Overview

"Underlying the anthropological study of man is the principle that there is a reality to which man must adapt if he is to survive, reproduce, and to perpetuate himself. Populations must adapt to the realities of the physical world and maintain a proper ""fit"" between their biological makeup and the pressures of the various niches of the world in which they seek to live. Social groups - where culture is found - must de velop adaptative mechanisms in the organization of their social relations if there is to be order, regularity, and predictability in patterns of cooperation and competition and if they are to survive as viable units. This three-volume set of readings presents an introduction to anthropology that is unified and made systematic by focus on adaptations that have accompanied the evolution of man, from non-human primate to inhabitant of vast urban areas in modern industrial societies. Man in Adaptation: The Biosocial Background serves as an introduction to Physical Anthropology, Linguistics, and Archeology from the point of view of processes of adaptation. It focuses on the role of biological adaptation in man's attempts to transcend the restrictions of his natural habitats and deals with the principle issues and concepts in the study of human evolution. These volumes are the first attempt to unify the disparate subject matter of anthro pology within a single and powerful explanatory framework. They incorporate the work of the most renowned anthropological experts on man, and they illuminate clearly one of the most important concepts around which one can build an investigation of the nature and scope of anthropology itself. For these reasons, they are recognized as indispensable reading for every professional anthropologist and as perhaps the best available means of introducing new students to the field."

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<p> In order to achieve any deep understanding of man's 'biosocial background', it is necessary in the first place to have a thorough working knowledge of current interpretations of the fossil evidence for human evolution. This involves initially study of the skeletal evidence, but also of the evidence pertaining to any suggested time scale, to relevant ecological considerations such as climate and associated fauna, and to stone and other artefacts associated with fossil remains. Once a thorough knowledge of human evolution has been obtained, it is then appropriate to consider studies of non-human living primates and to create a comparative framework which will throw further light on our understanding of man. <p> --Rosemary Harris, Man <p> Volume I deals with the primate background and biological evolution of man, speech and language, and aspects of Old and New World prehistory with emphasis on the rise of states and civilization in Mesopotamia and Mexico... The organizational format for Man in Adaptation would seem to offer several advantages to the beginning student. By using a specific conceptual framework and central theme to present the material a certain unity is accorded the often bewildering diversity of anthropological concepts and interests. This should contribute significantly toward a more rewarding educational experience. The frequent use of introductory essays successfully highlights the continuities and eases the transitions between specific studies. <p> --Mary W. Helms, American Anthropologist

In order to achieve any deep understanding of man's 'biosocial background', it is necessary in the first place to have a thorough working knowledge of current interpretations of the fossil evidence for human evolution. This involves initially study of the skeletal evidence, but also of the evidence pertaining to any suggested time scale, to relevant ecological considerations such as climate and associated fauna, and to stone and other artefacts associated with fossil remains. Once a thorough knowledge of human evolution has been obtained, it is then appropriate to consider studies of non-human living primates and to create a comparative framework which will throw further light on our understanding of man. --Rosemary Harris, Man Volume I deals with the primate background and biological evolution of man, speech and language, and aspects of Old and New World prehistory with emphasis on the rise of states and civilization in Mesopotamia and Mexico... The organizational format for Man in Adaptation would seem to offer several advantages to the beginning student. By using a specific conceptual framework and central theme to present the material a certain unity is accorded the often bewildering diversity of anthropological concepts and interests. This should contribute significantly toward a more rewarding educational experience. The frequent use of introductory essays successfully highlights the continuities and eases the transitions between specific studies. --Mary W. Helms, American Anthropologist

Author Information

Yehudi A. Cohen was professor emeritus of anthropology at Rutgers University. He authored numerous books and articles including Human Behavior: The Biosocial Background, Man in Adaptation: The Cultural Present, and Social Structure and Personality.

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