Question

2. Consider where humans and other primates fall in the biological and behavioral continuums. What role does culture play in determining humans' position on that continuum? How important do you think culture is in distinguishing humans from other primate species?

Answer 1

Due to many types of research and studies, it is widely accepted fact that higher order animals like non-human primates also show the behavioural pattern that is group specific. Many researchers assume that these behaviour are cultural because they are transmitted from one generation to another in a social unit and remain present over a time period. But there are many differences between humans and other nonhuman primates cultural behaviour because nonhuman primates are not capable of the cumulative evolution of culture like humans do.

Hence,human and other primates fall in the biological and behavioral continuums. Cumulative evolution of culture play important role in determining humans' position on that continuum.

Humans are still evolving because evolution is irreversible and continues the process.

Many theories suggest that humans other primates like ape, gorillas, chimpanzees etc were evolved from common primate ancestors.