Ken Binmore
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780195178111
- eISBN:
- 9780199783670
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195178111.003.0010
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Microeconomics
If some external enforcement agency compels us to honor deals reached in the original position, then Harsanyi has shown that the outcome will be utilitarian. Under the same hypotheses, Rawls claims ...
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If some external enforcement agency compels us to honor deals reached in the original position, then Harsanyi has shown that the outcome will be utilitarian. Under the same hypotheses, Rawls claims that the outcome will be egalitarian. This chapter confirms that Harsanyi is correct. It goes on to use the concept of an empathy equilibrium to predict the standard of interpersonal comparison needed to operate a utilitarian norm that will evolve in the medium run.Less
If some external enforcement agency compels us to honor deals reached in the original position, then Harsanyi has shown that the outcome will be utilitarian. Under the same hypotheses, Rawls claims that the outcome will be egalitarian. This chapter confirms that Harsanyi is correct. It goes on to use the concept of an empathy equilibrium to predict the standard of interpersonal comparison needed to operate a utilitarian norm that will evolve in the medium run.
Mike Hansell
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780198507529
- eISBN:
- 9780191709838
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198507529.003.0008
- Subject:
- Biology, Animal Biology
This chapter begins by assessing what evidence the structure of a building provides on a builder's evolutionary past. It then examines the influence that animal built structures exert on the ...
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This chapter begins by assessing what evidence the structure of a building provides on a builder's evolutionary past. It then examines the influence that animal built structures exert on the evolutionary trajectory of the builders. Topics covered include animal architecture as behavioural evidence; building and the key adaptation concept; building and social evolution; niche construction; and ecological and cultural inheritance.Less
This chapter begins by assessing what evidence the structure of a building provides on a builder's evolutionary past. It then examines the influence that animal built structures exert on the evolutionary trajectory of the builders. Topics covered include animal architecture as behavioural evidence; building and the key adaptation concept; building and social evolution; niche construction; and ecological and cultural inheritance.
Uwe Steinhoff
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199547807
- eISBN:
- 9780191720758
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199547807.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics, Political Theory
The chapter provides a detailed description and critical discussion of Habermas' attempts to make the theory of communicative action and discourse ethics fruitful beyond the narrower moral and ...
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The chapter provides a detailed description and critical discussion of Habermas' attempts to make the theory of communicative action and discourse ethics fruitful beyond the narrower moral and ethical realm and, conversely, to find confirmation for it in empirical theories. Habermas refers to the research areas of psychology and social evolution and to political and sociological issues around which the “Critical Theory of Society” is to take concrete form. Concerning psychology, he develops or adopts theories of ego-development, moral development and “communication pathologies”. As it concerns social evolution he proposes theories of hominisation and socio-cultural evolution. In dealing with the political and sociological issues he is most productive, offering a theory of social order, his famous colonialisation thesis, his discourse theory of law and the constitutional state, and his theory of modernity.Less
The chapter provides a detailed description and critical discussion of Habermas' attempts to make the theory of communicative action and discourse ethics fruitful beyond the narrower moral and ethical realm and, conversely, to find confirmation for it in empirical theories. Habermas refers to the research areas of psychology and social evolution and to political and sociological issues around which the “Critical Theory of Society” is to take concrete form. Concerning psychology, he develops or adopts theories of ego-development, moral development and “communication pathologies”. As it concerns social evolution he proposes theories of hominisation and socio-cultural evolution. In dealing with the political and sociological issues he is most productive, offering a theory of social order, his famous colonialisation thesis, his discourse theory of law and the constitutional state, and his theory of modernity.
A. A. Long
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- January 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199279128
- eISBN:
- 9780191706769
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199279128.003.0009
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Ancient Philosophy
The Epicurean explanation for the origin of community life and laws was the utility of these institutions in facilitating people's natural and necessary desires for a secure life. In advising his ...
