Saturday, January 25, 2020
The Futures of Scholarly Publishing :: Education Library Reading Essays
Traditionally, university libraries, flush with funds, have been the mainstay of scholarly publishing. They bought all the latest, most important books and maintained subscriptions to all the important journals. But in todayââ¬â¢s environment of budget cuts and rising tuitions, many libraries (especially those at public universities) are being forced to cut back. Retailers, meanwhile, are increasingly corporate. In an age in which book-selling is dominated by chains like Borders and Barnes and Noble, it is increasingly difficult for scholarly books to reach their market. Unsure of being able to recoup their losses, publishers are less and less willing to take on academic booksââ¬âespecially those which do not have immediate appeal to a broad audience or are unlikely to be used as textbooks. Meanwhile, university faculty in the humanities whose tenure prospects depend on being able to cite book credits are scrambling to be publishedââ¬âand are finding fewer and fewer publishers willing to accept their work. These are just a few of the factors behind the current crisis in academic publishing. In a meeting of the American Council of Learned Societies last year, panelists Carlos J. Alonso, Cathy N. Davidson, John M. Unsworth, and Lynne Withey discussed these and other important issues in-depth, and their remarks were published in an ACLS occasional paper entitled Crises and Opportunities: The Futures of Scholarly Publishing. The panelists were a diverse group, representing several different perspectives on the publishing crisis. Carlos Alonso is a Professor of Romance Languages and Chair of the Department of Romance Languages at the University of Pennsylvania; Cathy Davidson is Vice-Provost for Interdisciplinary Studies and Director of the John Hope Franklin Humanities Institute at Duke University; John Unsworth, at the time of last yearââ¬â¢s ACLS meeting, was Director of the Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities at the University of Virginia; and Lynne Withey is Director of the University of California Press. This paper addresses each of their remarks in turn, closing by relating those remarks to the experience of the Clemson University Digital Press. In his remarks to the ACLS, Carlos Alonso addresses two main issues in scholarly publishing: the relationship between publication and tenure, and the difficult issue of funding scholarly publication at a time when most public universities are facing significant budget cuts.
Thursday, January 16, 2020
1. Carefully Explain the Concept of Economic Meltdown. Answer: the Term Economic Meltdown Is the Going Down of the Rate of Economic Activity of a Country, in the Simplest Term, Economic Meltdown, Could Be Called
1. Carefully explain the concept of economic meltdown. Answer: The term economic meltdown is the going down of the rate of economic activity of a country, in the simplest term, economic meltdown, could be called economic ââ¬Å"Go-slowâ⬠just like traffic jam which grind. The first and foremost action that an organization must take is to cut cost, this is because during these tough times, we all must make the utmost effort to save money, take care of expenses such as electricity stationery unnecessary wastage of resources in factories, office and other work places. One would of course face a lot of problem but there are solutions. Again instead of sacking employees, a pay cut of say 11-16% for the employees is a more acceptable solution than carrying off people. The government is required to take action by cutting down taxes so that people will have more money to spend and therefore the economy can come back to track. 2. What are likely the causes and effect of economic meltdown on cost of production in an organization. The likely causes of economic meltdown in cost of production in an organization are: a. The culture of the people within the immediate vicinity as it affects the employees, belief systems, byelaws and traditions. b. The organizational market-share and protection, its financial capabilities, resources availability, credibility and goodwill c. The nations economic position, competition from internal and international organizations, supplies of production equipment and materials. . High rate of importation: this has been a great menace to the production of a company as many commodities are imported and on the long run other economies benefits e. Inflation: The effect of inflation is not distributed evenly in the economy and as a consequence there are short fall of money and goods. The supply of money is a major, but not the only cause of inflation, organization for economic cooperation and development. However, frequent economic meltdown that could not be explained scholarââ¬â¢s though accelerated consumption and production of goods and services. From economic crisis of 2008 (According to the National Bureau of Economic Research) much of the over production turned to cause deflation. f. Poor health. Due to poor animal husbandry production and storage this demand for milk far outstipping supplies use of other potentially harmful chemical. g. Nuclear power: Nuclear waste production transport and cost over runs on nuclear plants due to regulatory issues.
