Narratives of Human Evolution - Rilegato

Landau, Misia

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0300049404 ISBN 13: 9780300049404

Casa editrice: Yale Univ Pr, 1991

Riassunto

According to Landau, the various theories of human evolution are versions of the universal hero tale in folklore and myth. The narratives all have similar structure, featuring a humble hero (in theories of evolution it is a nonhuman primate) who departs on a journey (leaves his natural habitat), receives essential aid or equipment from a donor figure (through evolutionary principles such as natural selection or orthogenesis), goes through tests (imposed by predators, harsh climate or competitors), and finally arrives at a higher (that is, more human) state. Analyzing both classic and modern tales on evolution, Landau reveals not only their common narrative form but also how this form accommodates differences in meaning - widely varying sequences of events, heroes, and donors. Landau shows how interpretations of fossil record differ according to what the anthropologist believes is the primary evolutionary agent. Concluding that scientists have much to gain from an awareness that they are tellers of stories, she argues that an understanding of narrative can provide tools for creating new scientific theories and analyzing old ones.

Su questo libro

Product Description

Book by Landau Assistant Prof Misia

Dettagli dell'edizione

• Editore: Yale Univ Pr
• Data di pubblicazione: 1991
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 0300049404
• ISBN 13: 9780300049404
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero di pagine: 218
• Contatto del produttore: non disponibile
• Persona responsabile: non disponibile