Human Evolution: Trails from the Past - Softcover

Cela-Conde, Camilo J.; Ayala, Francisco J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0198567804 ISBN 13: 9780198567806

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2007

Synopsis

Human Evolution provides a comprehensive overview of hominid evolution, synthesizing data and approaches from fields as diverse as physical anthropology, evolutionary biology, molecular biology, genetics, archaeology, psychology, and philosophy.

The book begins with chapters on evolution, population genetics, systematics, and the methods for constructing evolutionary trees. These are followed by a comprehensive review of the fossil history of human evolution since our divergence from the apes. Subsequent chapters cover more recent data, both fossil and molecular, relating to the evolution of modern humans. A final section describes the evolution of culture, language, art, and morality.

The authors are leading experts in two complementary fields of scholarship: physical anthropology and molecular evolution. Throughout the book they successfully integrate their expertise in evolutionary theory, phylogenetics, genomics, cultural evolution, language, aesthetics, and morality to produce a cutting edge textbook, copiously illustrated and with an extensive and up-to-date bibliography. The text is suitable for both senior undergraduate and graduate level students taking courses on human evolution within departments of biology, anthropology, psychology, and philosophy. The book may also be of interest to a more general audience seeking a readable, up-to-date, and inclusive treatment of human origins and evolution.

About this title

About the Author:

Camilo J. Cela-Conde is Director of the Laboratory of Human Systematics and Professor at the University of Islas Baleares (Spain). He is a Fellow (elected 1999) of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He is author of two books on human evolution, plus a dozen more books on fiction, biography, essay, and science. He has published numerous articles in scientific journals, mostly related to anthropology and human evolution Francisco J. Ayala is University Professor and Donald Bren Professor of Biological Sciences at the University of California, Irvine. He was awarded the U.S. National Medal of Science for 2001. He is a member of the US National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, and of Academies of Science from Italy, Russia, Spain and other countries. He has received numerous awards and gold medals, as well as honorary degrees from six countries.

Review:

The book has the character of a treatise on human evolution, well documented and advanced on the numerous topics Fiorenzo Facchini History Philosophy and Life Science ...a superb volume that is intended as a textbook for courses in human evolution at the upper-division undergraduate or graduate level...it is rich in detail and up to date in its coverage. Elof Axel Carlson Quarterly Review of Biology ...this book is an attractive selection as a primary text in any human evolution course... Ian Tattersall BioScience

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0198567804
• ISBN 13: 9780198567806
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 437