Cultural Phylogenetics

2016-02-10 Science

Author : Larissa Mendoza Straffon
Release : 2016-02-10
Genre : Science
Kind : eBook
Book Rating : 288/5 ( reviews)

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Book Synopsis Cultural Phylogenetics by : Larissa Mendoza Straffon

Download or read book Cultural Phylogenetics written by Larissa Mendoza Straffon. This book was released on 2016-02-10. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores the potential and challenges of implementing evolutionary phylogenetic methods in archaeological research, by discussing key concepts and presenting concrete applications of these approaches. The volume is divided into two parts: The first covers the theoretical and conceptual implications of using evolution-based models in the sociocultural domain, illustrates the sorts of questions that these methods can help answer, and invites the reader to reflect on the opportunities and limitations of these perspectives. The second part comprises case studies that address relevant empirical issues, such as inferring patterns and rates of cultural transmission, detecting selective pressures in cultural evolution, and explaining the nature of cultural variation. This book will appeal to archaeologists interested in applying evolutionary thinking and inferential methods to their field, and to anyone interested in cultural evolution studies.

The Evolution of Cultural Diversity

2016-09-16 Social Science

Author : Ruth Mace
Release : 2016-09-16
Genre : Social Science
Kind : eBook
Book Rating : 592/5 ( reviews)

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Book Synopsis The Evolution of Cultural Diversity by : Ruth Mace

Download or read book The Evolution of Cultural Diversity written by Ruth Mace. This book was released on 2016-09-16. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Virtually all aspects of human behavior show enormous variation both within and between cultural groups, including material culture, social organization and language. Thousands of distinct cultural groups exist: about 6,000 languages are spoken today, and it is thought that a far greater number of languages existed in the past but became extinct. Using a Darwinian approach, this book seeks to explain this rich cultural variation. There are a number of theoretical reasons to believe that cultural diversification might be tree-like, that is phylogenetic: material and non-material culture is clearly inherited by descendants, there is descent with modification, and languages appear to be hierarchically related. There are also a number of theoretical reasons to believe that cultural evolution is not tree-like: cultural inheritance is not Mendelian and can indeed be vertical, horizontal or oblique, evidence of borrowing abounds, cultures are not necessarily biological populations and can be transient and complex. Here, for the first time, this title tackles these questions of cultural evolution empirically and quantitatively, using a range of case studies from Africa, the Pacific, Europe, Asia and America. A range of powerful theoretical tools developed in evolutionary biology is used to test detailed hypotheses about historical patterns and adaptive functions in cultural evolution. Evidence is amassed from archaeological, linguist and cultural datasets, from both recent and historical or pre-historical time periods. A unifying theme is that the phylogenetic approach is a useful and powerful framework, both for describing the evolutionary history of these traits, and also for testing adaptive hypotheses about their evolution and co-evolution. Contributors include archaeologists, anthropologists, evolutionary biologists and linguists, and this book will be of great interest to all those involved in these areas.

Cultural Phylogenetics

2017-10-04

Author : Mike Morris
Release : 2017-10-04
Genre :
Kind : eBook
Book Rating : 857/5 ( reviews)

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Book Synopsis Cultural Phylogenetics by : Mike Morris

Download or read book Cultural Phylogenetics written by Mike Morris. This book was released on 2017-10-04. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book will appeal to archaeologists interested in applying evolutionary thinking and inferential methods to their field, and to anyone interested in cultural evolution studies.This book explores the potential and challenges of implementing evolutionary phylogenetic methods in archaeological research, by discussing key concepts and presenting concrete applications of these approaches.Cultural Phylogenetics, assembles seven articles dealing both theoretically and practically with the prospects and challenges of phylogenetic methods in archaeology. I consider the book to be an interesting contribution, worth being read by everyone who is interested in quantitative methods applied to historical sciences.

Cultural Phylogenetics

2018-04-18

Author : George Thomas
Release : 2018-04-18
Genre :
Kind : eBook
Book Rating : 147/5 ( reviews)

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Book Synopsis Cultural Phylogenetics by : George Thomas

Download or read book Cultural Phylogenetics written by George Thomas. This book was released on 2018-04-18. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Using a Darwinian approach, this book looks for to clarify this rich social difference. There are several of theoretical why you should believe that social difference might be tree-like, that is phylogenetic: content and non-material lifestyle is clearly got by enfant, there is nice with adjustment, and 'languages' appear to be hierarchically related. There are also several of theoretical why you should believe that social progress is not tree-like: social bequest is not Mendelian and can indeed be straight, horizontally or indirect, proof of credit is abundant, societies are not really scientific communities and can be temporary and sophisticated. Here, for the first time, this headline discusses these questions of social progress empirically and quantitatively, using a range of case studies from African-american, the Hawaiian, European countries, Japan and America.

Mapping Our Ancestors

2017 Social Science

Author : Carl P. Lipo
Release : 2017
Genre : Social Science
Kind : eBook
Book Rating : 286/5 ( reviews)

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Book Synopsis Mapping Our Ancestors by : Carl P. Lipo

Download or read book Mapping Our Ancestors written by Carl P. Lipo. This book was released on 2017. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Much of what we are comes from our ancestors. Through cultural and biological inheritance mechanisms, our genetic composition, instructions for constructing artifacts, the structure and content of languages, and rules for behavior are passed from parents to children and from individual to individual. Mapping Our Ancestors demonstrates how various genealogical or "phylogenetic" methods can be used both to answer questions about human history and to build evolutionary explanations for the shape of history. Anthropologists are increasingly turning to quantitative phylogenetic methods. These methods depend on the transmission of information regardless of mode and as such are applicable to many anthropological questions. In this way, phylogenetic approaches have the potential for building bridges among the various subdisciplines of anthropology; an exciting prospect indeed. The structure of Mapping Our Ancestors reflects the editors' goal of developing a common understanding of the methods and conditions under which ancestral relations can be derived in a range of data classes of interest to anthropologists. Specifically, this volume explores the degree to which patterns of ancestry can be determined from artifactual, genetic, linguistic, and behavioral data and how processes such as selection, transmission, and geography impact the results of phylogenetic analyses. Mapping Our Ancestors provides a solid demonstration of the potential of phylogenetic methods for studying the evolutionary history of human populations using a variety of data sources and thus helps explain how cultural material, language, and biology came to be as they are. Carl P. Lipo is assistant professor of anthropology at California State University in Long Beach. Michael O'Brien is professor of anthropology and director of the Museum of Anthropology at the University of Missouri. Mark Collard is assistant professor of anthropology at the University of British Columbia, Stephen J. Shennan is a professor and director of the Institute of Archaeology at the University College London. Niles Eldredge is a curator in the department of invertebrates at the American Museum of Natural History, and adjunct professor at the City University of New York.

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