This book presents a breadth of scholarship not found in previous books on theevolution of early hominids. This wideranging account creates an accessibleintrodu... » 

This book presents a breadth of scholarship not found in previous books on theevolution of early hominids. This wideranging account creates an accessibleintroduction to the development of humankind suitable for students at alllevels and the interested nonspecialist. The reevaluation of existingconventions and their replacement with convincing alternatives provide thebasis for the study of early hominid evolution for years to come.The author combines biological research on early human origins and evolutionfrom the split with the apes some six million years ago to the rise of earlymodern humans. He focuses on how early humans evolved lived and organizednhemselves while signifying the relevance of that advancement for theunderstanding of modern social life.The deconstruction of current thought on early hominid evolution continues asthe author applies critical scrutiny to the biological theory of kin selectionand its relevance for the evolution of human morality and the behaviors ofinbreeding avoidance and infanticide. He also examines other key issues such asthe origin of cognition spoken language morality and typical human sexualityas well as diet and population density.In a discussion on the lack of coherent evolutionary explanation of bipedalismthe author proposes a possible semiaquatic environment for our ancestors as analternative to the widely held savannah hypothesis. He gives furtherconsideration to the evolutionary instruments used in creating bipedalism aswell as the modern human skull and face and the special human traits ofcuriosity and creativity.The author accesses research by the worlds leading scholars of earlyhominidevolution and primate behavior to create a landmark exploration of humanorigins. «