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The evolution of childhood as a by-product?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 August 2006

Peter Kappeler*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, University of Gttingen, 37073Gttingen, Germanyhttp://www.soziobio.uni-goettingen.de/

Abstract:

The proposition that selective advantages of linguistic skills have contributed to shifts in ontogenetic landmarks of human life histories in early Homo sapiens is weakened by neglecting alternative mechanisms of life history evolution. Moreover, arguments about biological continuity through sweeping comparisons with nonhuman primates do not support various assumptions of this scenario.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2006

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