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In this book, Dr Quintyn considers whether genetic engineering will
exacerbate social injustices and/or lead to public safety issues.
As designer babies mature, will they feel a sense of superiority or
pass on mutations that negatively affect future generations? Should
we ignore the risk of zoonotic (animal) diseases because they offer
potential benefits for reducing organ shortages? Scientific
advancement, if not guided responsibly and with public input, can
be detrimental to public safety.This book is unique as it
encompasses many biotechnologies within the definition of
biotechnology. It gives a balanced view of biotechnology: its
promise as evidenced in repairing mutations (i.e., genetic editing)
and its dangers evidenced in creating (unintentionally) dangerous
microbes or unregulated germline editing and cloning. Additionally,
this book includes animals in biotechnological research because the
success, advances, techniques, and science of genetic engineering
could not have occurred without using animals (and microorganisms,
insects, plants) as model organisms. A comprehensive description of
the CRISPR system in bacteria and the exploitation of this
knowledge in creating the CRISPR/Cas9 technology is also
incorporated in this read.The author's overall goal is to discuss
other biotechnology that is being used to improve and put at risk
the health, environment, and safety of humans, giving the book a
competitive edge. Furthermore, the book provides a provocative side
in challenging scientists to consider the current belief governing
research and development, which is that scientific advancement and
public safety create a false dichotomy.
In the arguments on modern human origins the Qafzeh-Skhul hominans,
based on skeletal analyses, are accepted as "anatomically modern"
and given the lofty title of "Proto-Cro-Magnons." However, their
modernity has been questioned in the literature. In this research,
42 dimensions were measured on the craniofacial bones of Qafzeh,
Skhul, Cro-Magnons, Neanderthals, and other archaic, early, and
recent modern samples from Africa, Western Asia, Europe, and East
Asia (total crania, N=400) to test the null hypothesis that the
Qafzeh-Skhul hominans are 'Proto-Cro-Magnons.' An alternate
hypothesis was also tested: the Qafzeh and Skhul hominan samples
have morphometric affinities to one, some or none of the regional
sample groups in this research. Canonical variate analysis based on
log size/shape and shape D2 for male and female craniofacial data
show quite clearly that the Qafzeh and Skhul hominan samples are
distant from the Cro-Magnons but closer to African and Levantine
(Middle Eastern) sample groups. Hierarchical cluster analysis
presented similar results. Based on the data in this research, the
hypothesis stating that the Qafzeh and Skhul hominans are
"Proto-Cro-Magnons" is rejected. Instead, the alternate hypothesis
is accepted: the Qafzeh and Skhul hominans have strong morphometric
affinities to archaic and early modern Africans and Levantines.
Together, the Qafzeh-Skhul skeletal sample shows strong evidence of
mosaic evolution. In essence, are the Qafzeh and Skhul hominans
descendants of "the" modern African population that left the
continent 200,000 to 150,000 years ago according to the
mitochrondrial DNA genetic evidence? This is certainly possible.
Are the Qafzeh and Skhul hominans ancestors of the later
Cro-Magnons who, supposedly, "replaced" all existing, well-adapted
populations in the Old World--even the remarkable Neanderthals--by
30,000 years ago? According to the craniofacial data in this
research, the answer is no.
Readings in Evolutionary Theory, Genetics, and the Origins of
Modern Human Morphology provides students with a collection of
readings that explore critical concepts in biological anthropology
and human evolution. The text is divided into 10 distinct sections
that feature an introduction, relevant readings, and post-reading
questions. Opening sections explore creationism versus evolution,
the history of evolutionary thought, population genetics and
microevolution, and heritability. Students read about natural
selection in action, primate behavior, evolutionary systematics,
and human evolution and the origins of bipedalism. The final
sections examine Neanderthals, the origins of modern humans, and
what it is to be human. Concise and accessible, Readings in
Evolutionary Theory, Genetics, and the Origins of Modern Human
Morphology is an ideal resource for courses in anthropology and
human evolution.
