The Origin of Humankind

"The name Leakey is synonymous with the study of human origins," wrote The New York Times. The renowned family of paleontologists — Louis Leakey, Mary Leakey, and their son Richard Leakey — has vastly expanded our understanding of human evolution. The Origin of Humankind is Richard Leakey's personal view of the development of Homo Sapiens. At the heart of his new picture of evolution is the introduction of a heretical notion: once the first apes walked upright, the evolution of modern humans became possible and perhaps inevitable. From this one evolutionary step comes all the other evolutionary refinements and distinctions that set the human race apart from the apes. In fascinating sections on how and why modern humans developed a social organization, culture, and personal behavior, Leakey has much of interest to say about the development of art, language, and human consciousness. The Origin of Humankind is Richard Leakey's final statement on human evolution. Deriving its power from the author's unquestioned authority in the field of paleontology, and enriched by his new interest in wildlife, this book answers the question: What made humans human? Leakey argues that when one of our hominid ancestors acquired the ability to walk upright (called "bipedalism"), the evolution of modern humans became possible, perhaps even inevitable. All other human evolutionary refinements and distinctions can be seen as related to this one dramatic step. In fascinating sections on how and why modern humans developed a social organization, culture, and personal behavior, Leakey enhances our understanding of the nature and evolutionary role of art, language, and human consciousness. PREFACE CHAPTER 1 THE FIRST HUMANS CHAPTER 2 A CROWDED FAMILY CHAPTER 3 A DIFFERENT KIND OF HUMAN CHAPTER 4 MAN THE NOBLE HUNTER? CHAPTER 5 THE ORIGIN OF MODERN HUMANS CHAPTER 6 THE LANGUAGE OF ART CHAPTER 7 THE ART OF LANGUAGE CHAPTER 8 THE ORIGIN OF MIND BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FURTHER READINGS PREFACE THE ORIGIN OF HUMANKIND THE FIRST HUMANS A CROWDED FAMILY A DIFFERENT KIND OF HUMAN MAN THE NOBLE HUNTER? THE ORIGIN OF MODERN HUMANS THE LANGUAGE OF ART THE ART OF LANGUAGE THE ORIGIN OF MIND BIBLIOGRAPHY AND FURTHER READINGS