The Evolution Of Culture In Animals

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The Evolution of Culture in Animals

John Tyler Bonner
The Evolution of Culture in Animals Book PDF

Author : John Tyler Bonner
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 215 pages
File Size : 50,9 Mb
Release : 2018-06-05
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780691186986

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The Evolution of Culture in Animals by John Tyler Bonner Pdf

Animals do have culture, maintains this delightfully illustrated and provocative book, which cites a number of fascinating instances of animal communication and learning. John Bonner traces the origins of culture back to the early biological evolution of animals and provides examples of five categories of behavior leading to nonhuman culture: physical dexterity, relations with other species, auditory communication within a species, geographic locations, and inventions or innovations. Defining culture as the transmission of information by behavioral rather than genetical means, he demonstrates the continuum between the traits we find in animals and those we often consider uniquely human.

A Different Kind of Animal

Robert Boyd
A Different Kind of Animal Book PDF

Author : Robert Boyd
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 242 pages
File Size : 51,5 Mb
Release : 2019-11-19
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780691195902

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A Different Kind of Animal by Robert Boyd Pdf

"Human beings are a very different kind of animal. We have evolved to become the most dominant species on Earth. We have a larger geographical range and process more energy than any other creature alive. This astonishing transformation is usually explained in terms of cognitive ability--people are just smarter than all the rest. But in this compelling book, Robert Boyd argues that culture--our ability to learn from each other--has been the essential ingredient of our remarkable success. A Different Kind of Animal demonstrates that while people are smart, we are not nearly smart enough to have solved the vast array of problems that confronted our species as it spread across the globe. Over the past two million years, culture has evolved to enable human populations to accumulate superb local adaptations that no individual could ever have invented on their own. It has also made possible the evolution of social norms that allow humans to make common cause with large groups of unrelated individuals, a kind of society not seen anywhere else in nature. This unique combination of cultural adaptation and large-scale cooperation has transformed our species and assured our survival--making us the different kind of animal we are today. Based on the Tanner Lectures delivered at Princeton University, A Different Kind of Animal features challenging responses by biologist H. Allen Orr, philosopher Kim Sterelny, economist Paul Seabright, and evolutionary anthropologist Ruth Mace, as well as an introduction by Stephen Macedo."--

Stuffed Animals and Pickled Heads

Stephen T. Asma
Stuffed Animals and Pickled Heads Book PDF

Author : Stephen T. Asma
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 319 pages
File Size : 44,7 Mb
Release : 2003-05-01
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780195347463

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Stuffed Animals and Pickled Heads by Stephen T. Asma Pdf

The natural history museum is a place where the line between "high" and "low" culture effectively vanishes--where our awe of nature, our taste for the bizarre, and our thirst for knowledge all blend happily together. But as Stephen Asma shows in Stuffed Animals and Pickled Heads, there is more going on in these great institutions than just smart fun. Asma takes us on a wide-ranging tour of natural history museums in New York and Chicago, London and Paris, interviewing curators, scientists, and exhibit designers, and providing a wealth of fascinating observations. We learn how the first museums were little more than high-toned side shows, with such garish exhibits as the pickled head of Peter the Great's lover. In contrast, today's museums are hot-beds of serious science, funding major research in such fields as anthropology and archaeology. "Rich in detail, lucid explanation, telling anecdotes, and fascinating characters.... Asma has rendered a fascinating and credible account of how natural history museums are conceived and presented. It's the kind of book that will not only engage a wide and diverse readership, but it should, best of all, send them flocking to see how we look at nature and ourselves in those fabulous legacies of the curiosity cabinet."--The Boston Herald.

Human Evolution Beyond Biology and Culture

Jeroen C. J. M. van den Bergh
Human Evolution Beyond Biology and Culture Book PDF

Author : Jeroen C. J. M. van den Bergh
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 575 pages
File Size : 49,9 Mb
Release : 2018-10-18
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9781108470971

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Human Evolution Beyond Biology and Culture by Jeroen C. J. M. van den Bergh Pdf

A complete account of evolutionary thought in the social, environmental and policy sciences, creating bridges with biology.