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The Epicurean explanation for the origin of community life and laws was the utility of these institutions in facilitating people's natural and necessary desires for a secure life. In advising his followers to ‘live quietly’, Epicurus has at least three defences to advance against the criticism that such a lifestyle is politically irresponsible and morally complacent. First, he can argue that his ethical theory provides human beings, who are natural and persistent pleasure seekers, with the strongest of reasons for the peaceful cooperation that legal systems seek to promote. Second, he can argue that contemporary societies, even if they do provide some measure of security for their members, do so inadequately; and that they compound these failings by systems of education, competitive values, religion, and other practices which do great harm to their citizens. Third, he can argue that the Epicurean way of life, which threatens no one in its scrupulous adherence to justice and is positively philanthropic in its cultivation of friendship, provides society with a model of how to live best at the present stage of human culture. This chapter develops this set of arguments from three perspectives or bodies of material: the basic ethical theory, justice and friendship, and social evolution.Less
The Epicurean explanation for the origin of community life and laws was the utility of these institutions in facilitating people's natural and necessary desires for a secure life. In advising his followers to ‘live quietly’, Epicurus has at least three defences to advance against the criticism that such a lifestyle is politically irresponsible and morally complacent. First, he can argue that his ethical theory provides human beings, who are natural and persistent pleasure seekers, with the strongest of reasons for the peaceful cooperation that legal systems seek to promote. Second, he can argue that contemporary societies, even if they do provide some measure of security for their members, do so inadequately; and that they compound these failings by systems of education, competitive values, religion, and other practices which do great harm to their citizens. Third, he can argue that the Epicurean way of life, which threatens no one in its scrupulous adherence to justice and is positively philanthropic in its cultivation of friendship, provides society with a model of how to live best at the present stage of human culture. This chapter develops this set of arguments from three perspectives or bodies of material: the basic ethical theory, justice and friendship, and social evolution.
James A.R. Marshall
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691161563
- eISBN:
- 9781400866564
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691161563.001.0001
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
Social behavior has long puzzled evolutionary biologists, since the classical theory of natural selection maintains that individuals should not sacrifice their own fitness to affect that of others. ...
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Social behavior has long puzzled evolutionary biologists, since the classical theory of natural selection maintains that individuals should not sacrifice their own fitness to affect that of others. This book argues that a theory first presented in 1963 by William D. Hamilton—inclusive fitness theory—provides the most fundamental and general explanation for the evolution and maintenance of social behaviors in the natural world. The book guides readers through the vast and confusing literature on the evolution of social behavior, introducing and explaining the competing theories that claim to provide answers to questions such as why animals evolve to behave altruistically. Using simple statistical language and techniques that practicing biologists will be familiar with, the book provides a comprehensive yet easily understandable treatment of key concepts and their repeated misinterpretations. Particular attention is paid to how more realistic features of behavior, such as nonadditivity and conditionality, can complicate analysis. The book highlights the general problem of identifying the underlying causes of evolutionary change, and proposes fruitful approaches to doing so in the study of social evolution. It describes how inclusive fitness theory addresses both simple and complex social scenarios, the controversies surrounding the theory, and how experimental work supports the theory as the most powerful explanation for social behavior and its evolution.Less
Social behavior has long puzzled evolutionary biologists, since the classical theory of natural selection maintains that individuals should not sacrifice their own fitness to affect that of others. This book argues that a theory first presented in 1963 by William D. Hamilton—inclusive fitness theory—provides the most fundamental and general explanation for the evolution and maintenance of social behaviors in the natural world. The book guides readers through the vast and confusing literature on the evolution of social behavior, introducing and explaining the competing theories that claim to provide answers to questions such as why animals evolve to behave altruistically. Using simple statistical language and techniques that practicing biologists will be familiar with, the book provides a comprehensive yet easily understandable treatment of key concepts and their repeated misinterpretations. Particular attention is paid to how more realistic features of behavior, such as nonadditivity and conditionality, can complicate analysis. The book highlights the general problem of identifying the underlying causes of evolutionary change, and proposes fruitful approaches to doing so in the study of social evolution. It describes how inclusive fitness theory addresses both simple and complex social scenarios, the controversies surrounding the theory, and how experimental work supports the theory as the most powerful explanation for social behavior and its evolution.
James A.R. Marshall
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691161563
- eISBN:
- 9781400866564
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691161563.003.0008
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
This chapter examines which of the equivalent alternative partitions of fitness, including inclusive fitness and group fitness, can be interpreted as being subject to natural selection in a ...
