Paleoanthropologist Christopher Stringer Once Noted That "Absence of Evidence Does

question 30

Multiple Choice

Paleoanthropologist Christopher Stringer once noted that "absence of evidence does not necessarily prove evidence of absence." Why is this important to keep in mind when assessing the use of fossils to study the past?

• A) Taphonomy is not a true science, because it lacks accuracy.
• B) The fields of paleontology and paleoanthropology have established a chronology of the evolution of life.
• C) The failure to find a fossil species in a particular place does not necessarily mean that it did not live there.
• D) Paleontology and paleoanthropology are humanistic disciplines.
• E) The fossil record is a complete sample of all the plants and animals that ever lived.

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Definitions:

Assimilate

The process by which individuals or groups absorb and integrate the cultural traditions, language, or behaviors of another group or society.

Tenskwatawa

A Native American religious and political leader of the Shawnee tribe, known as the Prophet, who advocated for a return to traditional ways and resistance against European-American expansion in the early 19th century.

Neolin

A Native American religious prophet who, by preaching pan-Indian unity and rejection of European technology and commerce, helped inspire Pontiac’s Rebellion.

Barbary Wars

The first wars fought by the United States, and the nation’s first encounter with the Islamic world. The wars were fought from 1801 to 1805 against plundering pirates off the Mediterranean coast of Africa after President Thomas Jefferson’s refusal to pay them tribute to protect American ships.