Why read Bones of Contention?

Book cover of Bones of Contention: Controversies in the Search for Human Origins

Book description

This is a behind-the-scenes look at the search for human origins, analyzing how the biases and preconceptions of paleoanthropologists shape their work. The stories of the Taung Child and Neanderthal Man provide the background to the modern search for an exploration of how and where humans evolved. In this edition,…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Bones of Contention as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Steven L. Goldman

Author

I have read and re-read this book several times, each time with enjoyment. The author tells a fascinating story about the discovery, interpretation, and re-interpretation of ancient human fossils, and I think he tells it in a way that draws people in.

I am most impressed by his ability to show the reader the role that assumptions and prejudices play in scientific discovery and theorizing without preaching. This book opens a window for the general reader onto how science really works.

From Steven's list on what scientists really know and how they know it.