Xref: utzoo sci.bio:3834 alt.romance:5328 soc.men:23680 soc.women:29733 soc.singles:72701
Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!bu.edu!bu-bio!pamela
From: pamela@bu-bio.bu.edu (Pamela Hall)
Newsgroups: sci.bio,alt.romance,soc.men,soc.women,soc.singles
Subject: Re: Language (was Re: Are Humans Naturally Monogamous?)
Message-ID: <67971@bu.edu.bu.edu>
Date: 6 Nov 90 19:41:17 GMT
References: <1990Oct24.175532.9407@pmafire.UUCP> <1990Oct25.140829.19268@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> <58695@microsoft.UUCP> <1990Nov1.233150.31363@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu> <1990Nov2.203149.16763@ariel.unm.edu>
Sender: news@bu.edu.bu.edu
Reply-To: pamela@bu-bio.UUCP (Pamela Hall)
Followup-To: sci.bio
Organization: Biology Dept., Bost
Lines: 31


In a sci.* news board I would expect to see respect for precise and
accurate use of words.  This is not a issue of politics, but of accurate
communication which is essential for science (and certainly other human
endeavors).

If one wishes to refer to human male behavior, use men or man.
If one wishes to refer to human female behavior, use women or woman
If one wishes to refer to human behavior, regardless of gender
differences that may arise, use human.

It is clearly more accurate to say mankind, womankind or humankind,
depending upon what is being referred to.  I have seldom found
difficulties in substituing humankind for mankind when I really am
discussing the behavior of humans, regardless of gender.  I am in favor
of removing ambiguities whereever possible.  

In regards to the orginal posting about whether humankind is naturally
monogamous (I have gathered humankind was the intended meaning, though I
also confess to some initial confusion because of the language used).

How would the readers of this net interpret the various types of
marriage laws that currently exist?  Does anyone think that they reflect
a need have clear knowledge of parentage?  This is in reference to the
biological differences between men and women, in that women have much
greater confidence in identifying their offspring then men.

Pamela Hall

PS If these issues have already been discussed in this thread, forgive
me for reintroducing the topic.