1 30 2014 Ecological and Evolutionary Anthropology Anthropology Holistic study of humankind and their closest relatives through space and time 5 Field Approach Cultural Anthropology Archaeology Linguistics cultures slang Biological Physical medical forensics etc Applied Anthropology studies societies cultures studies remains to understand how people lived studies language and how they evolve how we share our study of human evolution includes primatology applies theories of all fields anthropology in action Ecology Holistic interactions between organisms between within species and between organisms and their surrounding environments merges biology and environmental science Biotic and Abiotic living nonliving components processes and interactions Evolutionary Biology Study of changes to form and function through time Charles Darwin father of Evolutionary Biology Explain how we got to where we are what produced the diversity on earth origin of new species Ecological and Evolutionary Anthropology Study of relationships between hominids and non hominids primates and their biophysical environments to understand changed in their physiology and behavior through space and time Trajectory of Systems Thinking Mechanical Approach Ecosystems Approach Complexity Complex Adaptive Systems Approach Mechanical Systems Approach Reductionist Focuses on individual parts assumes the world is predictable the whole is no more than the sum of its parts Ecosystems Approach The whole is greater than the sum of its parts holistic point of view Everything is interconnected Assumes 1 Ecosystem is basic unit of nature which is all interconnected 2 Biodiversity increases stability 3 Change is bad strive for homeostasis Energy Flows Only Complexity Complex Adaptive Systems Approach The whole is greater than the sum of its parts but change is accepted expected may not be bad non linear Adaptation and adaptive capacity is important Energy and Information Flows Cannot separate Biology and Culture A Complex Bio Cultural Approach interrelationships between Genes Environment culture Culture As an adaptation Shapes political economy Shapes human brain and life history long parental investment Influences behavior and how we view the world Science A process and a tool that we use to understand what we can know Goal Advance knowledge of the natural world by describing and explaining the universe as accurately and fully as possible Characteristics Testable can for hypotheses testable statements Deals exclusively with the natural world Parsimonious o Occam s Razor when faced with two possible explanations the simpler of the two is the one most likely to be true Probabilistic statistics model certitude Logical Rigor Repeated testing to make sure Self correcting approach The Scientific Method Observation Questioning Hypothesis Prediction Experiment Result Repeat Hypothesis vs Theory vs Scientific Law Describes What Happens Explains Why Things Happen Applies to Single or Small Number of events Applies to All Events Observation Hypothesis Law Ex Gravity Theory Science is a Culture 1 Communal The work of scientists is shared among scientists and with the public allows for the self correcting method 2 Universal Happens in all countries and transcends culture ex Math 3 Disinterestedness Attempt at objectiveness science is for the public 4 Organized Skepticism Conservative in accepting theories burden of proof is on the person who makes a claim