An unusual approach to human evolution written from the standpoint of dialectical materialism and other Soviet science and political theory. From the author's preface: "The process of anthropogenesis is vastly different from the phylogenic development of any species of the higher vertebrates, even of the apes. The problem, therefore, requires a complex approach employing data established by the social sciences that have Marxist philosophy as their basis. A comprehensive solution of the problem under discussion can only be made from the standpoint of dialectical and historical materialism; Marxism-Leninism has enabled anthropologists to make a profound and truly scientific analysis of the very essence of anthropogenesis. Dialectical materialism, a method the present author has endeavored to apply in his work, is a most powerful weapon in the struggle against idealist concepts of the origin of man." Chapter topics include: The Darwin and Other Hypotheses Concerning Anthropogenesis The Anthropoid Apes and Their Origin Criticism of the Later Hypotheses Concerning the Origin of Man Physical Peculiarities of the Human Body and the Emergence of Man Role of Work and Erect Locomotion Brain and Higher Nervous Activity Herd Instinct in Monkeys and Rudimentary Forms of Labor Palaeanthropological Data on the Making of Man Earliest Men Pithecantropi Neanderthalers and their Physical Type Neanderthalers on USSR Territory Palestine Neanderthalers Modern Man Races of Mankind Science Against Racism, and many other topics.
Author(s): Mikhail Nesturkh
Publisher: Mir Publishers
Year: 2003
Language: English
City: Moscow
Front Cover
Title Page
CONTENTS
PREFACE
PART 1 THE DARWIN AND OTHER HYPOTH ESES CONCERNING ANTHROPOGENESIS
Chapter 1 DARWIN ON THE ORIGIN OF MAN
1. ANTHROPOGENESIS BEFORE DARWIN
2. DARWIN ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM
3. DARWIN'S GENEALOGY OF MAN
Chapter 2 THE ANTIHROPOID APES AND THEIR ORIGIN
1. LIVING ANTHROPOIDS
2. EXTINCT ANTHROPOIDS
Chapter 3 CRITICISM Of THE LATER HYPOTHESES CONCERNING THE ORIGIN OF MAN
1. RELIGIOUS EXPLANATIONS OF ANTHROPOGENESIS
2. THE TARSIER HYPOTHESIS
3. SOME SIMIAN HYPOTHESES
4. OSBORN'S HYPOTHESIS
5. WEIDENREICH'S HYPOTHESIS OF ANTHROPOGENESIS
PART 2 PHYSICAL PECULIARHTIES OF THE HUMAN BODY AND THE EMERGENCE OF MAN
Chapter 1 THE ROLE OF WORK AND ERECT LOCOMOTION IN ANTHROPOGENESIS
1. THE ROLE OF WORK
2. METHODS OF LOCOMOTION OF THE GREAT APES
3. THE WEIGHT OF THE BODY AND THE CENTRE OF GRAVITY IN MAN AND THE APES
4. THE INFERIOR EXTREMITIES
5. THE PELVIS, SPINE AND THORAX
6. THE SUPERIOR EXTREMITIES
7. THE PROPORTIONS OF THE BODY AND ASYMMETRY
8. THE SKULL
Chapter 2 THE BRAIN, AND HIGHER NERVOUS ACTIVITY IN MAN AND THE APES
1. THE BRAIN AND ANALYSERS OF MAN AND THE APES
2. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PERIPHERAL REGIONS OF THE ANALYSERS
3. HIGHER NERVOUS ACTIVITY IN MONKEYS
4. THE SECOND SIGNALLING SYSTEM - THE DISTINGUISHING FEATURE OF HUMAN THOUGHT
Chapter 3 THE HERD INSTINCT IN MONKEYS AND RUDIMENTARY FORMS OF LABOUR
1. THE HERD INSTINCT IN MONKEYS
2. INCEPTUAL FORMS OF LABOUR
PART 3 PALAEANTHROPOLOGICAL DATA ON THE MAKING OF MAN
Chapter 1 THE FIRST STAGE: THE EARLIEST MEN (PITHECANTHROPI)
1. THE JAVA PITHECANTHROPUS
2. THE SINANTHROPUS
3. THE HEIDELBERG MAN
Chapter 2 THE SECOND STAGE: EARLY MEN (PALAEANTHROPI )
1. THE ICE AGE
2. NEANDERTHALERS AND THEIR PHYSICAL TYPE
3. NEANDERTHALERS ON U.S.S.R. TERRITORY
4. THE PALESTINE NEANDERTHALERS
5. PRIMITIVE MAN'S WAY OF LIFE
6. THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOSSIL MAN'S BRAIN
Chapter 3 MODERN MAN (NEANTHROPUS)
1. UPPER PALAEOLITHIC MAN
2. FALSE HYPOTHESES CONCERNING THE ORIGIN OF MODERN MAN AND THEIR CRITICISM
3. THE RACES OF MANKIND
4. SCIENCE AGAINST RACISM
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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