The Evolution of Culture

Stefan Linquist
The Evolution of Culture Book PDF

Author : Stefan Linquist
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 659 pages
File Size : 53,5 Mb
Release : 2017-03-02
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781351890144

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The Evolution of Culture by Stefan Linquist Pdf

Recent years have seen a transformation in thinking about the nature of culture. Rather than viewing culture in opposition to biology, a growing number of researchers now regard culture as subject to evolutionary processes. Recent developments in this field have shifted some of the traditional academic fault lines. Alliances are forming between researchers trained in anthropology, evolutionary biology, psychology and philosophy. Meanwhile, several distinct schools of thought have appeared which differ in their vision of what an evolutionary approach to culture should look like. This volume contains some of the most influential publications on these subjects from the past few decades. A theoretical background chapter and critical introduction identify the core issues at stake in the new study of cultural evolution. These chapters are followed by sections on each of the four dominant approaches: the phylogenetic approach, memetics, dual inheritance theory and niche construction. Following these are two chapters on closely related topics: the psychological mechanisms of culture and the existence of culture in non-human animals. Overall, this volume provides an up to date overview of some of the most exciting trends in contemporary evolutionary thought.

The Human Evolutionary Transition

Magnus Enquist,Stefano Ghirlanda,Johan Lind
The Human Evolutionary Transition Book PDF

Author : Magnus Enquist,Stefano Ghirlanda,Johan Lind
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 296 pages
File Size : 43,8 Mb
Release : 2023-02-28
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780691240770

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The Human Evolutionary Transition by Magnus Enquist,Stefano Ghirlanda,Johan Lind Pdf

A major new theory of why human intelligence has not evolved in other species The Human Evolutionary Transition offers a unified view of the evolution of intelligence, presenting a bold and provocative new account of how animals and humans have followed two powerful yet very different evolutionary paths to intelligence. This incisive book shows how animals rely on robust associative mechanisms that are guided by genetic information, which enable animals to sidestep complex problems in learning and decision making but ultimately limit what they can learn. Humans embody an evolutionary transition to a different kind of intelligence, one that relies on behavioral and mental flexibility. The book argues that flexibility is useless to most animals because they lack sufficient opportunities to learn new behavioral and mental skills. Humans find these opportunities in lengthy childhoods and through culture. Blending the latest findings in fields ranging from psychology to evolutionary anthropology, The Human Evolutionary Transition draws on computational analyses of the problems organisms face, extensive overviews of empirical data on animal and human learning, and mathematical modeling and computer simulations of hypotheses about intelligence. This compelling book demonstrates that animal and human intelligence evolved from similar selection pressures while identifying bottlenecks in evolution that may explain why human-like intelligence is so rare.

In the Light of Evolution

National Academy of Sciences
In the Light of Evolution Book PDF

Author : National Academy of Sciences
Publisher : Sackler Colloquium
Page : 388 pages
File Size : 50,6 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : Science
ISBN : UOM:39015073872999

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In the Light of Evolution by National Academy of Sciences Pdf

The Arthur M. Sackler Colloquia of the National Academy of Sciences address scientific topics of broad and current interest, cutting across the boundaries of traditional disciplines. Each year, four or five such colloquia are scheduled, typically two days in length and international in scope. Colloquia are organized by a member of the Academy, often with the assistance of an organizing committee, and feature presentations by leading scientists in the field and discussions with a hundred or more researchers with an interest in the topic. Colloquia presentations are recorded and posted on the National Academy of Sciences Sackler colloquia website and published on CD-ROM. These Colloquia are made possible by a generous gift from Mrs. Jill Sackler, in memory of her husband, Arthur M. Sackler.

Cultural Evolution

Alex Mesoudi
Cultural Evolution Book PDF

Author : Alex Mesoudi
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
Page : 281 pages
File Size : 54,5 Mb
Release : 2011-07-30
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9780226520452

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Cultural Evolution by Alex Mesoudi Pdf

Charles Darwin changed the course of scientific thinking by showing how evolution accounts for the stunning diversity and biological complexity of life on earth. Recently, there has also been increased interest in the social sciences in how Darwinian theory can explain human culture. Covering a wide range of topics, including fads, public policy, the spread of religion, and herd behavior in markets, Alex Mesoudi shows that human culture is itself an evolutionary process that exhibits the key Darwinian mechanisms of variation, competition, and inheritance. This cross-disciplinary volume focuses on the ways cultural phenomena can be studied scientifically—from theoretical modeling to lab experiments, archaeological fieldwork to ethnographic studies—and shows how apparently disparate methods can complement one another to the mutual benefit of the various social science disciplines. Along the way, the book reveals how new insights arise from looking at culture from an evolutionary angle. Cultural Evolution provides a thought-provoking argument that Darwinian evolutionary theory can both unify different branches of inquiry and enhance understanding of human behavior.

