The Order of Man: A Biomathematical Anatomy of the Primates

Preface

Preface This boo k i s a n attemp t t o loo k broadl y a t th e biological Orde r o f Man. I t review s mor e tha n tw o decades o f stud y o f present-da y primate s usin g data an d method s no t hithert o mad e availabl e i n one plac e no r t o th e genera l reader . It i s th e thir d boo k i n a series . Th e first , Form and Pattern in Human Evolution: Some Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Approaches, describe s som e modern method s availabl e fo r th e stud y o f biolog ical for m an d functio n wit h especia l referenc e t o the primates . The secon d boo k i s Uniqueness and Diversity in Human Evolution: Morphometric Studies of Australopithecines . I t take s th e mos t well-develope d o f thes e techniques, multivariat e morphometries , an d ap plies i t t o th e particula r problem s raise d b y func tional assessment s o f certai n assume d huma n ancestors, th e australopithecin e fossil s o f Olduva i and Souther n Africa . But i n th e year s sinc e thos e publications , th e scope o f m y investigation s ha s expande d s o tha t they no w encompas s a considerabl y wide r rang e o f methods, base d i n mathematics , physic s an d en gineering , fo r th e stud y o f biologica l for m an d pattern. An d th e totalit y o f m y researche s no w cover a far wide r rang e o f anatomical regions : mos t parts o f th e bod y (shoulder s an d hips , arm s an d thighs, forearm s an d legs , hand s an d feet , trun k and head) . Th e studie s have , furthermore , bee n extended s o tha t the y no w appl y ver y widel y throughout th e entir e Orde r Primate s (humans , apes, Ol d Worl d monkeys , Ne w Worl d monkeys , lemurs, bush-babies , lorise s an d tarsiers) . Thus , this thir d volum e ha s arise n naturall y a s a n attempt t o se e ho w morphometri c method s asses s the entir e Order , t o discus s ho w thes e ne w evalua tions meld , o r ho w the y d o not , wit h th e broa d picture o f what w e already know , an d t o investigat e how th e result s ma y influenc e futur e direction s o f thinking i n thi s are a o f evolutionar y morphology . The ne w assessment s ca n b e viewe d throug h study o f localize d anatomica l regions ; informatio n about functio n mainl y results . Bu t the y ca n als o b e viewed throug h investigatio n o f entir e anatomies ; and this , i t turn s out , seem s t o spea k mor e t o ou r understanding o f th e overal l relationship s o f th e various primates . None o f this is to say, however, tha t th e results o f the presen t studie s stan d b y themselves ; o n th e contrary, perhap s th e mai n interes t i n th e presen t researches i s i n th e patter n o f concordance s an d discordances tha t the y provid e i n relatio n t o th e prior bod y o f knowledge o f th e Order . Fo r thoug h many differen t type s o f informatio n ar e no w available fo r aidin g ou r understandin g o f th e rela tionships o f th e primates , an d eve n thoug h th e picture o f the primate s tha t the y portra y i s simila r overall, ther e ar e nevertheles s a numbe r o f rathe r fundamental differences . The detaile...