Human Variation

Let’s Review… Human Variation refers to the study of the physical differences and similarities of existing humans.

Think-Pair-Share: Why do you think humans are different from one another?

A Scientific Explanation: In On the Origin of the Species (1859), Charles Darwin outlined how every living thing evolves through natural selection. Natural selection involves three principles: Variation: every species has a lot of variety within it. Heritability: individuals pass on traits to their offspring. Environmental fitness: individuals who are better adapted to their environment will produce more offspring and pass on their traits to the next generation.

A Christian Explanation: Christian anthropology emphasizes that humans were made in the image and likeness of God. Human diversity is a good thing according to Christians. Though no two humans are the same, each person has value and worth. Every person reflects the image of God in a slightly different way. God blessed each person with different talents and abilities and expects each person to serve Him using the unique set of talents that he or she received.

A Couple Things To Remember: The concept of race is socially constructed. More genetic variation exists within races than between them.

Video: “Race – the Power of an Illusion” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8MS6zubIaQ\ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyuKJAG11Cw

Think-Pair-Share: Why do some people make assumptions about other people based on physical differences?

What Would You Do if You Found Yourself in the Following Situation? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWIph_xlTbY

Source Social Sciences: An Introduction. Canada: McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2011, p. 124-127.