INTRODUCTION: This week’s readings introduced the field of biological anthropology, and how this discipline studies human biological evolution. The materials describe how biological anthropologists answer questions about humans’ biological evolution. Biological anthropologists seek to document and explain the patterning of biological variation among contemporary human populations, trace the evolution of our lineage through time in the fossil record, and provide a comparative perspective on human uniqueness by placing our species in the context of other living primates. The origin of our species has long been a topic of deep curiosity for humans. In this course, we will look at the scientific evidence for the origin and evolution of Homo sapiens. This course will use data from evolutionary theory, primatology, comparative anatomy, genetics, and paleontology to understand the latest hypotheses regarding human evolution and modern human behavioral biology. Regardless of large amount of data that proofs that evolution is truth, many people today are skeptical to this scientific view. For this assignment you will explore the views people have about evolution. BEFORE YOU STAR MAKE SURE TO READ THE GUIDELINES FOR DISCUSSSION ON LET’S GET STARTED MODULE! DISCUSSION TOPICS: MATERIALS (FOUND IN MODULE #1): · Creation v Evolution · How Evolution Works · From The Big Bang To The Present Day · Epic of Evolution by Eric Chaisson. THE READINGS DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: - Explain the difference between and significance of scientific and nonscientific methodology. Apply the concepts to everyday life. - What is Anthropology? Brief historical overview of the development of the field, its scope, aims, methods and relationships with other disciplines of scientific inquiry. - Types of evidence for evolution, such as historical geology, paleontology, embryology, hematology, serology, human genetics, cytology etc. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: What are strategies use by anthropologists to conduct research? How anthropologists obtain the point of view of their subjects? To explore how anthropologists study humanity, you will pretend to be an anthropologist conducting research by interviewing one individual of your choice that MIGRATED TO THE U.S. (Please do not include the name of your interviewee in your write-up). You will be posting a summary of your interview in this discussion, and not a write up of the questions and the direct answers. ASK YOUR INTERVIEWEE THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: QUESTION A: Ask your interviewee to tell you about the views on human biological evolution in the country of origin. Also ask to describe how the culture/religion/education in the country of origin has influence their views on human evolution. QUESTION B: How has their experience living in the U.S. affected their views on science and human evolution? Ask your interviewees to describe how American life, American culture, American inventions, etc. has affect their worldviews on science and evolution. Make sure to take notes of what he/she answers for each of the questions above. WHAT TO SUBMIT FOR DISCUSSION #2? [1]. Write a summary of what your interviewees stated for questions A and B. [2]. Then apply what you learned from the readings. The topics discuss anthropological research, describing the process of conducting field work, of gathering data, interpreting data, interacting with informants, code of ethics, etc. Look beyond the research topics in each article, and focus in extracting information about the process of conducting anthropological work. Use arguments, data, facts and/or statements from these articles to enrich, support or refute the description of your experience doing anthropological work by conducting this interview. Make it clear to let the reader know what statements are yours and which ones belong to the author. [3]. Use your own words. Do not use quotations or direct quotes. REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS DISCUSSION: - Please submit your post and two replies. - Your discussion post should be a minimum of 600 words (30 points). - You ALSO need to reply to two other students, each reply post should be at least 100 words (5 points each reply). Late assignments will not be accepted, & will receive no points.