The Domestication of Language

Daniel Cloud
The Domestication of Language Book PDF

Author : Daniel Cloud
Publisher : Columbia University Press
Page : 290 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2014-11-25
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN : 9780231167925

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The Domestication of Language by Daniel Cloud Pdf

Language did not evolve only in the distant past. Our shared understanding of the meanings of words is ever-changing, and we make conscious, rational decisions about which words to use and what to mean by them every day. Applying DarwinÕs theory of Òunconscious artificial selectionÓ to the evolution of linguistic conventions, Daniel Cloud suggests a new, evolutionary explanation for the rich, complex, and continually reinvented meanings of our words. The choice of which words to use and in which sense to use them is both a Òselection eventÓ and an intentional decision, making DarwinÕs account of artificial selection a particularly compelling model of the evolution of words. After drawing an analogy between the theory of domestication offered by Darwin and the evolution of human languages and cultures, Cloud applies his analytical framework to the question of what makes humans unique, and how they became that way. He incorporates insights from David LewisÕs Convention, Brian SkyrmsÕs Signals, and Kim SterelnyÕs Evolved Apprentice, all while emphasizing the role of deliberate human choice in the crafting of language over time. His clever and intuitive model casts humansÕ cultural and linguistic evolution as an integrated, dynamic process, with results that reach into all corners of our private lives and public character.

The Dominant Animal

Paul R. Ehrlich,Anne H. Ehrlich
The Dominant Animal Book PDF

Author : Paul R. Ehrlich,Anne H. Ehrlich
Publisher : Island Press
Page : 472 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2008-06-30
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781597264600

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The Dominant Animal by Paul R. Ehrlich,Anne H. Ehrlich Pdf

In humanity’s more than 100,000 year history, we have evolved from vulnerable creatures clawing sustenance from Earth to a sophisticated global society manipulating every inch of it. In short, we have become the dominant animal. Why, then, are we creating a world that threatens our own species? What can we do to change the current trajectory toward more climate change, increased famine, and epidemic disease? Renowned Stanford scientists Paul R. Ehrlich and Anne H. Ehrlich believe that intelligently addressing those questions depends on a clear understanding of how we evolved and how and why we’re changing the planet in ways that darken our descendants’ future. The Dominant Animal arms readers with that knowledge, tracing the interplay between environmental change and genetic and cultural evolution since the dawn of humanity. In lucid and engaging prose, they describe how Homo sapiens adapted to their surroundings, eventually developing the vibrant cultures, vast scientific knowledge, and technological wizardry we know today. But the Ehrlichs also explore the flip side of this triumphant story of innovation and conquest. As we clear forests to raise crops and build cities, lace the continents with highways, and create chemicals never before seen in nature, we may be undermining our own supremacy. The threats of environmental damage are clear from the daily headlines, but the outcome is far from destined. Humanity can again adapt—if we learn from our evolutionary past. Those lessons are crystallized in The Dominant Animal. Tackling the fundamental challenge of the human predicament, Paul and Anne Ehrlich offer a vivid and unique exploration of our origins, our evolution, and our future.

