The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis (Elaine Morgan)



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Elaine Morgan

THE AQUATIC APE HYPOTHESIS

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Book review by Anthony Campbell. The review is licensed under a Creative
Commons License.
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This book covers almost exactly the same ground as Morgan's earlier book
The Scars of Evolution. In other words, it is a defence of the aquatic
ape hypothesis using the same arguments as in the earlier work. As such,
the same comments apply.

There are some minor differences. As a concession to academic custom
Morgan has for the first time included numbered references, although the
tone of her writing is still popular and accessible. She now states
categorically that the savannah hypothesis for human origins is defunct,
as opposed to merely weak and inadequate. The aquatic ape hypothesis, in
contrast, is she believes stronger than ever. However, she has now
abandoned the suggestion, made in her earlier book, that sweat and tears
originally evolved to facilitate the excretion of salt. Her reasons for
doing so are described in some detail in order to defend herself against
the accusation that her retraction seriously weakens the case for the
aquatic ape hypothesis.

Anyone wishing to get a popular overview of the debate would do equally
well to read either book; the differences between them are not great
enough to make it necessary to read both.

30 December 2005
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%T The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis
%A Elaine Morgan
%I Souvenir Press
%C London
%D 1997
%G ISBN 0-285-63518-2
%P 205 pp
%K evolution
%O paperback
%O illustrated
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