Concept Genealogies

Origins traces where each concept in the Human Origins Model came from—when academia first studied it, the earliest published research, and how it changed from its first formulation to today.

See the research sequence Read the methods

WHY ORIGINS

The field has a history. Its gaps have a history too.

Documenting how each concept was first studied makes the Lab’s upstream question inspectable. It shows where scholarly attention began, where it moved, and what it left open.

THE ARTIFACT

One fixed structure, every time.

A Concept Genealogy is a documentary record, not a literature-history blog post. Each one ends with a stated position on what the history means for the model.

EDITORIAL STANDARD

Scope is decided before the research begins.

Every genealogy declares its boundary up front so the concept is studied rigorously rather than expanded indefinitely.

01First appearanceThe earliest identifiable use of the concept within its declared scope.
02Founding sourcesThe primary works that established or first framed the concept.
03PeriodisationHow its study changed through time, and why the boundaries matter.
04Current state and contestationWhat the field currently holds, debates, and has yet to resolve.
05Standing positionWhat this history implies for the Human Origins Model—and what it leaves open.

THE DISCIPLINE

The historical record remains inspectable.

Sources
Every primary work is recorded alongside the genealogy so readers can trace its documentary basis.
Limits
Contested accounts, uncertain dates, and scope decisions are stated rather than smoothed away.
Authorship
Each artifact identifies its author, date, version, and any material revision.
Position
The Lab distinguishes historical documentation from its own thesis, which remains under examination.