"Humanity's Origin Story Just Got More Complicated" Topic

"Human evolution was messy, with multiple human species living and interbreeding at the same time, in a convoluted process that eventually led to us. Such is the emerging narrative in anthropology, and it's a theory now bolstered by three fascinating new studies released today.

Not too long ago, anthropology and archaeology students were told that modern humans, formally known as Homo sapiens, could trace their evolutionary origins back in time by following a tidy, linear chain of ancestral species. Much of this thinking had to do with the paltry amount of available paleontological and archaeological evidence, but it also had to do with simplistic and biased views of biology, in which human evolution was equated with a steady march of progress.

Scientists who study human evolution don't think like this anymore. Our origin story is turning out to be more complicated—and far more fascinating—than these now-antiquated narratives…"
Main page

link

Amicalement
Armand

WHAT --- SCIENTISTS WRONG !!!! Let us not even think or utter that disgusting and despicable though!!

Russ Dunaway

It isn't right or wrong it's can you change your mind if more evidence shows up. The problems happen when you get locked into one mindset and will not change it no matter what is found.

Indeed -- however you could be wrong ???

"…modern humans, formerly known as Homo Sapiens…"

I know it's click bait, but that's a great line.

WHAT --- SCIENTISTS WRONG !!!! Let us not even think or utter that disgusting and despicable though!!

though??? possibly 'thought'?

You may find this hard to believe but scientists *expect* to be wrong. This is part of the scientific method.

Science is fallible. Even at its best, science can make mistakes. A good scientist will design his/her experiment so that the chances of arriving at a false conclusion are low, but he/she can never design a perfect experiment; he/she always has to live with some small, lingering chance that what looked like compelling data was actually just plain happenstance. And that later data will point out the error.

Most reasonable people will begrudgingly accept that any given scientific finding has a small chance of being false.
Anti-intellectualism has given a platform to people who are offended that there are people who are smarter than them, hence the facile attacks on science.

BTW not a bad article. Quite a decent summary of where we are now in this area.

And you may also be wrong also though?
There are, I am sure things you may find hard to believe.

There is science and than there is junk science. The difference is that junk science starts with the conclusion and then goes back and picks and chooses the facts that fit their narrative and ignores the facts that don't. As example, there are people who to this day believe that the Earth is flat. And some of them come across as seemingly educated and use bits and pieces of science to support their crazy ideas even though ancient Greek mathematicians proved that the Earth was round by the first century B.C. You would think after two thousand years, circumnavigation of the planet, manned space fight; that there could not possibly be anyone who believes the Earth is flat. The scientific method is sound, but there are some things that science will never be able to answer concerning the fundamental question of existence itself. So I say give unto science which is science, and unto…well, you know the rest. :-)

I will live with "people being smarter then me"-- always have.
I just do not want to be ignorant the way I talk to or treat others?
So --I will take stupid over ignorant.

Russ Dunaway

Glup!….

Amicalement
Armand

I have thought over your proposition & I can't think why wisdom and good manners are mutually exclusive. That is, you do not have to pick one or the other.

Ignoring the fact that a post that mocked the no doubt sincere efforts of men & women of Science might not be strictly polite, my post shouldn't be seen as an attack but a correction.

I'd also argue that pointing out egregious errors isn't necessarily rude. Indeed, one should perhaps be thanked for the service being provided.

So, you like reading words into what people write or say?

No one mocked science-- the people that accept everything science announces as GOSPEL were indeed mocked. I was just taken off of two asprin a day after faithfully swallowing them for 12 years because scientists have now determined they are detrimental to one's health.

To answer your other comment -- no -- "wisdom" and manners are certainty not mutually exclusive.
That being said, intelligence and education does in no way begat "wisdom."

It would seem, however that one that does possess some amount of "wisdom" would recognize that wandering around and correctting the minor mistakes, weakness and errors of others -- be it in the cyber world or face to face is rather petty, annoying, rude, and ignorant?
In fact, I do believe we have a President here in the U.S who has taken a good amount of heat over this very behavior.

I cannot help but think of old Jed Clampet. A backwoodsman with little education, rough around the edges, poor spoken, not understanding the culture surrounding him --- yet still full of buckets of "wisdom" that should have shamed those around who thought themselves intelligent? The famed Will Roger's also come to mind.
"Thinking themselves wise, they had become fools."

I will say no more because --- well -- because --- who cares though????

Russ Dunaway

From what I've read about carbon dating, after 200 years, its all iffy, regardless of science. So, I will stay with the group who say, "the earth is only 6-7000 years old, and go from there."

And based on all the gaming chatter on this site, its been a very busy 6-7000 years!

Jed Clampet? I looked for your reference but the only thing I found was Jed Clampet-t, a fictional character in a sit.com.

As I realise that this can hardly be right, would you point me in the direction of who this Clampet is?

So, you like reading words into what people write or say?

I can but read the sarcastic comment you made. I'm not sure how conflating a piece on Anthropogeny with your personal history of medication is valid but OK. However, as you failed to take the piece cited in the OP to task (as is your right), I can't see why you would attack it with a comment redolent of anti-intellectualism. Where are these putative undiscerning acolytes of science you claim to be mocking?

Your bringing in US politics to your last post is just totally irrelevant & comes from nothing I've written.

At any rate,if I may be allowed to quote the Swan of Avon, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, for we are underlings." I would suggest your initial comment is no real crime nor your outraged attempts to avoid blame. Yes. let's move on, a bit sadder, possibly, but wiser?

ochoin, could it be that you sometimes come across as a little condescending?

Moi?

Indeed, I'm continually told that Americans value free speech. I'm sure they are sincere and don't mean that you are free to say what you like as long as they like it too.

Hence, I try to be forthright whilst maintaining a respectful & polite demeanour. And so I have demonstrated in this thread. It is a robust discussion & I am sorry for any hurt feelings but contrary views are a factor in free speech.

I believe I am a beacon to your First Amendment.

….but back to the article. I think it quite a valid overview as to where we currently are with respect to the human lineage. The article is more a popular than scientific piece so it *could* be criticised in terms of general statements rather than the more precise scientific terminology but no-one has gone here or, actually, anywhere in criticism with any depth.

The only post that goes near a discussion of the article is your first one, that admittedly is only a general exposition of the scientific method. If you want to mock the ideas in the article, some type of argument is necessary to validate your mockery.

AND …..????????? 😜😛😬👀

ochoin, good luck battering your head against that wall. LOL… I've been doing it for years, it produces naught but headaches. But keep up the good fight anyway. :D