Download or read book The Punctuated Evolution of Civilisations written by Tingguang Ma and published by Cambridge Scholars Publishing. This book was released on 2023-06-05 with total page 474 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Investigating societal responses toward climate pulsations, this book explores environmental challenges through a timeframe of climate pulsations and response patterns in different civilizations. This “societal-climate-society” approach helps to establish the relationship between climate and civilization. It argues that history is a collection of repeated decisions toward challenges in different climate cycles. As an application of Darwinian evolutionary theory on human societies, Ellsworth Huntington’s theory of climate pulsation is modified and tailored to explain Samuel Huntington’s theory of the clash of civilizations, which discloses the invisible hand behind war and peace.
Download or read book The Origin and Evolution of Cultures written by Robert Boyd and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2005-01-20 with total page 465 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Oxford presents, in one convenient and coherently organized volume, 20 influential but until now relatively inaccessible articles that form the backbone of Boyd and Richerson's path-breaking work on evolution and culture. Their interdisciplinary research is based on two notions. First, that culture is crucial for understanding human behavior; unlike other organisms, socially transmitted beliefs, attitudes, and values heavily influence our behavior. Secondly, culture is part of biology: the capacity to acquire and transmit culture is a derived component of human psychology, and the contents of culture are deeply intertwined with our biology. Culture then is a pool of information, stored in the brains of the population that gets transmitted from one brain to another by social learning processes. Therefore, culture can account for both our outstanding ecological success as well as the maladaptations that characterize much of human behavior. The interest in this collection will span anthropology, psychology, economics, philosophy, and political science.
Download or read book The Origin and Evolution of Cultures written by Los Angeles Robert Boyd Professor of Anthropology University of California and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2004-12-22 with total page 468 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Oxford presents, in one convenient and coherently organized volume, 20 influential but until now relatively inaccessible articles that form the backbone of Boyd and Richerson's path-breaking work on evolution and culture. Their interdisciplinary research is based on two notions. First, that culture is crucial for understanding human behavior; unlike other organisms, socially transmitted beliefs, attitudes, and values heavily influence our behavior. Secondly, culture is part of biology: the capacity to acquire and transmit culture is a derived component of human psychology, and the contents of culture are deeply intertwined with our biology. Culture then is a pool of information, stored in the brains of the population that gets transmitted from one brain to another by social learning processes. Therefore, culture can account for both our outstanding ecological success as well as the maladaptations that characterize much of human behavior. The interest in this collection will span anthropology, psychology, economics, philosophy, and political science.
Download or read book Culture Evolves written by Andrew Whiten and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2012 with total page 472 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Culture shapes vast swathes of our lives and has allowed the human species to dominate the planet in an evolutionarily unique way. This book is unique in focusing on the evolutionary continuities in culture, providing an interdisciplinary exploration of culture, written by leading authorities from the biological and cognitive sciences.
Download or read book The Dynamics of Cultural Evolution written by Michael Rosenberg and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-07-09 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the nature of cultural and culturally structured social and behavioral entities, their evolutionary interactions, and the central role purposive behaviors play in those interactions. It, first, makes the case for cultural and cultural structured systems being considered as true entities bounded in time and space, and not ephemera in a constant state of becoming another system. Second, it examines how these entities interact to produce evolutionary culture change. It then argues that the intent of purposive behaviors is reliably knowable in the aggregate, at least when dealing with expressions of behavioral tendencies in the animal kingdom, humans included. Finally, the book references well documented behavioral tendencies for examples of proximate causation in the evolution of settled village societies and, following that, socially complex societies. Through these efforts, the book synthesizes the various approaches to the evolution of culture and provides a complete and comprehensive picture of the process. It provides a corrective to the tendency to view cultural systems as entirely open ended and as capable of changing in any direction; and also to treating cultural evolution as solely a result of selective forces, that is, in terms of only ultimate causation. This book provides an engaging and critical counterview to established theories of cultural evolution and is of interest to scholars and students of different disciplines, from anthropology and archeology, to evolutionary biology and epigenetics.
Download or read book Time and Uncertainty written by Paul Andre Harris and published by BRILL. This book was released on 2004-01-01 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The essays in this volume all originated at the 2001 conference of the International Society for the Study of Time. The theme 'Time and Uncertainty' sounds redundant, but the contributions try to come to terms with the irreducible openness of time and the impermanence of life. The essays from various disciplines have been grouped around 'fracture and rupture' (grappling with time and uncertainty as a breach) and 'rapture and structure (solving uncertainty into pattern).
Download or read book Christ and Evolution written by Celia Deane-Drummond and published by Augsburg Fortress. This book was released on 2009 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The figure of Christ is at the heart of Christian faith and self-understanding, whether conservative or liberal. In this volume, widely acclaimed theologian Celia Deane-Drummond sets out to develop an understanding of Christ that is far more conscious of the evolutionary history of humanity and current evolutionary theories about the natural world. It argues that the concepts of wisdom and wonder have special roles in both theology and science and can point to an integrated, inclusive spirituality and a fuller vision of life and the universe. Book jacket.
