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5. Re-reading Charles Darwin’s «the descent of man, and selection in relation to sex» (Darwin as an anthropologist)

Re-reading Charles Darwin’s «the descent of man, and selection in relation to sex» (Darwin as an anthropologist)

Buzhilova A.P., Kharitonov V.M.

Lomonosov Moscow State University, Anuchin Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology, Mokhovaya st., 11, Moscow, 125009, Russia

Buzhilova Alexandra P., Ph.D., D.Sc., ORCID ID: 0000-0001-6398-2177, e-mail: albu_pa@mail.ru; Kharitonov V.M., e-mail: h1946v@yandex.ru

Abstract

The significance of Charles Darwin’s works for development of anthropology is difficult to overestimate. Darwin’s theory of descent of Man cannot be reduced to a well-known formula: « Man has originated from an ape». Darwin was one of the first to summarize neontologic and animal evidence of human origin. He collected proofs from numerous sources that humans are animals, showing the continuity of their physical and mental attributes. He stressed out the mechanisms of anthropogenesis, fairly believing that natural factors of human evolution are similar to those of other animals, because of a similar background. Darwin showed the specificity of biosocial human nature, and how social institutions restrict the biological regulations of human development in time. Darwin attached some significance to the factor of labour in anthropogenesis. He described natural selection as one of the motive forces of human evolution. Darwin was the first who explained the intelligence of Man as a result of group selection promoting development of social communications in social units. A considerable part of the book «Descent of Man …» is devoted to sexual selection as a specific factor of evolution. Darwin was the first who presented the term of «sexual selection» to explain sexual dimorphism and impractical features as well as evolution of human culture, and physical and racial characteristics, while emphasizing that all humans belong to one biological species.

Keywords

Charles Darwin, evolutionary theory, theory of human evolution, anthropogenesis, history of biology, simian theory of anthropogenesis

Цит.: Buzhilova A.P., Kharitonov V.M. Re-reading Charles Darwin’s «the descent of man, and selection in relation to sex» (Darwin as an anthropologist) // Moscow University Anthropology Bulletin (Vestnik Moskovskogo Universiteta. Seria XXIII. Antropologia), 2009; 4/2009; с. 15-24