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Essay about Determinism and Free Will - 479 Words
Determinism and Free Will I began the discussion by taking the determinist point of view and stated that human behavior can be determined by the laws of nature if we have access to all relevant variables. If we were to know someones genetic make-up, the environment in which they are raised, the family they are raised by, etc., we can make valid conjectures about their behavior. For instance, if we know that a child has a very active limbic system (which is associated with emotion and aggression), is raised in a very poor and stressful environment and does not receive much affection from the parents, it is valid to project that such a child will behave violently and criminally in its adolescent and adult life. In fact, suchâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦With all other behavior, she could not fathom how in any circumstance, we could only carry out but one event given the relevant variables of the situation. I proposed that perhaps it does not hold so strictly that under given circumstances we could only carr y out but one action. Maybe our genetics and environment only bind us to a certain number of possibilities of actions that we can carry out. For example, our parents raise us in a certain environment and therefore we are exposed to a population of people from which we can choose our friends. From these friends, we would be exposed to, say, a certain style of music. Therefore, if we were to walk into a music shop, knowing our taste and circle of friends, one can predict what CD we would buy. It would not be probable, for example, for someone raised in the city and exposed to rap to stroll into a store and pick up the latest polka hits. His choices, subconsciously, would be limited only to a certain number of records and therefore, the action of choosing is also limited. Nelly argued that this would imply limited free will and that there cannot be such a thing. She argued that I am taking the side of compatibalism which states that scientific determinism is compatible with fre e will and that according to this theory, free choice is one that is not compelled internally or externally.Show MoreRelatedDeterminism Between Free Will And Determinism Essay1383 Words à |à 6 PagesDeterminism relates directly to The Fountain in Tommyââ¬â¢s journey as he changes through the guidance of Izziââ¬â¢s from fearing and fighting death, to acceptance and grace in its inevitability. This journey is central to the film as the lighting -dark to light-, colours -black to white- and shapes ââ¬âtriangles to rectangles to circles- all symbolically represent this movement from fear, denial and blindness to enlightenment, acceptance and grace. It is in the climax of this journey that the conflict betweenRead MoreFree Will And Determinism Vs. Determinism1074 Words à |à 5 PagesFree Will and Determinism For something to occur in this world, there must be the course and the reason for the occurrence, and which will then affect other future consequences. The theory of determinism states that all events whether moral choices or vices are predetermined by other existing courses. In the same connection, the free will of humans is connected to determinism since humans do things the best way, or they cannot act otherwise. According to Saul McLeod, ââ¬Å"the determinist approach proposesRead MoreFree Will and Determinism 1619 Words à |à 7 PagesThe problem of free will and determinism is a mystery about what human beings are able to do. The best way to describe it is to think of the alternatives taken into consideration when someone is deciding what to do, as being parts of various ââ¬Å"alternative featuresâ⬠(Van-Inwagen). Robert Kane argues for a new version of libertarianism with an indeterminist element. He believes that deeper freedom is not an illusion. Derk Pereboom takes an agnostic approach about causal determinism and sees himselfRead MoreFree Will vs Determinism627 Words à |à 3 PagesTed Honderich Determinism Vs Free Will Psychology 101-1322 Professor: James Pattison By: Belinda Bielicki July 2, 2011 Determinism versus Free Will: The most important and the oldest philosophical question is perhaps that of free will and determinism. Do people have free will, or are our actions pre-determined? Ted Honderich defined determinism as the philosophical idea that every event or state of affairs, including every human decision and action, is the inevitable and necessaryRead MoreFree Will Vs. Determinism879 Words à |à 4 PagesFree Will vs. Determinism What determines and influences human behavior? Humans have been looking the answer for this question during several eras, thus they developed various theories attempting to explain human behavior. Determinism is the belief that one event is the consequence of a previous action, similar to a chain. According to some philosophers who support determinism, the will of an agent follows physical laws, and every action is explicable and predictable by physical conditions. By thisRead