Biological Anthropology Anthropology & the Nature of Science

What is Anthropology? Anthropo logy anthropos - ἄνθρωπος legein - λέγω from the Greek anthropos - ἄνθρωπος meaning “man; man-faced; a human being” from the Greek legein - λέγω meaning “to speak”

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 Relied on their cultures to adapt Shared many common features with recent and modern humans 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 Linguistic Anthropology Biological (or Physical) Anthropology Applied Anthropology (aka the “fifth field”) the cultural fields the biological field making it relevant

Biological Anthropology Links the study of humans as individuals who live in societies to the fact that we are animals who live in groups An explicitly scientific field  uses the tools of biology and other sciences

So let’s talk about Science

Some Terms used in Science Hypothesis: a statement developed to explain a phenomenon – must be testable/potentially falsifiable Data: the evidence that helps assess a hypothesis Empirical: derived from observations/experiments Theory: a set of explanatory principles (hypotheses) that have not (yet) been falsified

Science is … a process that develops provisional truths That is, “truths” that may one day be replaced by better “truths”

a process that develops absolute truths Science is not… a process that develops absolute truths That is, TRUTHS that may not be questioned and can never be corrected or improved upon

Two Assumptions of Science You explain natural phenomena only by referring to other natural phenomena Methodological materialism (this is NOT the same as Philosophical Materialism) 2) If two models both explain the data, use the simplest (unless you have a reason not to) Occam’s razor

Science can be understood as a process of “modeling” reality reality

A Theory Emerges the first model x + 1 = y does not explain some aspects of its focus predicts outcomes that will not occur

Science Advances a second, “better” model x2 + 2z = 0 unexplained phenomena predicted, but not “real”

Comprehension Increases another, even “better” model   predicted, but not “real” unexplained phenomena

Science as the Quest for ever “better” models

Is there a “perfect” model? predicts nothing that does not exist explains all phenomena that do exist

Not yet…

Science as a revolutionary process A “Paradigm Shift” scientific “revolution” anomalies “normal” science

The Copernican Revolution the shift from a geocentric (“earth-centered”) to a heliocentric (“sun-centered”) model of the solar system

Challenging the geocentric view is heresy An Immobile Earth All celestial objects move around the earth the heavens are perfect, the earth imperfect these Greek Ideas are adopted by Christian thinkers The Human drama is the reason for creation Earth is “center stage” Challenging the geocentric view is heresy

Two Different Explanations The Geocentric View The Heliocentric View Different celestial objects move in very different ways The Earth moves in the same way as other celestial objects

Nicholas Copernicus 1473-1543 Physician, lawyer, church administrator De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (“On the Revolutions of the Celestial Orbs”) published in 1543

Heliocentric Worldview the planets all move in a similar manner Heliocentrism makes fewer assumptions has greater applicability the movements of celestial objects can be explained and predicted Retrograde Mars (and Uranus) Credit & Copyright: Tunc Tezel

But acceptance was slow, as heliocentrism seemed absurd If the earth is moving, how can a stone that is thrown straight up come straight down? If the earth is a planet, why is it the only one with a moon? If the earth did move, why did the relative positions of the stars not (why would space be that big?)

Galileo Galilei Born 1564 Begins studies at University of Pisa in 1581 1592 – appointed professor of mathematics at University of Padua

Galileo Galilei 1609 – makes his first telescope Discovers Sunspots Rings of Saturn Phases of Venus Satellites of Jupiter Galileo’s notes of his observations of Jupiter and its moons; January 1610

Galileo Galilei Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems (1633) Condemned by the Roman Inquisition in 1633 Under house arrest from 1633 until his death in 1642

Science as a revolutionary process the “revolution” – earth goes around sun anomalies – planetos “normal” science – sun goes around earth

Things to remember Scientific discovery is driven by the community of scientists, who actively look for problems with theories Scientific truths are provisional, as better models are continually being pursued Science is a self-correcting process Scientific discoveries may contradict cherished notions of what the world is like