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This chapter examines which of the equivalent alternative partitions of fitness, including inclusive fitness and group fitness, can be interpreted as being subject to natural selection in a meaningful way. Inclusive fitness theory can deal with subtleties such as nonadditive fitness effects and conditionally expressed phenotypes. However, selection based on inclusive fitness gives equivalent predictions to other models of apparently different evolutionary processes, such as multilevel selection. The chapter considers how we can determine whether inclusive fitness really captures the essence of social evolution and whether inclusive fitness is really maximized by the action of selection, as suggested by William D. Hamilton. It also explains what heritability measures, and whether this makes sense biologically. Finally, it discusses the problem of classifying observed social behaviors in terms of their underlying evolutionary explanations.Less
This chapter examines which of the equivalent alternative partitions of fitness, including inclusive fitness and group fitness, can be interpreted as being subject to natural selection in a meaningful way. Inclusive fitness theory can deal with subtleties such as nonadditive fitness effects and conditionally expressed phenotypes. However, selection based on inclusive fitness gives equivalent predictions to other models of apparently different evolutionary processes, such as multilevel selection. The chapter considers how we can determine whether inclusive fitness really captures the essence of social evolution and whether inclusive fitness is really maximized by the action of selection, as suggested by William D. Hamilton. It also explains what heritability measures, and whether this makes sense biologically. Finally, it discusses the problem of classifying observed social behaviors in terms of their underlying evolutionary explanations.
James A.R. Marshall
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691161563
- eISBN:
- 9781400866564
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691161563.003.0010
- Subject:
- Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
This book has examined the genesis, the logic, and the generality of social evolution theory. In particular, it has presented evolutionary explanations of the many social behaviors we observe in the ...
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This book has examined the genesis, the logic, and the generality of social evolution theory. In particular, it has presented evolutionary explanations of the many social behaviors we observe in the natural world by showing that William D. Hamilton's inclusive fitness theory provides the necessary generalization of classical Darwin–Wallace–Fisher fitness. This concluding chapter discusses the limitations of the analyses presented in this book and assesses the empirical support for inclusive fitness theory, focusing on microbial altruism, help in cooperative breeders, reproductive restraint in eusocial species, and the evolution of eusociality and cooperative breeding. It also considers more advanced topics in social evolution theory, including sex allocation, genetic kin recognition, spite, and the evolution of organismality. Finally, it reviews theoretical approaches to studying social evolution other than replicator dynamics and the Price equation, such as population genetics, class-structured populations, and maximization approaches.Less
This book has examined the genesis, the logic, and the generality of social evolution theory. In particular, it has presented evolutionary explanations of the many social behaviors we observe in the natural world by showing that William D. Hamilton's inclusive fitness theory provides the necessary generalization of classical Darwin–Wallace–Fisher fitness. This concluding chapter discusses the limitations of the analyses presented in this book and assesses the empirical support for inclusive fitness theory, focusing on microbial altruism, help in cooperative breeders, reproductive restraint in eusocial species, and the evolution of eusociality and cooperative breeding. It also considers more advanced topics in social evolution theory, including sex allocation, genetic kin recognition, spite, and the evolution of organismality. Finally, it reviews theoretical approaches to studying social evolution other than replicator dynamics and the Price equation, such as population genetics, class-structured populations, and maximization approaches.
Sandra M. Den Otter
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198206002
- eISBN:
- 9780191676901
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198206002.003.0004
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History, History of Ideas
This chapter offers an insight into the most extraordinarily influential late 19th-century doctrine, social evolution. Beginning with a discussion of Ritchie's interpretation of Darwinism and ...
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This chapter offers an insight into the most extraordinarily influential late 19th-century doctrine, social evolution. Beginning with a discussion of Ritchie's interpretation of Darwinism and Bosanquet's idiosyncratic application of evolutionary ideas to citizenship, the chapter examines how idealists responded to such questions as whether evolution could be guided or influenced by the social reformer; whether the process was wholly immanent, unfolding independently of human contrivances. The profound impact which evolutionary ideas presented for ethical theory is then addressed in an exploration of how idealists reinterpreted utilitarianism in evolutionary terms, and thereby harnessed a doctrine which had inspired several decades of reform. Finally, the implications of social evolution for political issues, not least state intervention — the subject of lively debate in the 1880s and 1890s — is considered.Less
This chapter offers an insight into the most extraordinarily influential late 19th-century doctrine, social evolution. Beginning with a discussion of Ritchie's interpretation of Darwinism and Bosanquet's idiosyncratic application of evolutionary ideas to citizenship, the chapter examines how idealists responded to such questions as whether evolution could be guided or influenced by the social reformer; whether the process was wholly immanent, unfolding independently of human contrivances. The profound impact which evolutionary ideas presented for ethical theory is then addressed in an exploration of how idealists reinterpreted utilitarianism in evolutionary terms, and thereby harnessed a doctrine which had inspired several decades of reform. Finally, the implications of social evolution for political issues, not least state intervention — the subject of lively debate in the 1880s and 1890s — is considered.