MoreEssay on Determinism and Free will1004 Words à |à 5 PagesDeterminism and Free will Suppose that every event or action has a sufficient cause, which brings that event about. Today, in our scientific age, this sounds like a reasonable assumption. After all, can you imagine someone seriously claiming that when it rains, or when a plane crashes, or when a business succeeds, there might be no cause for it? Surely, human behavior is caused. It doesnt just happen for no reason at all. The types of human behavior for which people are held morally accountableRead MoreDeterminism Vs. Free Will1089 Words à |à 5 Pages Determinism vs. Free will The belief that all events have causes and if there ever is an equivalent origin, the same outcome will occur is called determinism. Almost meaning that every event is certain and that there really isnââ¬â¢t such thing as ââ¬Å"free willâ⬠. We have the debut of free will, it is an unmitigated appearance that simply holds that there is a case about anything that happens in the near future, nevertheless how it comes about. Which leads to the question, do we have free will? OrRead MoreDeterminism Vs. Free Will1341 Words à |à 6 PagesDeterminism is a doctrine suggesting that for every event there exist conditions that could cause no alternative event. Free will is a philosophical term describing a particular sort of capacity of rational agents to choose a course of action from among various alternatives. Understandably, the dichotomy between these two concepts is a topic philosophers have debated over for many years. As a result of these debates, a number of alternative philo sophical perspectives arguing for the existence ofRead MoreDiscussion On Free Will And Determinism1332 Words à |à 6 Pagesgoing to discuss and argue about free will and determinism. What is free will, and do we have it? Free will is simply the power to act with no constraint, in other words, to act freely with no one holding us down. The controversial argument of this topic is if we have free will or not. According to physical determinism, ââ¬Å"If our brain is in a certain state, then our next move is determined. Therefore, we do not have free willâ⬠(Holbach). According to others, we do have free will. In my paper, I will talkRead MoreThe Matrix Of Free Will And Determinism Essay2191 Words à |à 9 Pagespertaining to determinism. Determinism is the theory that every event that occurs is caused to occur such that what obtains in the future could not have been different given what has obtained in the past. This issue persists throughout the entire trilogy and shapes the d evelopment of the characters and the story. The films borrow ideas from various forms of media, including philosophers like Baron Paul Henry dââ¬â¢Holbach, to create a film series that questions the idea of free will and determinism. The films
Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Critics of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Essay
Critics of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is considered by many to be the greatest American novel ever written. Despite this praise, Mark Twainââ¬â¢s masterpiece has never been without criticism. Upon its inception it was blasted for being indecent literature for young readers because of its lack of morals and contempt for conformity. Modern indignation toward Huck Finn arises from its racist undertones, most notably Twainââ¬â¢s treatment of the character Jim. As is the case with many canonized yet controversial books, the biggest conflict revolves around the inclusion of Huck Finn on required reading lists of public schools throughout the country. In general, the mostly African-Americanâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦He quotes Kafka as saying a bookââ¬â¢s purpose is to ââ¬Å"serve as the axe for the frozen sea within usâ⬠and to Lester, Huck Finn is the frozen sea, immoral and demeaning in its treatment of black history. Lester is offended by the parallel that Twain draws between Huckââ¬â¢s imprisonment at the hands of an abusive father and the actual institution of slavery that binds Jim. By drawing this comparison, he argues that Twain is applying a veneer to obscure the horrors of slavery and therefore evading responsibility and remorse for the crime. The legal ownership of human beings is not in the same ballpark as child abuse and by placing them side-by-side, Twain shows that he doesnââ¬â¢t take slavery or black people seriously. He goes on to argue that Jimââ¬â¢s childlike nature is not only offensive but also lacking in credibility. Are we to believe that a runaway slave wouldnââ¬â¢t know that freedom was as close as the banks of Illinois all along and that he would actually travel south into the heart of southern slavery? And is it likely that a white woman wouldââ¬â¢ve freed a slave suspected of killing a white child? Even in his moments of heroism, Jim is an objectionable character. When he risks recapture in aiding the doctor tending to Tomââ¬â¢s gunshot wound, Jim is embodying the archetypal ââ¬Å"good niggerâ⬠who lacks self-respect, dignity, and