Freethought & Rationalism Archive

MyKell · 03-06-2003, 03:07 AM

Can anyone summarize the things we know about human evolution including the known fossil record and the gaps that we are hoping to find in order to shut the creationists up?

Oolon Colluphid · 03-06-2003, 03:36 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MyKell
Can anyone summarize the things we know about human evolution including the known fossil record and the gaps that we are hoping to find in order to shut the creationists up?

Hi MyKell

Summarise?

Okay: we know bloody tons of stuff.

To even summarise it would take a book. Such as... < ta-dah! > The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution, which does just what you ask! Covers the lot, from fossils to DNA to primatology to comparative anatomy. Best single volume on all aspects I know of. Check your library... or just buy it!

More specifically on fossils, try these three:

http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/

http://www.mnh.si.edu/anthro/humanorigins/

http://www.anth.ucsb.edu/projects/human

Question is, what gaps?

Cheers, DT

seanie · 03-06-2003, 03:45 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Darwin's Terrier
Question is, what gaps?

Cheers, DT

Well my great grandad was lost at sea.

Does that count?

Ergaster · 03-06-2003, 05:34 AM

Hm.

No, I don't think it is possible to *summarize* all we know in one handy dandy post, because we know so much. The Talk Origins faq on hominids is as good a summary as you'd want, and it goes on for pages.

You might also want to read The Fossil Trail by Ian Tattersall; it's a bit out of date wrt fossil finds, but not on how we know what we know.

Keep in mind that paleoanthropologists don't give much of a damn about creationists, and do not go about their business intending to "shut them up". Creationist opinion is entirely irrelevant to paleoanthropology.

Plus the fact that *no* amount of evidence will ever be enough for them, because the whole "debate" is not about evidence anyway.

RufusAtticus · 03-06-2003, 09:56 AM

Rufus Summarizes It All

Similarities and homologies in morphologies show that we are most closely related to chimps, gorillas, and oragutans.

Similarities and homologies in our genetic material show that we are most closely related to chimps, gorillas, and oragutans.

The fossil record reveals a series that show a transition of an ape lineage from specimans lacking human characters to specimans that are more and more similar to modern man.

MyKell · 03-06-2003, 12:37 PM

Quote:

The fossil record reveals a series that show a transition of an ape lineage from specimans lacking human characters to specimans that are more and more similar to modern man.

can you go into a bit more detail

RufusAtticus · 03-06-2003, 02:01 PM

29 evidences

Fossil Hominid FAQ

Oolon Colluphid · 03-06-2003, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MyKell
can you go into a bit more detail

Erm, I gave you plenty of detail in those links... and conversely, Rufus put it a nutshell. Perhaps you could tell us just what is the right amount? A paragraph or two? 1500 words, or 3000? Can you say 'spoonfeed'?

DT,

but also

and a little

MyKell · 03-06-2003, 02:24 PM

Rufus gave me what I was looking for, call it spoonfeeding, call it whatever. People have other things to do in life. To me, this is the purpose of having forums like this, LEARNING without having to reinvent the wheel.
Cheers

Oolon Colluphid · 03-07-2003, 04:18 AM

Righty-ho. Just that Rufus's 'Fossil Hominid FAQ' link was the first one I gave you too...

DT

03-06-2003, 03:07 AM	#1
MyKell Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Amman, Jordan Posts: 258	Human evolution Can anyone summarize the things we know about human evolution including the known fossil record and the gaps that we are hoping to find in order to shut the creationists up?

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03-06-2003, 05:34 AM	#4
Ergaster Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Toronto Posts: 506	Hm. No, I don't think it is possible to summarize all we know in one handy dandy post, because we know so much. The Talk Origins faq on hominids is as good a summary as you'd want, and it goes on for pages. You might also want to read The Fossil Trail by Ian Tattersall; it's a bit out of date wrt fossil finds, but not on how we know what we know. Keep in mind that paleoanthropologists don't give much of a damn about creationists, and do not go about their business intending to "shut them up". Creationist opinion is entirely irrelevant to paleoanthropology. Plus the fact that no amount of evidence will ever be enough for them, because the whole "debate" is not about evidence anyway.

03-06-2003, 09:56 AM	#5
RufusAtticus Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NCSU Posts: 5,853	Rufus Summarizes It All Similarities and homologies in morphologies show that we are most closely related to chimps, gorillas, and oragutans. Similarities and homologies in our genetic material show that we are most closely related to chimps, gorillas, and oragutans. The fossil record reveals a series that show a transition of an ape lineage from specimans lacking human characters to specimans that are more and more similar to modern man.

03-06-2003, 02:01 PM	#7
RufusAtticus Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: NCSU Posts: 5,853	29 evidences Fossil Hominid FAQ

03-06-2003, 02:24 PM	#9
MyKell Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Amman, Jordan Posts: 258	Rufus gave me what I was looking for, call it spoonfeeding, call it whatever. People have other things to do in life. To me, this is the purpose of having forums like this, LEARNING without having to reinvent the wheel. Cheers

03-07-2003, 04:18 AM	#10
Oolon Colluphid Contributor Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Alibi: ego ipse hinc extermino Posts: 12,591	Righty-ho. Just that Rufus's 'Fossil Hominid FAQ' link was the first one I gave you too... DT

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