In the arguments on modern human origins the Qafzeh-Skhul hominans,
based on skeletal analyses, are accepted as "anatomically modern"
and given the lofty title of "Proto-Cro-Magnons." However, their
modernity has been questioned in the literature. In this research,
42 dimensions were measured on the craniofacial bones of Qafzeh,
Skhul, Cro-Magnons, Neanderthals, and other archaic, early, and
recent modern samples from Africa, Western Asia, Europe, and East
Asia (total crania, N=400) to test the null hypothesis that the
Qafzeh-Skhul hominans are 'Proto-Cro-Magnons.' An alternate
hypothesis was also tested: the Qafzeh and Skhul hominan samples
have morphometric affinities to one, some or none of the regional
sample groups in this research. Canonical variate analysis based on
log size/shape and shape D2 for male and female craniofacial data
show quite clearly that the Qafzeh and Skhul hominan samples are
distant from the Cro-Magnons but closer to African and Levantine
(Middle Eastern) sample groups. Hierarchical cluster analysis
presented similar results. Based on the data in this research, the
hypothesis stating that the Qafzeh and Skhul hominans are
"Proto-Cro-Magnons" is rejected. Instead, the alternate hypothesis
is accepted: the Qafzeh and Skhul hominans have strong morphometric
affinities to archaic and early modern Africans and Levantines.
Together, the Qafzeh-Skhul skeletal sample shows strong evidence of
mosaic evolution. In essence, are the Qafzeh and Skhul hominans
descendants of "the" modern African population that left the
continent 200,000 to 150,000 years ago according to the
mitochrondrial DNA genetic evidence? This is certainly possible.
Are the Qafzeh and Skhul hominansancestors of the later Cro-Magnons
who, supposedly, "replaced" all existing, well-adapted populations
in the Old World--even the remarkable Neanderthals--by 30,000 years
ago? According to the craniofacial data in this research, the
answer is no.
In this book, Conrad Quintyn details the two intransigent sides of
the race issue in biological anthropology and human biology in
order to propose a common-sense compromise. This compromise is
interesting because it does not derive from academic armchair
philosophy. It takes into account practical issues in the social
environment. This book is significant to the field, at this time,
because it addresses the following issues, which form the basis for
discussing the future of racial classification in America: 1) There
is a high frequency of admixture in U.S. population caused by the
steady flow of immigrants over the years, resulting in multiracial
populations. Hundreds of thousands of these multiracial Americans
are demanding visibility, acceptanceand in many cases an identity
that is separate from black or white; 2) Officials in federal and
state agencies as well as black and Hispanic political activists
worry that allowing people to choose more than one race, or
eliminating race altogether, would impact civil rights compliance
and educational accountability for students by race and ethnicity;
distribution of federal aid to minorities; and minority districting
in congressional elections. It might also erode black or Hispanic
solidarity and confuse law enforcement, since the FBI, state, and
local police depend on race for much of their day-to-day work; and
3) Population admixture has increased the difficulty in determining
race using the skull, which has implications for human
identification in forensic science. Quintyn analyzes several
critical arguments posed by both sides and propose a practical
compromise which is integral to the future of racial classification
in America. First, from the racialists perspective, they ask if
there is no such thing as race, what would it look like if it
existed? Furthermore, if the premise is accepted that there are no
biological races, and there is much compelling evidence presented
in the literature, then how is it that a person of European
ancestry is easily distinguished from a person of African or Asian
ancestry? In this book which brings us closer to answering these
questions, Quintyn begins with a history of the race argument, with
an emphasis on biological anthropology, to give the reader some
critical background information. He gives in chronological order
several biological definitions of race before discussing its
meaning in contemporary society, and touches on race and medicine.
In concluding his study, unlike current books on race, he argues
that the academic consensus that there is no such thing as race is
ultimately pointless.
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