a sense of self separate from what whites want from him. He is merely a plaything that Tom and Huck use to inspireShow MoreRelatedMark Twain : Seeing America s Flaws1593 Words à |à 7 PagesTwain: Seeing Americaââ¬â¢s Flaws ââ¬Å"You donââ¬â¢t know about me, without you have read a book by the name of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer , but that ainââ¬â¢t no matter. That book was made by Mr. Mark Twain and he told the truth, mainly. There was things he stretched, but mainly he told the truthâ⬠(qtd. in Jones 237). That was the very first line in Mark Twainââ¬â¢s controversial book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Samuel L. Clemens, as a young boy, grew up on the Mississippi and learned the ways of southern societyRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn By Mark Twain1675 Words à |à 7 PagesThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Ernest Hemingway once stated, ââ¬Å"All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn. American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since.â⬠Accordingly, Hemingway believes that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Huckleberry Finn) is an iconic book that sets the stage for all other American literature in the future. In any case, three reasons why Huckleberry Finn is one of the greatestRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn 1648 Words à |à 7 PagesLola Parsapour Mr. Ruddy AP Lang 3 September 2015 The Value in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, developed into one of the most controversial books in America. The basis of this controversy can be summarized briefly for it was the use of racial slur and issues of slavery that caused tension in our society. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was banned for the first time one month after its publication. ââ¬Å"ââ¬Å"Not suitable for trashâ⬠was theRead More The Public Reception of Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn963 Words à |à 4 Pagesof Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Upon its publication in 1884, Mark Twains Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was met with mixed reviews. Some reviewers called it flat, trashy, and irreverent. Others called it Twains best work yet, hailing his humor and style throughout the novel. Though obscure at first, reviews began to appear in many newspapers throughout the country as more and more became interested in the novel as a result of these reviews. Huckleberry Finn was published atRead MoreThe Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn And Its Characterization951 Words à |à 4 PagesBouchey Eng. Hon. 2nd 3 March 2016 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and its Characterization In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, there is a large use of characterization to develop the characters and is influenced by the time period. Mark Twain was born in 1835, and lived to see the Civil War start. This is a big influence on his writing, because his two most famous works, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. They both take place in the time beforeRead MoreMark Twain s The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn1216 Words à |à 5 Pagesfully human.â⬠Mark Twain supports this belief when he composed his novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. In the aftermath of the American Civil War, the institution of slavery and American Southern culture was not well understood internationally. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn conveys Southern culture and the social attitudes toward slavery through the plot of a young white runaway boy named Huckleberry Finn helping a runaway slave named Jim escape to free territory by traveling do wn theRead MoreLiterary Criticism Of Huckleberry Finn831 Words à |à 4 PagesAdventures of Huckleberry Finn is a historically significant novel by Mark Twain that should not be considered the greatest novel of American literature. The effect of Tom Sawyerââ¬â¢s reappearance and how the ââ¬Å"evasionâ⬠chapters jeopardized the whole novel both lessened the worth of Huckleberry Finn. While it can be noted that Huckââ¬â¢s moral development, the setting, and the original style of the novel all show why it is a currently a central document of American literature and taught extensively in schoolsRead MoreArgumentative Essay Huck Finn958 Words à |à 4 Pagesï » ¿ Argumentative Essay: Should The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn be taught in school? Daniel Perez Period 1 10/30/14 The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel based on the journey Huck, a young boy with an abusive father, and Jim, a runaway slave, have down the Mississippi River to Free states for an end goal of freedom. Freedom means different things to both of them, to Huck freedom means to be able to do what he wants and not be ââ¬Å"sivilizedâ⬠, while Jimââ¬â¢s definition of freedom isRead MoreThe Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Research Paper1649 Words à |à 7 PagesSince its first