This book--an outgrowth of a desire to present an up-to-date picture of primate evolution in a relatively nontechnical manner that can be appreciated by the general reader--presents an overview of the field of paleoanthropology.
A major feature of this presentation is its approach to the study of the primate fossil record. Skeletal remains are viewed in light of what they can reveal about the populations they represent: their anatomy, behavior, and social organization. The primate fossil record is presented as an evolutionary theater and not merely as isolated bones uncovered by tireless investigators.
The text is written primarily for the uninitiated, and there are a number of features to aid the reader's comprehension and allow further research on the topics discussed. A glossary of many of the technical terms is appened as a reference. A number of theoretical possibilities provide the reader with alternative views.
Because our knowledge is changing rapidly, who knows what theory now in vogue or disrepute will be ignored or championed a few years hence? It would be a gross misreading of the material and a disservice to many working in the field if one were to close the book feeling that all the work has been done and that all questions have been settled. Few other fields of scientific endeavor leave so much unanswered and have so much work yet to be done. Perhaps some who read this book will rise to the challenge.
1 Fossils, Fossilization, and Dating Methods
2 Determining Evolutionary Relationships
3 Our Place in the Animal Kingdom
4 Reconstructing Ancient Human Behavior and Social Organizations: Use of the Comparative Approch
5 Early Primate Evolution
6 The Transition to Apes
7 Trends in Human Evolution
8 The Earliest Homids
9 The Homind Divergence
10 Homo erectus
,etc.