Wisdom Of The Bones Analysis

What is it to be human? One would think that humans would be experts on the subject, but instead the question seems without answer. The Wisdom of the Bones by Alan Walker and Pat Shipman explores this question by defining the physical and behavioral characteristics of humans and their ancestors. Despite our ability to create clean categories for other animals to fit in, Walker and Shipman reveal that there seems to be something harder for humans to define about ourselves. As is done with any other animal, the logical place to start is with humans’ unique physical traits.
Bipedalism is the most easily identifiable human trait. No other living mammal walks habitually upright like people do. In The Wisdom of the Bones, Walker and Shipman recount Raymond Dart’s studies of Australopithecines. They found that Australopithecines were more primitive like chimpanzees rather than having human-like intelligence. However, they did show signs of having been bipedal. Upon this realization, Walkers explained that many anthropologists were disappointed because “somehow, bipedalism wasn’t nearly as satisfying a criterion for election …show more content…
Most hypotheses stem from the early hominids’ move from living in the tree to on the ground, potentially because of changing climates and a reduction in forested areas. Some theories that have been suggested include increased tool use, energy efficiency in movement, body temperature regulation, and foraging postures that required the hands to remain free for carrying food (Campbell et al. 241-4). They of these ideas, or some combination of them, could have led to the evolution of bipedalism. No matter what the original reason for it was, bipedalism had given humans an added advantage in adapting to every environment by increasing our energy efficiency, allowing us to travel longer distances, and freeing our hands for tool