publication in 1884, Mark Twainââ¬â¢s masterpiece The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has proven to be one of historyââ¬â¢s most controversial novels; especially recently, the novel has often been banned by schools and censored by libraries. Characters in the book are constantly using disparaging language toward slaves, and the repeated use of the word ââ¬Å"niggerâ⬠makes many sensitive and offended. Critics denounce the novel and Mark Twain as racist for this word being insulting and poli ticallyRead More Mark Twain a Racist? Absolutely not!1597 Words à |à 7 PagesCelebrating its 135th anniversary this year, Mark Twainââ¬â¢s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a classic of American literature and is read by millions across the nation every year. However, many claim that the book promotes and endorses the heinous act of racism. In their attacks on the classic, many of the bookââ¬â¢s critics employ evidence such as the use of the n-word 211 times (Powers, 2010) and the novelââ¬â¢s repeated inferior depiction of African-Americans. Many supporters of the novel, though
Monday, December 23, 2019
The Mask Of The Red Death By Edgar Allen Poe - 1983 Words
Edgar Allen Poe is one of the most renowned writers of the nineteenth century in America. Poe will forever be a part of the literary world with such works as ââ¬Å"The Mask Of the Red Deathâ⬠,â⬠The Tale-Tell Heartâ⬠, and ââ¬Å"The Pit and the Pendulum.â⬠Poeââ¬â¢s imagination was one that could conjure up all manner of devilish obstacles for a reader to mentally envision. Poe will forever be remembered as a writer of dark literature, with themes of death, insanity, and the supernatural. The challenges that Poe encountered during his life really help shaped his destiny. Poe continually had to work to overcome obstacles; many of the obstacles were of his own making. He was born January 19, 1809, in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the second child of twoâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Poe left the University and looked for employment where he could find it. Poe did not have any skills or education to help him. Poe enlisted in the Army for two years and served in the U.S Army Artillery with assignments in Fort Independence in Boston, Massachusetts, Fort Moultrie in South Carolina, and Fortress Monroe in Virginia (SP 330). Poe had more actual, hands-on, professional military experience than any other writer in our history (SP.329). He later applied to West Point to become a cadet with the help of Allen. Poe once again pleaded with Allen for financial support, but Allen turned him down. Poe was an exemplary student, but only lasted two semesters. He was expelled because he continually ignored his duties and broke the rules. Poe and Allen would not reconcile their differences before Allenââ¬â¢s death in 1834. After leaving the academy, Poe, a struggling writer, found himself moving around a lot. He was in New York City, Richmond, Philadelphia, but finally stayed in Baltimore from 1831 to 1835. He was focusing full time on his writing, and trying to make a career as an editor and a l iterary critic. He was known to be quite cutthroat in his reviews. Poe even called fellow literary giant Henry Wadsworth Longfellow a plagiarist. In 1835 Poe returned to Richmond. Poeââ¬â¢s drinking and his quick temper made it hard for him to stay employed in one place for very long, actually
Sunday, December 15, 2019
Chromosomal Disorder Free Essays
1. Turner syndrome: (X instead of XX or XY). In Turner syndrome, female sexual characteristics are present but underdeveloped. We will write a custom essay sample on Chromosomal Disorder or any similar topic only for you Order Now People with Turner syndrome often have a short stature, low hairline, abnormal eye features and bone development and a ââ¬Å"caved-inâ⬠appearance to the chest. Description: Turner syndrome (TS) occurs when one of the two X chromosomes in females is either missing or incomplete. The most common symptoms are short stature and gonadal dysgenesis, which can cause incomplete sexual development and ovarian failure and infertility. As of right now, there is no known cause of TS. 2. Klinefelterââ¬â¢s syndrome (XXY): Description Men with Klinefelter syndrome are usually sterile, and tend to have longer arms and legs and to be taller than their peers. Boys with the syndrome are often shy and quiet, and have a higher incidence of speech delay and dyslexia. During puberty, without testosterone treatment, some of them may develop gynecomastia. 3. Patau Syndrome: also called D-Syndrome or trisomy-13. Symptoms are somewhat similar to those of trisomy-18, but they do not have the characteristic hand shape Description: Trisomy 13, also called Patau syndrome, is a disorder in which an individual has three copies of genetic material from chromosome 13, rather than two. It can occur in three forms: Trisomy 13, which has a third chromosome 13 in all cells; Trisomy 13 mosaicism, which has a third chromosome 13 in some cells; and partial Trisomy, which has the presence of part of an extra chromosome 13 in the cells. 