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Principles of Human Evolution

Principles of Human Evolution

List Price: $78.95
Your Price: $78.95
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Don't believe in EVILution
Review: Evolution? Or should we call it EVIL-ution? What has this world come to, when people think we are all just monkeys? Maybe some of you like to climb trees and scratch yourselves all day, but we humans are not apes!

This evolution is just what Satan wants you to think. Through his trickery and so-called "fossils," Satan would have you believing our ancestors were hairy monkeys! Well, I remember my great-grandfather very well, and he was no hairier than any of us today, and he was born well over 100 years ago! Just take a look at 19th century photos, or paintings from the 1200's--do they look like hairy monkeys? Wake up, people! Stop believing in Satan's lies!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Principles of Human Evolution
Review: I enjoyed this book, which is essentially a general text on modern anthropology. It discusses not only the physical evidence for human evolution, it also outlines for the student the history and current status of controversies within the field. The latter includes such topics as the "lumping" and "splitting" of species, the "out of Africa" verses the "multi-regional" theories of modern human origins, the Neanderthal controversey, and the evolution of consciousness as the true measure of what it means to be "human." The book would make a good text for an introductory college level course to physical anthropology but might also interest the high school level student.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: a lousy textbook
Review: I was considering this textbook for the human evolution class that I am teaching and did not like it. The text is full of unidefined terminology, such as "...intertro-chanteric groove that runs from a small and moderately deep trochanteric fossa to just above the lesser trochanter." (p 238). No discussion of the significance of this feature follows. Discussion of anatomical adaptations to bipedality is very sketchy, limited to basics (1.5 page). There are numerous allusions to circumscientific conflicts, apparently intended for those few dedicated who attend annual AAPA meetings, e. g.: "Although the nature of the discovery is mired in political controversy, there seems to be little doubt..." (p237).

Book design is also very poor, and the illustrations are borderline with unprofessional. I had to go to the original publications to identify the blur objects shown on Fig. 9.6. See also figs 9.7, 11.7, 11.4. Of course, illustrations adapted from John Fleagle's book are great, some presented without proper reference (e.g. Fig 6.24). However, if you want a textbook with Fleagle's illustrations, just buy "Primate Adaptations and Evolution", a great textbook.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: just trying to counter the review from that theistic lunatic
Review: Lewin is a great expositor of evolutionary ideas. I get so tired of the lunatics bashing books on evolution at Amazon. Here is a fine book that some might not look closer because of the effect that lunatic has via the weighting of star reviews. I urge everyone sane thinker to join me in diluting that nut. Thanks!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An overall comprehensive overview of paleoanthropology
Review: Well-written for a freshman physical anthropology course, complete with numerous illustrations and charts. Roger Lewin explains in concise and easily-understandable language not only the field of paleoanthropology, but basic evolutionary theory, dating techniques, and paleoprimatology. The book presents multiple views on any debated issue, which should encourage open-mindedness and objectivity among students. However, "Principles of Human Evolution" afforded inadequate coverage to the earliest hominids, instead devoting the whole first half of the text to non-paleoanthropological background information. While this may be useful to beginners, readers who already possess the necessary background will feel inclined to skip ahead. There is also a lack of much anatomical detail, with which the text might have been much more informative and appealing to more advanced anthro readers. Overall, a good book, but there is still room for improvement.


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