Download Introduction to Biological Anthropology

Biological Anthropology
Introduction to Biological Anthropology
What is Anthropology?
Anthropo logy
from the Greek
anthropos - ἄνθρωπος
meaning “man; man-faced; a
human being”
from the Greek
legein - λέγω
meaning “to speak”
The “Study of” or “Science of”
 bios + logy = the study of bios (“life”)
 geo + logy = the study of geo (“earth”)
 psykhe + ology = the study of psykhe (“breath”, “spirit”,
“soul”)
 theos + logy = the study of theos (“God”)
Four-Field Anthropology
 Cultural Anthropology
 Archaeology
 Linguistic Anthropology
 Biological (or Physical) Anthropology
Cultural Anthropology
 Focuses on the role culture plays in human life
 Culture is
 The primary means by which humans adapt
 Learned by individuals as they grow up within a group
 Passed on from generation to generation
 Constantly changing
Archaeology
 Focuses on human life in the past
 Humans of the past
 Shared many common features with recent and
modern humans
 Relied on their cultures to adapt
 Saw their cultures change as a result of the same
processes that change cultures today
Linguistic Anthropology
 Focuses on the role language plays in human life
 Language is
 The primary means by which a human learns his/her
culture
 Learned by individuals as they grow up within a group
 Passed on from generation to generation
 Constantly changing
Biological Anthropology
(aka“Physical Anthropology”)
 Focuses on humans as biological organisms
 Biological organisms
 Have similar features and needs
 Are the products of evolutionary and environmental
forces
 Are genetically unique
Four-Field Anthropology
 Cultural Anthropology
 Archaeology
the cultural fields
 Linguistic Anthropology
 Biological (or Physical)
Anthropology
the biological field
 Applied Anthropology
(aka the “fifth field”)
making it relevant
Anthropology is a Biocultural Discipline
• Regards humans as biological organisms whose primary
means of adapting to the world is culture
• Links the study of humans as individuals who live in
societies to the fact that we are animals who live in groups
• Considers the ways in which humans are like other
organisms and the ways we are different
The Six Steps to Humanness
1. bipedalism
4. speech
2. non-honing canine
5. hunting
3. material culture
and tools
6. domesticated foods