This chapter introduces biological anthropology from several different perspectives. First, to make it clear that anthropology (like any academic study) has a personal level, I begin with brief accounts of two of my own experiences in the field. I then define bioanthropology first as a part of anthropology as a whole and then in terms of the specific subjects it addresses. Finally, I discuss bioanthropology as a science by introducing the scientific method. Because this is an anthropology text, and because the issue almost inevitably comes up with regard to creationism and evolution, I preview a discussion of that topic (to come in Chapter 5) by contrasting science with belief systems, noting not only the differences but the interactions between the two as well.
