Race and Human Evolution: A Fatal Attraction [Hardcover]

Milford Wolpoff (Author), Rachel Caspari (Draft Writer)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 15, 1997

Drawing on a close examination of the fossil record and DNA evidence, this authoritative work by leading researchers challenges the popular "Eve" theory of human origins and posits a bold, controversial new account of human evolution and racial differences. Wolpoff is a professor of human anthroplogy and Caspari is an assistant research scientist. Maps and illustrations.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There are two widely held scientific theories concerning the origin of the human species. One posits a single cradle, generally thought to be in Africa, in which Homo sapiens originated. This dominant theory is assisted by its charismatic spokesmodel Eve, a fictitious personification of a DNA strain that some scientists argue indicates a unique source for the Earth's human population. The other, decidedly less popular theory is known as multiregionalism. Multiregionalists argue that populations may have originated in Africa, but these populations migrated to distant regions where the human species developed and took on different characteristics, known to scientists as biological diversity but more conventionally referred to as different races. This divide is obviously controversial, and it is not always the steady eye of science that influences which model is deemed correct (or at least politically correct). After all, one model promises a scientific verification of our common humanity, the other, interpreted too loosely, could result in a scientific rationale that hardens concepts of racial difference.

Anthropological researchers (and husband and wife) Milford Wolpoff and Rachel Caspari have written Race and Human Evolution as an accessible introduction to the debates over the origins of the human species that makes a careful and detailed case for multiregionalism. Much of the authors' effort is directed at separating their scientifically sound position from the racist legacy of earlier theories of polygenism, which argued that races were genetically isolated. They also mount compelling arguments that the "single source of humanity" camp has succeeded thanks to good marketing rather than hard or conclusive data. Their book proves not only an interesting introduction to anthropological debates, it also reflects the way a scientific thesis is formulated, developed, and defended in the media-savvy late 20th century.

From Publishers Weekly

This uneven volume from University of Michigan anthropologists Wolpoff and Caspari defends Wolpoff's theory that human evolution resulted from long-term "multiregional evolution" rather than via a relatively recent descent from a single "Eve" in Africa. The authors largely base their case on the fossil record, which contains evidence that, they contend, doesn't jibe with the Eve theory, which was derived primarily through DNA analysis by molecular biologists. Their argument is well-reasoned but some of the basic concepts, including that of multiregional evolution, could use a clearer explication. Technical material abounds, much of it likely to prove difficult for the general reader. And, while Wolpoff receives top authorial billing, the text is presented mostly in the first-person singular from Caspari's perspective, an intrusive stylistic device. There's much to ponder here, though, and the middle chapters, which place paleoanthropology in a historical and political context, are sound and informative. Illustrations.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (January 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684810131
• ISBN-13: 978-0684810133
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,051,025 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A layman's guide to the multiregional theory, March 5, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Race and Human Evolution: A Fatal Attraction (Hardcover)

To begin with, there is a lot of trash out there posing as explanations of human evolution. Wolpoff and Caspari's book is NOT one of these. The authors take pains to explain what multiregional evolution is NOT, namely, the multiple origin of humanity. Like just about everyone else, they contend that humans originated in Africa. However, they build a persuasive case that (a) there is no such species as Homo erectus, and (b) that the earliest Homo sapiens left Africa some two million years ago. Whether or not one agrees with this scenario, it makes interesting and informative reading, and I believe is a must for anyone interested in the evolution of humanity, for it provides an alternative to the now-popular view that "modern" humans, whatever that may mean, originated late, in Africa and "replaced" everyone else.à

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Genetics AND skeletal studies BOTH have their place., November 8, 2004

By 

W. Wofford (Sonoran Desert, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Race and Human Evolution: A Fatal Attraction (Hardcover)

This book accurately portrays the skeletal evidence for human origins, in the context of the Multi-regional theory of human evolution. In this respect it's typical Wolpoff & his usual high standard of excellence, "nuff said. What REALLY needs commentary is the major misconception several reviewer have posted. DNA data has NOT "blown skeletal studies out of the water". We now know that mtDNA AND Y-chromosome lineages ARE HIGHLY subject to natural selection, which means that selective processes CAN (& WILL) cause "lineage replacement" in populations. The multi-regional theory REQUIRES geneflow between regional populations, and even miniscule levels of geneflow will introduce "new" lineages, that can replace the earlier lineages in that population. Selective advantages of as little as hundredths of a percent, and "once in a century" geneflow between adjacent populations, WILL result in total worldwide replacement of lineages within a 100,000-150,000 year period WITHOUT significantly affecting the rest of the genepool. So yes, lineage studies DO "show" that we all share common mtDNA & Y-chromosome ancestors within the last 50-250,000 years (depending on which mutation rate estimate is used), but this actually FITS the predictions of the multi-regional model (for that matter, some mutation rate estimates give calculations that ALLOW descent from regional Homo erectus populations). And.... autosomal DNA studies REVEAL ancient regional population structuring for most genes that goes back as much as a million years, but more recent structuring for other genes, which is ALSO exactly what you'd expect under multi-regionalism's "geneflow & spread of advantageous genes" expectation.... but NOT what would be expected of a human population that recently spread out of Africa. So look at ALL the data INCLUDING BOTH the skeletal (which this book is excellent on) AND the DNA side of things (sadly, I've seen no single comprehensive reference on this aspect) before making up your mind. I suggest you read this book AND search pubmed for scientific papers covering the full spectrum of DNA study interpretations.

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Required Reading, October 7, 2000

By 

Dr. Steven E. Best (Dallas, Texas USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Race and Human Evolution: A Fatal Attraction (Hardcover)

The debate between multiregional evolution vs. the replacement model continues unabated, and naturally, not without certain biases muddling the understanding of the interested lay-reader. Wolpoff and Caspari do an excellent job of presenting the historical foundations for the intellectual biases AND the over-simplified misunderstandings of multiregional evolution perpetuated by the popular media which are responsible for the ongoing confusion regarding this debate. Human evolution is NOT a simple matter easily reduced to one or two easy-to-manage ideas. The replacement model is well addressed in the text and is shown to be easier to comprehend than the multiregional model, which explains the media's favoratism for the former. The technical information provided favoring both views is carefully presented and explained, and the reader is left with the task of making up his/her own mind. An approach of which I approve. Balancing this text with those of Dr. C. Stringer and Prof. Rushton (another review on this site) is recommended for even treatment. Were I teaching a course in paleoanthroplogy, I would certainly make Wolpoff & Caspari's book required reading.