http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2009/09/are-we-descended-from-monkeys/ Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:50:53 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2009/09/are-we-descended-from-monkeys/comment-page-1/#comment-1209 Jonathan Badger Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:00:49 +0000 http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2009/09/are-we-descended-from-monkeys/#comment-1209 Isn't the whole issue really just a matter of the English language? As your tree shows, "monkey" is a phylogenetically meaningless term that English uses to describe small tailed primates and not a clade to themselves. Other languages, such as French don't make the ape/monkey distinction and as chance would have it, French has it right. Isn't the whole issue really just a matter of the English language? As your tree shows, "monkey" is a phylogenetically meaningless term that English uses to describe small tailed primates and not a clade to themselves. Other languages, such as French don't make the ape/monkey distinction and as chance would have it, French has it right.

]]> http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2009/09/are-we-descended-from-monkeys/comment-page-1/#comment-1201 Rose Chang Sat, 26 Sep 2009 03:54:44 +0000 http://www.genomicron.evolverzone.com/2009/09/are-we-descended-from-monkeys/#comment-1201 Thanks for the post. I deal with this question all the time in evolutionary psychology courses. As you point out, you could say we've descended "from" monkeys in a broad sense. But what is at issue are the assumptions behind such a statement. I think students say we are descended from monkeys thinking that the theory of evolution by natural selection posits that we are directly related to them - because they don't see the distinction between apes and monkeys (nor that humans are classified as apes for that matter). <br />In the US, consumers must love a chimp because they show up in commercials all the time. But most of the time, they are called "monkeys" by the voiceover. I guess as my students would say, you know what I mean. Thanks for the post. I deal with this question all the time in evolutionary psychology courses. As you point out, you could say we've descended "from" monkeys in a broad sense. But what is at issue are the assumptions behind such a statement. I think students say we are descended from monkeys thinking that the theory of evolution by natural selection posits that we are directly related to them – because they don't see the distinction between apes and monkeys (nor that humans are classified as apes for that matter).
In the US, consumers must love a chimp because they show up in commercials all the time. But most of the time, they are called "monkeys" by the voiceover. I guess as my students would say, you know what I mean.

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