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Neandertal Pelves and Gestation Length: Hypotheses and Holism in Paleoanthropology
Author(s) -
ANDERSON CONNIE M.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
american anthropologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1548-1433
pISSN - 0002-7294
DOI - 10.1525/aa.1989.91.2.02a00030
Subject(s) - paleoanthropology , holism , power (physics) , biology , epistemology , paleontology , philosophy , physics , quantum mechanics
Neandertal pelves differed from those of modern humans in pubic morphology. Explanations of this difference are presented and evaluated. The gestation‐length hypothesis proposed by Trinkaus is not supported by data and theories drawn from a number of different fields. Some of the alternative hypotheses seem more likely. Paleoanthropologists should utilize a wide variety of evidence to support or falsify their theories in order to increase their power to explain the events of human evolution.