Download or read book World History and the Eonic Effect written by John C. Landon and published by Xlibris Corporation. This book was released on 2010-04-27 with total page 728 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At a time when theories of evolution are undergoing renewed controversy, the study of the Eonic Effect can break the deadlock, by looking at world history in the light of evolution. The assumption that evolution occurs at random is the crux of the dispute, and one confused with issues of religion and secularism. We can detect a non-random pattern in the record of civilization itself, to see evolution in action on a stupendous scale. We live in the first generations with enough data to detect this phenomenon. In the confusion of evolutionary theories, the unexpected discovery of deep level structure can allow us to deconstruct fl at history, and assess claims of directionality in evolution. In the process the theory of natural selection applied to human evolution is seen to fail a photo finish test. The book provides a new model for the study of the overlap of history and evolution, and a critique of current views of the descent of man.
Download or read book Technen Elements of Recent History of Information Technologies with Epistemological Conclusions written by Andrzej Piotr Wierzbicki and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-07-25 with total page 317 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book expresses the conviction that the art of creating tools – Greek techne – changes its character together with the change of civilization epochs and co-determines such changes. This does not mean that tools typical for a civilization epoch determine it completely, but they change our way of perceiving and interpreting the world. There might have been many such epochs in the history of human civilization (much more than the three waves of agricultural, industrial and information civilization). This is expressed by the title Technen of the book, where n denotes a subsequent civilization epoch. During last fifty years we observed a decomposition of the old episteme (understood as a way of creating and interpreting knowledge characteristic for a given civilization epoch) of modernism, which was an episteme typical for industrial civilization. Today, the world is differently understood by the representatives of three different cultural spheres: of strict and natural sciences; of human and social sciences (especially by their part inclined towards postmodernism) and technical sciences that have a different episteme than even that of strict and natural sciences. Thus, we observe today not two cultures, but three different episteme. The book consists of four parts. First contains basic epistemological observations, second is devoted to selected elements of recent history of information technologies, third contains more detailed epistemological and general discussions, fourth specifies conclusions. The book is written from the cognitive perspective of technical sciences, with a full awareness – and discussion – of its differences from the cognitive perspective of strict sciences or human and social sciences. The main thesis of the book is that informational revolution will probably lead to a formation of a new episteme. The book includes discussions of many issues related to such general perspective, such as what is technology proper; what is intuition from a perspective of technology and of evolutionary naturalism; what are the reasons for and how large are the delays between a fundamental invention and its broad social utilization; what is the fundamental logical error (using paradoxes that are not real, only apparent) of the tradition of sceptical philosophy; what are rational foundations and examples of emergence of order out of chaos; whether civilization development based on two positive feedbacks between science, technology and the market might lead inevitably to a self-destruction of human civilization; etc.
Download or read book Creative Environments written by Andrzej P. Wierzbicki and published by Springer. This book was released on 2007-06-02 with total page 517 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Creative Environments follows up on the book Creative Space, by the same authors, who serve this time as editors. The first part further develops models of knowledge creation, in particular the Triple Helix of normal academic knowledge creation and a new, integrated model of normal academic and organizational knowledge creation, called Nanatsudaki (seven waterfalls) Model. Also presented are intelligence tools, statistics for support of creativity and more.
Download or read book Archaeological Theory written by Matthew Johnson and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2019-04-08 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A lively and accessible introduction to themes and debates in archaeological theory for students of all levels Archaeological Theory is a relatable, accessible, reader-friendly first step into the world of theory for archaeology students. Recognizing that many students shy away from the study of theory for fear that the material is too difficult or obscure, Archaeological Theory maintains that any student can develop an understanding of theory and that a knowledge of theory will lead to better practice. As one of the leading texts for introductory courses in archaeology and archaeological theory, it has provided many students with the essential foundation for a complete education in the discipline. With a focus on clarifying the history and development of archaeological theory, this valuable text serves as a roadmap to the different schools of theory in archaeology, clarifying the foundations of these schools of thought, the relationships between them, and the ideas that distinguish each from the other. Students will also learn about the relationship between archaeology and cultural and political developments, the origins of New and ‘post-processual’ archaeology, and current issues shaping the field. Written in a clear and informal style and incorporating examples, cartoons, and dialogues, this text provides an ideal introduction for students at all levels. The revised third edition has been updated with new and revised chapters and an expanded glossary and bibliography, as well as new readings to guide further study. Engages readers with informal and easy-to-understand prose, as well as examples, cartoons, and informal dialogues Prepares students to understand complex topics and current and perennial issues in the field such as epistemology, agency, and materiality in the context of archaeological practice Discusses current developments in associated disciplines New and revised chapters on the material turn, politics and other issues, and an expanded glossary and bibliography with updated reading suggestions Offers expanded coverage of materiality, cultural-historical archaeology, evolutionary theory, and the work of scholars of diverse backgrounds and specializations Engaging and illuminating, Archaeological Theory is an indispensable resource for undergraduate and graduate students in archaeology and related disciplines.
