Human evolution: an alternate model of hominid social development
Citation
Metz, William M. (1979). Human evolution: an alternate model of hominid social development. -- Lambda Alpha Journal of Man, v.11, no.1, p.78-98.
Abstract
Speculations on the evolution of hominid social structure
have become quite popular in recent years. The primary concern
of these theorists has been the development of a model which
would accurately depict the adaptive strategy of early man.
This paper is a response to the models which have been proposed.
I will concern myself with one model in particular: the baboon analogy. This analogy has come into great favor in anthropological circles;
so much so that it seems to have been
accepted as a close approximation of the truth, This paper is an attempt to show that there are other, equally viable,
models which can account for the fossil record and the idiosyncrasies
of modern human society. An analogy accepted as
explanation can be very damaging to future theoretical orientations.
It is dangerous to put too much weight on such tenuous
speculation. I will attempt to show that the adaptive
strategy of the patas monkey can be used to explain hominid
social evolution at least as well as the baboon analogy.