Darwin-L Message Log 5:134 (January 1994)

Academic Discussion on the History and Theory of the Historical Sciences

This is one message from the Archives of Darwin-L (1993–1997), a professional discussion group on the history and theory of the historical sciences.

Note: Additional publications on evolution and the historical sciences by the Darwin-L list owner are available on SSRN.

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<5:134>From ALVARD@DICKINSON.EDU  Tue Jan 25 06:43:42 1994

Date: Tue, 25 Jan 94 7:41:44 est
From: Michael Alvard <ALVARD@dickinson.edu>
To: DARWIN-L@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: intro and tools

I too am a new member to Darwin-L.  I am a recent gradate from the University
of New Mexico, and have just started my first year teaching in the Department
of Anthropology of Dickinson College.  I have worked for the last few years
in the rain forests of Southeastern Peru with two groups of native South
Americans, the Piro and Machiguenga.   I am interested in evolutionary
ccology, human hunting, and particularly the evolution of conservation
behavior.  The work I did in Peru tested the commonly held belief that many
indigenous  people are natural conservationists.  I am in the process of
developing a new field site on the Island of Sulawesi, Indonesia with a group
of blowgun hunters, the Wana.

By the way, I agree with the statement of Arlen Carey. Why does the advent of
tool use somehow mysteriously stop evolution. Why must humans be put on some
superorganic pedestal?  If gene frequencies are changing evolution is
occurring.  We now are adapting to a technologically modified environment,
but the basic mechanisms of evolution still work.  Non-human animals modify
their environment, and in turn, adapt to the changes they cause.

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Michael S. Alvard, Ph.D.
Dept. of Anthropology
Dickinson College,
Carlisle, PA, 17013

Tel: (717) 245-1902
E-mail:  Alvard@Dickinson.edu
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