, leading to a joint presentation of their ideas, highlighting the independent and simultaneous development of the “Theory of Evolution.”
What is The Relationship Between Darwin and Huxley?
Thomas Huxley not only accepted, but championed Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theory. Huxley played a pivotal role in disseminating knowledge about the foundational implications and principles of Darwin’s ground-breaking concept.
Who Discovered The “Missing Link?”
Eugene Dubois - He directed his exploration efforts in Southeast Asia (Indonesia), in which he discovered remains of primitive human-like individuals.
Who Analyzed And Discovered The “Taung Child?”
Raymond Dart - Dart’s analysis of the “Taung Chid” revealed a significant anatomical feature, its brain size, situated between that of apes and humans.
Who Discovered the “Peking Man?”
Davidson Black
What Insights Can Skeletal Remains Provide About Ancient Populations?
Repetitive tasks within archaeological contexts serve as revealing indicators of distinct behavioural patterns, manifesting in discernible physical attributes like signs of malnourishment, and specific muscle growth. This is reflected in the skeletal remains, providing insights into the lifestyles of ancient populations. - Example: Archer.
What is Classification?
The tool of “Classification” facilitates the systematic categorization of artifacts, skeletal remains, and other archaeological materials. This classification serves as a foundational approach to discerning patterns across cultural and temporal contexts, enabling archaeologists to derive meaningful insights into the evolution of human societies over time.
What is Taxonomy?
Taxonomy is the science of classification, specifically the systematic organization of living organisms into hierarchical categories based on shared characteristics
What Was Carl Linnaeus’s Role in Taxonomy?
Linnaeus’ approach involved organizing organisms into a hierarchical structure, encompassing general categories down to specific species. The Linnaean system organized organisms hierarchically, encompassing broad categories like class and order, progressively narrowing down to specific subcategories and, ultimately, individual species.
What is Binomial Nomenclature?
Linnaeus introduced binomial nomenclature, a standardized naming system for species, which involved assigning each species a two-part Latin name (Example: Homo-Sapiens). - Relation to John Ray.
What Are The 13 Levels of Classification?
- Kingdom
- Phylum
- Class
- Order
- Family
- Genus
- Species
- Animalia
- Chordata
- Mammalia
- Primata
- Hominidae
- Homo Sapiens
What is The Concept of “Fixity of Species?”
Species are unchanging and permanent. This notion was deeply rooted in philosophical, religious, and scientific thinking for much of history. Darwin’s “Theory of Natural Selection,” challenged the “Fixity of Species.” Darwin proposed that species evolve through a process of descent with modification, driven by “Natural Selection” acting on heritable variations.
What is Domestication?
Refers to the process by which humans selectively breed and manage animals and plants for various purposes, like agriculture, companionship, or labour. It involves the adaption of wild species to human environments and necessities
What is Artificial Selection?
Involves the intentional breeding of organisms with desirable traits by humans. In “Artificial Selection,” humans choose particular individuals with traits they find beneficial or desirable, and allow them to reproduce. Over time, this selective breeding leads to the propagation of traits that are advantageous for human purposes.
Who is John Ray?
John Ray played a crucial role in the development of “Systematic Classification,” and was a pioneer in establishing a precise system for organizing living organisms. John Ray was instrumental in formulating the concept of “Genus” and “Species” within the framework of “Biological Classification.” Ray’s work had a significant impact on later naturalists and taxonomists, like Carl Linnaeus, and is often credited with the development of the contemporary system of “Binominal Nomenclature.”
What Term Did George Buffon Introduce?
Transformism - Implies that species evolved in response to environmental influences.
What is Lamarck’s Influence?
Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics - Lamarck implied that the alterations acquired by an organism during its lifetime can be passed to its offspring. He proposed that these “Acquired Characteristics” can become hereditary, and influence the traits of future generations. Lamarck envisioned a continuous, progressive evolution of species. - He used the elongation of Giraffe necks as an example.
What is The Voyage of The HMS Beagle?
The HMS Beagle Expedition, captained by Robert FitzRoy, was a landmark scientific voyage that took place from 1831 to 1836. On this voyage, Charles Darwin served as the ship’s “Naturalist,” and it provided him with the opportunity to collect extensive data on various aspects of the natural world, like fossils, geological formations, and living organisms.
What Are The 6 Fundamental Premises of Natural Selection?
- More offspring are produced by a species than can be supported by naturally available food sources.
- Within any single species there is a significant amount of biological and genetic diversity.
- Example: Humans
- Example: Zebras - Long leg Zebra’s have an adaptive advantage over short leg Zebra’s. Impacts “Fossil Record.” - Individuals with advantageous traits will have an advantage over other members of their species in terms of their ability to survive longer.
- Gazelles exhibiting greater speed have a heightened ability to evade predation, thereby increasing their chance of survival, and reproductive success in the natural environment. - Individuals with traits that increase their chance of living longer are more likely to reach the age at which they will begin reproducing, and are likely to contribute offspring to subsequent generations.
- Traits that are advantageous under current environmental conditions tend to be passed on.
- Example: Camouflage - Over extended periods, accumulated changes within a species will result in a new species. - Named “Speciation”
- Trinidad Guppies
What Are The 4 Fundamental Components of The Evolutionary Process?
- Of the inherent variability in traits of a species, most represent neither potential advantage nor disadvantage to their survival. Therefore, they are not subject to “Natural Selection.” - They are “Neutral Traits.”
- “Natural Selection” only acts on variation that already exists in a species. The enduring success of a species in the context of environmental alterations does not hinge on the abrupt disappearance of traits.
- “Natural Selection” can only act on genetic variability. It can exert its influence solely on traits that are genetically determined.
- “Natural Selection” can only play an essential role in the selection of traits that affect the reproductive success of an individual.
What is Micro Evolution?
Micro-Evolution refers to small-scale alterations that occur within a population, or species over relatively short periods. These alterations are most often observable within a few generations.
What is Macro Evolution?
Macro-Evolution pertains to large-scale alterations that occur over extended periods, typically involving the formation of higher taxonomic groups, or new species.