Download or read book Human Evolution Beyond Biology and Culture written by Jeroen C. J. M. van den Bergh and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2018-10-18 with total page 575 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A complete account of evolutionary thought in the social, environmental and policy sciences, creating bridges with biology.
Download or read book Macroevolution in Human Prehistory written by Anna Prentiss and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-09-18 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cultural evolution, much like general evolution, works from the assumption that cultures are descendent from much earlier ancestors. Human culture manifests itself in forms ranging from the small bands of hunters, through intermediate scale complex hunter-gatherers and farmers, to the high density urban settlements and complex polities that characterize much of today’s world. The chapters in the volume examine the dynamic interaction between the micro- and macro-scales of cultural evolution, developing a theoretical approach to the archaeological record that has been termed evolutionary processual archaeology. The contributions in this volume integrate positive elements of both evolutionary and processualist schools of thought. The approach, as explicated by the contributors in this work, offers novel insights into topics that include the emergence, stasis, collapse and extinction of cultural patterns, and development of social inequalities. Consequently, these contributions form a stepping off point for a significant new range of cultural evolutionary studies.
Download or read book Evolutionism In Cultural Anthropology written by Robert L. Carneiro and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-02-23 with total page 307 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines the history of evolutionism in cultural anthropology, beginning with its roots in the 19th century, through the half-century of anti-evolutionism, to its reemergence in the 1950s, and the current perspectives on it today. No other book covers the subject so fully or over such a long period of time.. Evolutionism and Cultural Anthropology traces the interaction of evolutionary thought and anthropological theory from Herbert Spencer to the twenty-first century. It is a focused examination of how the idea of evolution has continued to provide anthropology with a master principle around which a vast body of data can be organized and synthesized. Erudite and readable, and quoting extensively from early theorists (such as Edward Tylor, Lewis Henry Morgan, John McLennan, Henry Maine, and James Frazer) so that the reader might judge them on the basis of their own words, Evolutionism and Cultural Anthropology is useful reading for courses in anthropological theory and the history of anthropology. 0813337666 Evolutionism in Cultural Anthropology : a Critical History
Download or read book Climate Change and Cultural Heritage written by Peter F. Smith and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-08-15 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: History reveals how civilisations can be decimated by changes in climate. More recently modern methods of warfare have exposed the vulnerability of the artefacts of civilisation. Bringing together a range of subjects - from science, energy and sustainability to aesthetics theory and civilization theory - this book uniquely deals with climate change and the ensuing catastrophes in relation to cultural factors, urbanism and architecture. It links the evolution of civilisation, with special emphasis on the dynamics of beauty as displayed in architecture and urbanism, to climate change. It then considers both the historic and predicted impacts of climate change and the threat it poses to the continued viability of human civilisation when survival is the top priority. This book gives students, researchers and professionals in architecture and sustainable design as well as anyone interested in the threat of global warming to civilisation, new insights as to what could be lost if action is not taken at a global level.
Download or read book Water Life and Civilisation written by Steven Mithen and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2011-04-21 with total page 543 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unique interdisciplinary study of the relationships between climate, hydrology and human society from 20,000 years ago to the present day within the Jordan Valley. It describes how state-of-the-art models can simulate the past, present and future climates of the Near East, reviews and provides new evidence for environmental change from geological deposits, builds hydrological models for the River Jordan and associated wadis and explains how present day urban and rural communities manage their water supply. The volume provides a new approach and new methods that can be applied for exploring the relationships between climate, hydrology and human society in arid and semi-arid regions throughout the world. It is an invaluable reference for researchers and advanced students concerned with the impacts of climate change and hydrology on human society, especially in the Near East.
Download or read book Evolutionary Instability written by Gebhard Geiger and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 171 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The recent sociobiology debate has raised fundamental and previously unresolved conceptual problems. Evolutionary Instability - Logical and Material Aspects of a Unified Theory of Biosocial Evolution - offers ap- proaches for their solution. The scientific applications comprise the dynamics and evolutionary instability of hierarchically organized systems, especially systems of interacting behavioural phenotypes in animals and man. The technical apparatus is thoroughly explained in intuitive terms within the text, and illustrated by numerous familiar examples and graphical representations, supplemented by an informal summary and discussion. The analyses offer new theoretical perspectives to such diverse fields as philosophy of science, evolutionary biology, general system theory and sociology.