4. Down syndrome: Description usually is caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21). Characteristics include decreased muscle tone, stockier build, asymmetrical skull, slanting eyes and mild to moderate mental retardation. 5. Edwards syndrome: Description which is the second-most-common trisomy; Down syndrome is the most common. It is a trisomy of chromosome 18. Symptoms include mental and motor retardation and numerous congenital anomalies causing serious health problems. Ninety percent die in infancy; however, those that live past their first birthday usually are quite healthy thereafter. Some symptoms include clenched hands, feet with a rounded bottom, mental deficiency, underdeveloped fingernails, and an unusual shaped chest. 6. Cat eye syndrome: Description: For individuals with cat eye syndrome, the short arm (known as 22p) and a small region of the long arm (22q) of chromosome 22 are present three or four times, rather than twice. Characteristic features of the disorder include mild growth delays before birth, mild mental deficiency, and malformations of the skill and facial region, the heart, the kidneys, and/or the anal region. 7. Williams Syndrome: Description: Williams syndrome is caused by a deletion of genetic material from portions of the long arm of chromosome 7, a region that consists of more than 25 genes. Researchers have identified a few of the specific genes related to Williams syndrome, but the relationship between most of the genes in the deleted region and the symptoms of Williams syndrome is still unknown. The most common symptoms of Williams syndrome are mental retardation, heart defects, and unusual facial features ,small upturned nose, wide mouth, full lips, small chin, widely spaced teeth . Angelman syndrome: Description: Angelman syndrome (AS) is an example of genomic imprinting, where the deletion or inactivation of genes on the maternally inherited chromosome 15 causes the paternal copy, which may be of normal sequence, to be imprinted and silenced. AS is characterized by intellectual and developmental delays, sleep disturbances, seizures, and jerky movements, but also frequent laughte r or smiling and usually have a happy demeanor How to cite Chromosomal Disorder, Papers
Saturday, December 7, 2019
Out of Africa vs Multiregional Theory free essay sample
Out of Africa vs. Multiregional Paleoanthropologists have been searching for decades, looking for signs of early human life throughout Africa Asia and Europe, trying to find clues that tell them where the human race originated. These scientists have found overwhelming evidence of early human life across different continents, but are always working to attempt to explain what they have discovered, and try to piece together the earliest signs of human civilization. Two main theories have emerged related to the origin of our ancestors, the Out of Africa Theory and the Multiregional Theory (Ember, Ember, amp; Peregrine, 2009, p. 163). Both theories have merit, and evidence to back them up, causing controversial debate between Anthropologists. Each theory has its own support group and many varying theories surrounding them (Nei, 1991, p. 6720). The genetic backing of the Out of Africa Theory strongly supports the legitimacy of the theory, and provides evidence that it is a legitimate theory of how modern humans came to populate the earth. To be more specific, the Out of Africa Theory deals with looking at DNA samples to link people from around the world to difference ancestors (Thorne amp; Wolpoff, 2003). This was seen in the movie, The Human Family Tree, by examining DNA through cheek swabs of various people who originated from across the globe, but were found in Queens, New York. Researchers found that overall our DNA is about 99% identical, regardless of where our more recent ancestors may have come from. This is due to a common female and male ancestor that scientists believe every person alive is related to. These people are called Scientific Adam and Scientific Eve, and are both hypothetical humans who originated in Africa, and lived around 200,000 years ago and 100,000 years ago, respectively (Ember, Ember, amp; Peregrine, 2009, p. 163). Scientific Adam and Eve would be the genetic link for all currently living humans, such that mtDNA from Eve would be the same as mtDNA found in modern humans across the globe, passed on through the mother for generations. It also means that males pass on their Y chromosome, which can be linked to Scientific Adam, as recently as 100,000 years ago (Nei, 1991, p. 6721). The movie discussed the long-term early human civilizations in East Africa, dating back to around 200,000 years, which is the source of all current human life (Geographic, 2009). These early humans would be the ones to travel slowly throughout the continents, populating larger and larger areas of the planet. Slowly but surely, these early humans made their way into Asia, Australia and Europe, leaving behind evidence of their migration as they went (Nei, 1991, p. 6720). Although