Changes in Scientific Theories

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Essay about Human Evolution
Introduction
This essay paper uses Kuhn’s model to find out how scientific theories about
Neanderthals changed from Homo sapiens. The essay tracks changes that are available in
evidence that led to changes in scientific theories about the evolutionary relationship between
Neanderthals and Homo sapiens during the twentieth century. Basing on the available evidence
the essay paper briefly summarizes the story of how scientific theories changed about
Neanderthals and Homo sapiens then summarizes how and when scientists changed the
phylogenic positions that were assigned to the link between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens.
Secondly, the essay summarizes Thomas S Kuhn’s theory of scientific revolutions by explaining
the changes in thinking about Neanderthals and Homo sapiens from Kuhn’s theories perspective.
Lastly, the essay concludes the extent to which Neanderthals have been regarded as human or
non-human over a while.
Neanderthal was the most intelligent species and successfully adapted to their
environment for many years. They are the longest non-modern humans known in science and are
commonly referred to as Homo Neanderthalensis (Kwang Hyun, 17). They generally used to
hunt and make tools out of stones and rocks. Various theories state that Neanderthal species are
close relatives to a human while Homo sapiens were more intelligent and wise. With several

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theories in place, it’s believed that Neanderthal and Homo sapiens are the later stage of human
evolution. Fossils found to indicate that they endured a lot of pain based on the fractures on the
bones of arms and the skull. There are several lines of evidence indicating that Neanderthals
were capable hunters whose diets were dominated by meat. First is the faunal evidence from
various sites, which indicates that they hunted and butchered red deer and many other species
(Muehlenbein & Michael, 45-67).
Kuhn was once fascinated with the process by which theories which somewhere true
were replaced by a different one which was also held to be true. In his theory, Kuhn presented
his views in a structure referred to as scientific revolutions. From his theory, he describes normal
science as a puzzle-solving activity that is conducted under a reigning paradigm (Richards,
Robert, and Lorraine, 2). According to him, puzzle-solving refers to the normal activity of
scientists that consists of issues which are believed in advance to have a solution only if enough
ingenuity and effort is brought to bear based on the paradigm as a guide. Also based on Kuhn,
anomaly arises when a puzzle is confirmed as vital in some way but the solution to it cannot be
undertaken (Devlin, William, and Alisa, 23-34). In other words, the anomaly cannot be written
off or solved.
In reference to Kuhn's this concept, the theories regarding Neanderthals and Homo
sapiens stipulate that each of these special species separately and individually adapted to its
surroundings. On the other hand, the discoveries about the fossil remains of these species by not
corresponding to any extinct species contradicted their main assumption of biology before
Darwin. Also, according to Neanderthals and Homo sapiens theories, most prominent scientific
theories that are linked to human evolution indicate that all these species came from one line, a
line that can be traced back to Africa region. According to these theories, some ancient