I am doing research for a paper that requires a fairly general
answer to what appears to be, at least on the face of it, a fairly simple
question. But I am having a heck of a time finding any
sort of answer. Here is the question:
Has anyone estimated or tried to estimate the life span
of the modern human (homo sapiens sapiens)?
The question, of course, gets muddied quickly with the possibility
of genetic manipulation and other self-directed evolutionary interventions; the
creation of isolated human populations in space; and a global disaster that
wipes out all life on earth. But assuming
a “base rate” of human (or mammalian or large mammalian) speciation, how long
is the modern human, as a sub-species, expected to be
around? Alternatively, what is the average
life span of members of the genus Homo (e.g., Homo sapiens, Neanderthals, Homo
erectus, etc.)?
If someone could point me to a citable source, I would really
appreciate it. Thanks! William
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William Grove-Fanning, Andrew W. Mellon Fellow
Department of Philosophy, Environmental Studies Program, Trinity University
Secretary-elect, Newsletter Editor, & Website Manager, International Society
for Environmental Ethics
