1. Evolution and Crime

2. Evolution Evolution has not been linear
At least 15 species of hominids have been identified
Upright creatures at least 3 million years ago
Lucy
Footprints

3. Evolution
A recent discovery indicates that the first bipedal may have occurred 5 million years ago
Tool construction 2 million years ago (homo habilis)
Homo sapiens (our immediate ancestors) appeared about 100,000 years ago

4. Evolution
Neanderthals, another hominid species, coexisted during the same time period
Homo sapiens sapiens appeared about 45,000 years ago
Notable differences: arts, improved tool construction, probably language, more complex social hierarchies

5. Evolution
With the advent of homo sapiens sapiens, Neanderthals became extinct in the next 10,000-15,000 years
Did we wage war on them? Assimilate?
No evidence
Most likely we edged them out

6. Evolution Most striking aspect of our species is its adaptability
Appears to have spread out of Africa, to Eurasia, to the Americas and ultimately to the South Pacific, to every part of the world except Antarctica

7. Evolution For most of our history, hunter/scavenger-gathers
Traditional: extended families, n possessions, nomadic
!Kung of the sub-Saharan Africa
Small groups, people, extended face to face contact

8. Evolution Agriculture appeared around 10,000 years ago
Major change, took place gradually
In some places it never occurred (!kung, rain forests) because conditions were not conducive to its development
In some places, “partial” agriculture

9. Evolution Requires: plants that can be more easily domesticated
Assisted by available animals that can be easily domesticated
No coincidence that the earliest “civilizations” were in the Middle East and then Eurasia

10. Evolution Advantages of agriculture
Larger numbers of people could be fed to support a growing population
Some freed to pursue other interests (arts, soldiers to protect)
Being able to stay in one place rather than migrate to new food sources

11. Evolution Disadvantages
Dependence on a limited number of foods; if crops fail, the group is in jeopardy
Development of possessions enhanced and exaggerated status differences
Creation of “haves” and “have nots” (Marx)

12. Evolution
For at least 35,000 of our 45,000 years we were hunter-gatherers
For some groups, almost all of our existence
We have gone through very rapid changes for which we are ill-prepared
Evolutionary biologists argue that we tend to lose sight of our origins (ex. dating, eating)

13. Traditional vs. Modern Societies
Hunter-gather
Extended family
Group oriented
Close knit
Informal sanctions
Little formal training
Preliterate
Technology
Nuclear family
Individual oriented
Spread apart
Formal sanctions
Sanctions
Literate

14. Traditional vs. modern Cooperative Consensus Sharing resources
Competitive
Little consensus
Acquiring resources, hoarding

15. Nature of man Good v. evil Aggression (chimpanzees)
Cooperative nature of humans
Development of complex interactions (partially a function of languages)
We cooperate, constantly on the alert for violations

16. Nature of man Controls placed by long-term face to face contacts
Prisoner Dilemma games
Are we good or evil?
Tendencies for both
Emergent properties, result of civilization
Stealing, aggression