Uwagi metodologiczne na temat badań nad pochodzeniem człowieka

Abstract

The question about the origins of man posed in the field of biological sciences, concerns the phylogenetic line leading to the appearance of the species Homo sapiens. According to a certain hypothesis about the course of this lineage, a biologist may try to determine when and where a change took place, so decisive that it should be considered the creation of our – really new – species. The problem, however, is that the criteria for clearly distinguishing one species from another appear to be difficult, if not impossible, to formulate. This means that the very concept of a “really new” species is somewhat empty. This article illustrates the key methodological problems in the field of natural anthropology that are relevant for its findings.

Keywords

• specie
• evolution
• homo sapiens
• anthropology
• research methods