Ineluctably us: early hominid discoveries, mass media, and the reification of human ancestors.

Abstract

Even as paleoanthropology becomes increasingly sophisticated in revealing both the broad contours and the details of the deep evolutionary history of Homo sapiens, it continues to be informed by lingering pre-evolutionary residues. Specifically, the goal of prior research was to demonstrate that the influence of the ancient Scala Naturae as an organizing principle significantly contributed to the scientific community's delayed acceptance of Australopithecus (sensu lato) as a plesiomorphic member of the Hominidae. The present study extends this research through a selective examination of non-primary source material reporting on significant early hominid discoveries over the last century, beginning with Australopithecus africanus (1925) and ending with Ardipithecus ramidus (1995/2009). It is argued that these accessible sources reify to varying degrees the perception among the non-expert public that human beings are an inevitable culmination of the evolutionary process. This culturally transmitted schema of human exceptionalism continues to impact other life on Earth in profound ways, in some cases with calamitous results.