What Did Richard Wrangham Hypothesize About How the Use of Fire

question 45

Multiple Choice

What did Richard Wrangham hypothesize about how the use of fire shaped the course of hominin evolution?

• A) The use of fire increased winter survival, leading to larger populations and greater genetic diversity.
• B) The use of fire to cook food (as opposed to eating raw food) provided large energetic stores that are easily consumed and processed; this reduced nutritional challenge led to distinct morphological changes, including a large increase in brain size.
• C) The use of fire enabled early hominins to prevent predator attacks, leading to higher survival rates. It also enabled them to clear large tracts of forest in tropical Africa, leading to the increased use of agriculture and a more reliable food supply.
• D) Wrangham argues that the use of fire was insignificant in shaping human evolution and that the evolution of more sophisticated tools is what led to more successful hunting and a more reliable, higher-protein food supply. Increased dietary protein led to the evolution of increased brain size.

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Definitions:

Basic Needs

Fundamental requirements that serve as the foundation for survival, including physiological needs such as food, water, shelter, and safety.

Hierarchy

A system or organization in which people or groups are ranked one above the other according to status or authority.

Maslow

Abraham Maslow, a psychologist known for creating Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which is a theory of psychological health predicated on fulfilling innate human needs in priority, culminating in self-actualization.

Unconscious Fixations

Deeply held impulses or patterns of thought rooted in one's subconscious mind, influencing behavior or attitudes.