Carl N. Degler
- Published in print:
- 1993
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195077070
- eISBN:
- 9780199853991
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195077070.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, History of Ideas
Giving an historical perspective on the changes in scientific thought over the last 100 years, this book explores the study of social evolution and the ongoing search for human nature. The book ...
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Giving an historical perspective on the changes in scientific thought over the last 100 years, this book explores the study of social evolution and the ongoing search for human nature. The book provides a detailed perspective on the reasons behind the shifting emphasis in social thought from biology, to culture, and again to biology. The book examines why these changes took place, the evidence and people fostering these changes and why students of human nature decided to accept this momentous change in thought. It suggests varying ideologies as the underlying force behind this shift in the study of social science. From Darwin's theory that human social behaviour has drastically evolved from animals, to the belief that human experience serves as the basic differentiating factor in humans, this book provides an examination of the roots of human behaviour.Less
Giving an historical perspective on the changes in scientific thought over the last 100 years, this book explores the study of social evolution and the ongoing search for human nature. The book provides a detailed perspective on the reasons behind the shifting emphasis in social thought from biology, to culture, and again to biology. The book examines why these changes took place, the evidence and people fostering these changes and why students of human nature decided to accept this momentous change in thought. It suggests varying ideologies as the underlying force behind this shift in the study of social science. From Darwin's theory that human social behaviour has drastically evolved from animals, to the belief that human experience serves as the basic differentiating factor in humans, this book provides an examination of the roots of human behaviour.
Thomas Dixon
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197264263
- eISBN:
- 9780191734816
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197264263.003.0008
- Subject:
- History, History of Ideas
This chapter looks at three different ways that evolutionary science developed from the 1880s onwards to give rise to some quite different visions of altruism—including those which featured in two of ...
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This chapter looks at three different ways that evolutionary science developed from the 1880s onwards to give rise to some quite different visions of altruism—including those which featured in two of the best-selling non-fiction works of the 1890s. Henry Drummond’s The Ascent of Man (1894) provided a theistic version of human evolution dominated by motherhood and altruism. Benjamin Kidd’s Social Evolution (1894) endorsed August Weismann’s rejection of the inheritance of acquired characteristics and consequently argued that increased altruism could only be guaranteed by the cultural impact of religion rather than by heritable moral improvements in the race. Nonetheless, advocates of eugenics continued to put forward proposals for how to achieve moral progress through selective human breeding. Despite their scientific and political differences, these writers all agreed about the desirability of altruism and shared the hope that it might somehow be increased.Less
This chapter looks at three different ways that evolutionary science developed from the 1880s onwards to give rise to some quite different visions of altruism—including those which featured in two of the best-selling non-fiction works of the 1890s. Henry Drummond’s The Ascent of Man (1894) provided a theistic version of human evolution dominated by motherhood and altruism. Benjamin Kidd’s Social Evolution (1894) endorsed August Weismann’s rejection of the inheritance of acquired characteristics and consequently argued that increased altruism could only be guaranteed by the cultural impact of religion rather than by heritable moral improvements in the race. Nonetheless, advocates of eugenics continued to put forward proposals for how to achieve moral progress through selective human breeding. Despite their scientific and political differences, these writers all agreed about the desirability of altruism and shared the hope that it might somehow be increased.
Stephen P. Diggle, Stuart A. West, Andy Gardner, and Ashleigh S. Griffin
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199216840
- eISBN:
- 9780191712043
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199216840.003.0002
- Subject:
- Biology, Animal Biology, Evolutionary Biology / Genetics
The term quorum sensing (QS) is used to describe communication between bacterial cells, whereby a coordinated population response is controlled by diffusible signal molecules. QS has not only been ...
