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‘Homo sapiens’: who are we? Essential traits of our species

Eudald Carbonell, José María Bermúdez de Castro, Robert Sala

Abstract


In this text we analyse the traits, from their genesis, that constitute current human beings with the objective of characterising the biological and cultural evolution of humanity within the evolutionary framework of our genus. Paleoanthropologists organise our differential traits within the animal kingdom hierarchically: the ability to manufacture a wide range of tools and control fire, language, funeral rituals, etc. However, whether these increases in complexity occurred only in our species or if it is a process which other species have also undergone, or will undergo, remains to be explored.

Keywords


hominisation; humanisation; singularity; tools; language; complexity; species

Full Text: PDF

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7203/metode.8.9481

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