The Evolution of Culture

Leslie A White
The Evolution of Culture Book PDF

Author : Leslie A White
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 401 pages
File Size : 49,5 Mb
Release : 2016-06-16
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 9781315418568

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The Evolution of Culture by Leslie A White Pdf

One of the major works of twentieth-century anthropological theory, written by one of the discipline’s most important, complex, and controversial figures, has not been in print for several years. Now Evolution of Culture is again available in paperback, allowing today’s generation of anthropologists new access to Leslie White’s crucial contribution to the theory of cultural evolution. A new, substantial introduction by Robert Carneiro and Burton J. Brown assess White’s historical importance and continuing influence in the discipline. White is credited with reintroducing evolution in a way that had a profound impact on our understanding of the relationship between technology, ecology, and culture in the development of civilizations. A materialist, he was particularly concerned with societies’ ability to harness energy as an indicator of progress, and his empirical analysis of this equation covers a vast historical span. Fearlessly tackling the most fundamental questions of culture and society during the cold war, White was frequently a lightning rod both inside and outside the academy. His book will provoke equally potent debates today, and is a key component of any course or reading list in anthropological or archaeological theory and cultural ecology.

Culture Evolves

Andrew Whiten
Culture Evolves Book PDF

Author : Andrew Whiten
Publisher : Oxford University Press
Page : 472 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9780199608966

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Culture Evolves by Andrew Whiten Pdf

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.

A Cultural History of Animals

Linda Kalof,Brigitte Pohl-Resl
A Cultural History of Animals Book PDF

Author : Linda Kalof,Brigitte Pohl-Resl
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 280 pages
File Size : 48,8 Mb
Release : 2007
Category : Animals
ISBN : CORNELL:31924108221668

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A Cultural History of Animals by Linda Kalof,Brigitte Pohl-Resl Pdf

A compete history from antiquity to today of the history of animals and of their relationship with humans.

Animal Traditions

Eytan Avital,Eva Jablonka
Animal Traditions Book PDF

Author : Eytan Avital,Eva Jablonka
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 448 pages
File Size : 52,7 Mb
Release : 2000-11-23
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781139431613

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Animal Traditions by Eytan Avital,Eva Jablonka Pdf

Animal Traditions maintains that the assumption that the selection of genes supplies both a sufficient explanation of the evolution and a true description of its course is, despite its almost universal acclaim, wrong. Eytan Avital and Eva Jablonka contend that evolutionary explanations must take into account the well-established fact that in mammals and birds, the transfer of learnt information is both ubiquitous and indispensable. The introduction of the behavioural inheritance system into the Darwinian explanatory scheme enables the authors to offer new interpretations for common behaviours such as maternal behaviours, behavioural conflicts within families, adoption and helping. This approach offers a richer view of heredity and evolution, integrates developmental and evolutionary processes, suggests new lines for research, and provides a constructive alternative to both the selfish gene and meme views of the world. It will make stimulating reading for all those interested in evolutionary biology, sociobiology, behavioural ecology and psychology.

Evolution, Culture, and the Human Mind

Mark Schaller,Ara Norenzayan,Steven J. Heine,Toshio Yamagishi,Tatsuya Kameda
Evolution Culture and the Human Mind Book PDF

Author : Mark Schaller,Ara Norenzayan,Steven J. Heine,Toshio Yamagishi,Tatsuya Kameda
Publisher : Psychology Press
Page : 304 pages
File Size : 44,9 Mb
Release : 2011-03-17
Category : Psychology
ISBN : 9781136950490

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Evolution, Culture, and the Human Mind by Mark Schaller,Ara Norenzayan,Steven J. Heine,Toshio Yamagishi,Tatsuya Kameda Pdf

An enormous amount of scientific research compels two fundamental conclusions about the human mind: The mind is the product of evolution; and the mind is shaped by culture. These two perspectives on the human mind are not incompatible, but, until recently, their compatibility has resisted rigorous scholarly inquiry. Evolutionary psychology documents many ways in which genetic adaptations govern the operations of the human mind. But evolutionary inquiries only occasionally grapple seriously with questions about human culture and cross-cultural differences. By contrast, cultural psychology documents many ways in which thought and behavior are shaped by different cultural experiences. But cultural inquires rarely consider evolutionary processes. Even after decades of intensive research, these two perspectives on human psychology have remained largely divorced from each other. But that is now changing - and that is what this book is about. Evolution, Culture, and the Human Mind is the first scholarly book to integrate evolutionary and cultural perspectives on human psychology. The contributors include world-renowned evolutionary, cultural, social, and cognitive psychologists. These chapters reveal many novel insights linking human evolution to both human cognition and human culture – including the evolutionary origins of cross-cultural differences. The result is a stimulating introduction to an emerging integrative perspective on human nature.