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The term quorum sensing (QS) is used to describe communication between bacterial cells, whereby a coordinated population response is controlled by diffusible signal molecules. QS has not only been described between cells of the same species (intraspecies), but also between bacterial species (interspecies) and between bacteria and higher organisms (interkingdom). This chapter compares the evolutionary literature on animal signalling and cooperation with the microbiological literature on QS, and discusses whether bacterial QS can be considered true signalling. From an evolutionary perspective, intraspecies signalling can be explained using models such as kin selection, but explanations become more difficult when communication is described between species. It is likely that this often involves QS molecules being used as ‘cues’ by other species as a guide to future action or as coercing molecules whereby one species will ‘coerce’ another into a response.Less
The term quorum sensing (QS) is used to describe communication between bacterial cells, whereby a coordinated population response is controlled by diffusible signal molecules. QS has not only been described between cells of the same species (intraspecies), but also between bacterial species (interspecies) and between bacteria and higher organisms (interkingdom). This chapter compares the evolutionary literature on animal signalling and cooperation with the microbiological literature on QS, and discusses whether bacterial QS can be considered true signalling. From an evolutionary perspective, intraspecies signalling can be explained using models such as kin selection, but explanations become more difficult when communication is described between species. It is likely that this often involves QS molecules being used as ‘cues’ by other species as a guide to future action or as coercing molecules whereby one species will ‘coerce’ another into a response.
Lawrence Goldman
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197263266
- eISBN:
- 9780191734854
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197263266.003.0004
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History
This chapter provides an overview of the history of social science in Britain and the ways in which it was institutionalised in the nineteenth century. Nineteenth-century social science was the ...
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This chapter provides an overview of the history of social science in Britain and the ways in which it was institutionalised in the nineteenth century. Nineteenth-century social science was the product of three great changes, intellectual, material and spiritual. The European Enlightenment stimulated the development of and institutionalisation of the natural sciences, creating a new model for the study of human societies. The material changes include the expansion of population, growth of industries and manufacturing and development of mass culture and democracy. Rationalism and industrialisation caused the third change, the decline of conventional Christian belief and worship. The chapter also analyses the ‘statistical movement’, a dominant genre of social science up to 1860, and social evolution, which provided the leading paradigm for sociological thinking from the mid-century onwards.Less
This chapter provides an overview of the history of social science in Britain and the ways in which it was institutionalised in the nineteenth century. Nineteenth-century social science was the product of three great changes, intellectual, material and spiritual. The European Enlightenment stimulated the development of and institutionalisation of the natural sciences, creating a new model for the study of human societies. The material changes include the expansion of population, growth of industries and manufacturing and development of mass culture and democracy. Rationalism and industrialisation caused the third change, the decline of conventional Christian belief and worship. The chapter also analyses the ‘statistical movement’, a dominant genre of social science up to 1860, and social evolution, which provided the leading paradigm for sociological thinking from the mid-century onwards.
Barbara Smuts
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199544318
- eISBN:
- 9780191701351
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199544318.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology, Philosophy of Religion
This chapter uses the evolution of bonobo society, and specifically how it came to develop some radical differences from chimpanzee society, to illustrate the role of emergence in social evolution. ...
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This chapter uses the evolution of bonobo society, and specifically how it came to develop some radical differences from chimpanzee society, to illustrate the role of emergence in social evolution. Reconstruction of bonobo social evolution involves comparisons with other great apes and, in particular, with their closest relatives, chimpanzees. The discussion looks at the importance in bonobo social evolution of multiple feedback loops (including downward causation), history, the emergence of novelty, and individual intentions and consciousness.Less
This chapter uses the evolution of bonobo society, and specifically how it came to develop some radical differences from chimpanzee society, to illustrate the role of emergence in social evolution. Reconstruction of bonobo social evolution involves comparisons with other great apes and, in particular, with their closest relatives, chimpanzees. The discussion looks at the importance in bonobo social evolution of multiple feedback loops (including downward causation), history, the emergence of novelty, and individual intentions and consciousness.
Robert Boyd and Peter J. Richerson
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780262195805
- eISBN:
- 9780262272353
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- The MIT Press
- DOI:
- 10.7551/mitpress/9780262195805.003.0014
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
Social institutions are the laws, informal rules, and conventions that give durable structure to social interactions within a population. Such institutions are typically not designed consciously, are ...