it is hard to imagine a population moving hundreds of thousands of miles, The Human Family Tree, was able to offer some explanation. The move did not simply happen all at one time, or even within generations. Anthropologists discussed the possibility of each group moving a small distance further than their direct ancestors, creating a slow move, often along coast lines, which unfortunately would leave little evidence on land (Geographic, 2009). The major support from this theory comes from genetic findings, which link the DNA of all modern humans, despite ethnic background and ancestral tracking (Nei, 1991, p. 6720). This evidence shows that although humans come from many different countries, across various continents, we all share extremely similar DNA, and various minute changes in our genetic code can help link people to various tracks of early human migration (Geographic, 2009). Although evidence of other similar species were found throughout various continents, single-origin theorist believe that H. sapiens replaced them due to a type of biological or cultural advantage (Ember, Ember, amp; Peregrine, 2009, p. 163). The movie, The Human Family Tree, also discusses that H. apiens may have been more able to handle environmental changes, than other species, leading to the extinction of one species, such as Neanderthals (Geographic, 2009). There is also debate as to whether or not H. sapiens may have interbred with Neandertahl populations, but no solid genetic evidence has been found to support the interaction (Nei, 1991, p. 6721). Although there is genetic evidence to support the single-origin theory, anthropologists who believe in the Multiregional Theory have argued that genetic evidence is flawed, and not strong enough to prove anything in regards to the single-origin theory. Although this may have been true in earlier studies, current findings are significantly more reliable, and have found similar evidence (Ember, Ember, amp; Peregrine, 2009, p. 163). The Multiregional Theory is the idea that early hominids, such as H. erectus, and archaic H. sapiens had already populated the world, and independently evolved after already being established in different locations (Ember, Ember, amp; Peregrine, 2009, p. 163). This is a logical assumption, due to many anatomical similarities between many of the early hominid species to modern humans. Many multiregional supporters also use the genetic evidence to their advantage by claiming it only proves that H. erectus is a common ancestor who migrated from Africa, which is a logical claim (Ember, Ember, amp; Peregrine, 2009, p. 164). It is hard to pinpoint what exact species the mtDNA or Y chromosome came from, if one were to argue that modern H. sapiens evolved from H. erectus at some point in our evolutionary history. However, if H. sapiens evolved from H. erectus after some time and migration, it still seems that it would be considered a single source of our genetics, which can be traced back to Africa. Many multiregional theorists also argue that there is no sign of an invasion in any of the civilizations that have been found. However, this is counteracted by the idea that other species such as Neanderthals were simply not equipped for the environmental changes, and were killed off by natural selection (Thorne amp; Wolpoff, 2003, p. 50). On top of the single-origin and multiregional ideas, there are theories that allow for intermixing of various ideas from each theory, to create an intermediate theory. It allows for wiggle room between the more strict ideas of the other theories, and accepts that there could have been replacement, interbreeding and natural causes that all caused the evolution to modern humans. This is supported by the study of body lice, of which there is only species, with two lineages, one found worldwide and one is strictly found in the Americas. This suggests that these lice were passed on from more archaic species to modern humans (Ember, Ember, amp; Peregrine, 2009, p. 165). In conclusion, the controversy that is found when researching the origins of modern humans is both necessary and reasonable. Without controversial ideas, we would be unable to learn new things about our ancestry, and the thousands of years of evolution that have brought H. sapiens sapiens to their current place in time. Although there seems to be no specific answer, evidence for the Out of Africa Theory proves to be strong in scientific significance and logic, however, the idea of an intermediate theory brings about allowance of the merging of the two theories, to create a larger picture of the evolution of our species. The research done throughout the movie The Human Family Tree has proven our incredible genetic similarities to all humans, regardless of our specific identified race, ethnicity or ancestry. The research provides fascinating insight into the true origin of modern humans, and will hopefully lead to further evidence as far as how we came to populate the entire earth, after starting in one location in Africa.
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