Question Paper

Question 1

It differs from other sciences concerned with human social behavior (especially sociology) in its emphasis on data from nonliterate peoples and archaeological exploration. It has also differed from other sciences concerned with human social behavior (especially sociology) in its emphasis on data from nonliterate peoples and archaeological exploration. Anthropology is the study of Homo sapiens (people) and their closely related ancestral species of the primate order. We are involved in a universal human science interested in all forms of humanity. The goal of anthropology is to describe and explain human variation, similarities, and differences in people through time and across space.

We might also be interested in the changes through time of various populations. We might, for example, like to know about changes in house types, clothing styles, or rules for marriage. Some populations, for example, allow a man to be married to more than one woman at one time, or a woman to more than one man. Other societies may specify that a man and woman may only be married to one of the opposite sex at one time, (Flinn Geary & Ward 10-46) such as in our own society. As anthropologists, we not only observe these differences, we also want to know why it is common to find one form in one place and another form in another place. Anthropology, in other words, is a mirror in which we see ourselves in some of our most infinite variety. In order to discover what is common and typical of all people, we must, paradoxically, look at all the differences.

Question 2

In 1859, Darwin published his famous On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, a tome of over 500 pages that marshalled extensive evidence for his theory. Publication of the book caused a furor - every copy of the book was sold the day that it was released. Members of the religious community, as well as some scientific peers, were outraged by Darwin's ideas and protested. Most scientists, however, recognized the power of Darwin's arguments. Today, school boards still debate the validity and suitability of Darwin's theory in science curricula, and a whole body of debate has grown up around the controversy. We do not have time to cover all of Darwin's evidence and arguments, but we can examine the core ideas. What does this theory of evolution say?

From one generation to the next, the struggle for resources (what Darwin called the “struggle for existence”) will favor individuals with some variations over others and thereby change the frequency of traits within the population (Ovchinnikov, et al 490). This process is natural selection. The traits that confer an advantage to those individuals who leave more offspring are called adaptations.

In order for natural selection to operate on a trait, the trait must possess heritable variation and must confer an advantage in the competition for resources. If one of these requirements does not occur, then the trait does not experience natural selection. (We now know that such traits may change by ...