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Social institutions are the laws, informal rules, and conventions that give durable structure to social interactions within a population. Such institutions are typically not designed consciously, are heritable at the population level, are frequently but not always group beneficial, and are often symbolically marked. Conceptualizing social institutions as one of multiple possible stable cultural equilibrium allows a straightforward explanation of their properties. The evolution of institutions is partly driven by both the deliberate and intuitive decisions of individuals and collectivities. The innate components of human psychology coevolved in response to a culturally evolved, institutional environment and reflect a prosocial tendency of choices we make about institutional forms.Less
Social institutions are the laws, informal rules, and conventions that give durable structure to social interactions within a population. Such institutions are typically not designed consciously, are heritable at the population level, are frequently but not always group beneficial, and are often symbolically marked. Conceptualizing social institutions as one of multiple possible stable cultural equilibrium allows a straightforward explanation of their properties. The evolution of institutions is partly driven by both the deliberate and intuitive decisions of individuals and collectivities. The innate components of human psychology coevolved in response to a culturally evolved, institutional environment and reflect a prosocial tendency of choices we make about institutional forms.
Deepak Lal
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780199275793
- eISBN:
- 9780191706097
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199275793.001.0001
- Subject:
- History, History of Religion
India is an emerging giant. This book explains its long economic stagnation and recent rise by examining its social, political, and historical evolution with a long-term perspective. It explains how ...
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India is an emerging giant. This book explains its long economic stagnation and recent rise by examining its social, political, and historical evolution with a long-term perspective. It explains how its distinct social system based on caste arose and why it still is of importance in its political and social arrangements, despite India's recent move from the plan to market.Less
India is an emerging giant. This book explains its long economic stagnation and recent rise by examining its social, political, and historical evolution with a long-term perspective. It explains how its distinct social system based on caste arose and why it still is of importance in its political and social arrangements, despite India's recent move from the plan to market.
Jonathan Haidt and Jesse Graham
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195320916
- eISBN:
- 9780199869541
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195320916.003.015
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
Most academic efforts to understand morality and ideology come from theorists who limit the domain of morality to issues related to harm and fairness. For such theorists, conservative beliefs are ...
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Most academic efforts to understand morality and ideology come from theorists who limit the domain of morality to issues related to harm and fairness. For such theorists, conservative beliefs are puzzles requiring nonmoral explanations. In contrast, this chapter presents moral foundations theory, which broadens the moral domain to match the anthropological literature on morality. The theory is extended by integrating it with a review of the sociological constructs of community, authority, and sacredness, as formulated by Emile Durkheim and others. Data are presented to support the theory, which also show that liberals misunderstand the explicit moral concerns of conservatives more than conservatives misunderstand liberals. The chapter suggests that what liberals see as a nonmoral motivation for system justification may be better described as a moral motivation to protect society, groups, and the structures and constraints that are often (although not always) beneficial for individuals. Also outlined are the possible benefits of a moral foundations perspective for system justification theory, including better understandings of (a) why the system justifying motive is palliative despite some harmful effects, (b) possible evolutionary origins of the motive, and (c) the values and worldviews of conservatives in general.Less
Most academic efforts to understand morality and ideology come from theorists who limit the domain of morality to issues related to harm and fairness. For such theorists, conservative beliefs are puzzles requiring nonmoral explanations. In contrast, this chapter presents moral foundations theory, which broadens the moral domain to match the anthropological literature on morality. The theory is extended by integrating it with a review of the sociological constructs of community, authority, and sacredness, as formulated by Emile Durkheim and others. Data are presented to support the theory, which also show that liberals misunderstand the explicit moral concerns of conservatives more than conservatives misunderstand liberals. The chapter suggests that what liberals see as a nonmoral motivation for system justification may be better described as a moral motivation to protect society, groups, and the structures and constraints that are often (although not always) beneficial for individuals. Also outlined are the possible benefits of a moral foundations perspective for system justification theory, including better understandings of (a) why the system justifying motive is palliative despite some harmful effects, (b) possible evolutionary origins of the motive, and (c) the values and worldviews of conservatives in general.
Shiping Tang
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- September 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199658336
- eISBN:
- 9780191756054
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199658336.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
Deploying an original “Social Evolution Paradigm (SEP)” and drawing from archaeology, anthropology, evolutionary biology, and international relations, this book advances a sweeping account for the ...
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Deploying an original “Social Evolution Paradigm (SEP)” and drawing from archaeology, anthropology, evolutionary biology, and international relations, this book advances a sweeping account for the systemic transformation of international politics. More specifically, the book shows how the nasty and brutish Hobbesian/offensive realism world many of us take for granted had evolved from an Eden-like paradise; how the Hobbesian world had self-transformed into a more peaceful defensive realist world from 1648 to 1945; and how some regions of the post-1945 world have become more rule-based and peaceful. The book critically engages with all major grand theories of international politics and provides neat solutions to some of the “great debates” among the grand theories, from offensive realism to defensive realism, neoliberalism, the English School, and constructivism. This book is a must read for students of international politics and is of general interest to students of archaeology, anthropology, sociology, political sciences, and social sciences in general.Less
Deploying an original “Social Evolution Paradigm (SEP)” and drawing from archaeology, anthropology, evolutionary biology, and international relations, this book advances a sweeping account for the systemic transformation of international politics. More specifically, the book shows how the nasty and brutish Hobbesian/offensive realism world many of us take for granted had evolved from an Eden-like paradise; how the Hobbesian world had self-transformed into a more peaceful defensive realist world from 1648 to 1945; and how some regions of the post-1945 world have become more rule-based and peaceful. The book critically engages with all major grand theories of international politics and provides neat solutions to some of the “great debates” among the grand theories, from offensive realism to defensive realism, neoliberalism, the English School, and constructivism. This book is a must read for students of international politics and is of general interest to students of archaeology, anthropology, sociology, political sciences, and social sciences in general.
Jeffrey Burton Russell
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195334586
- eISBN:
- 9780199851423
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195334586.003.0005
- Subject:
- Religion, History of Christianity
Paradise had always been a state of being to which one could look back, regain, as well as look forward to. Heaven was a return to the harmony and happiness enjoyed by humans before original sin. But ...
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Paradise had always been a state of being to which one could look back, regain, as well as look forward to. Heaven was a return to the harmony and happiness enjoyed by humans before original sin. But the growing strength of ideas of Progress, while traditional religion gradually faded, meant the slow eclipse of the sense that one could return to that primeval joy. The origins of humanity seemed to lie not in the special divine creation of the first humans but rather in a seamless fabric of evolutionary development. Most people equate “evolution” with “Darwinism”, although other evolutionary theories continue to exist. “Creationism” in the currently used sense implies hyperliteral, overt readings of the Bible as valid historically and scientifically, hence denial of development through long ages of time.Less
Paradise had always been a state of being to which one could look back, regain, as well as look forward to. Heaven was a return to the harmony and happiness enjoyed by humans before original sin. But the growing strength of ideas of Progress, while traditional religion gradually faded, meant the slow eclipse of the sense that one could return to that primeval joy. The origins of humanity seemed to lie not in the special divine creation of the first humans but rather in a seamless fabric of evolutionary development. Most people equate “evolution” with “Darwinism”, although other evolutionary theories continue to exist. “Creationism” in the currently used sense implies hyperliteral, overt readings of the Bible as valid historically and scientifically, hence denial of development through long ages of time.
PAUL WINDOLF
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199256976
- eISBN:
- 9780191719639
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199256976.003.0004
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Organization Studies
This chapter looks at the evolution of capitalism in France. The analysis concentrates on the question whether the governance structure of large French corporations is an example of a lagged ...
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This chapter looks at the evolution of capitalism in France. The analysis concentrates on the question whether the governance structure of large French corporations is an example of a lagged modernization process or whether it represents a genuine type of corporate governance which may be as efficient as the shareholder value model. The transformations from family to managerial, and from managerial to shareholder value capitalism may be described as sequential stages in the evolution of the capitalist system. This chapter discusses modernization theories, theories of social evolution, network configurations in France, and French capital networks and interlocking directorates. In France, two types of corporate networks are differentiated: a network that is integrated through several levels of hierarchical coordination, and a network in which the internal integration stems from ownership and family relations.Less
This chapter looks at the evolution of capitalism in France. The analysis concentrates on the question whether the governance structure of large French corporations is an example of a lagged modernization process or whether it represents a genuine type of corporate governance which may be as efficient as the shareholder value model. The transformations from family to managerial, and from managerial to shareholder value capitalism may be described as sequential stages in the evolution of the capitalist system. This chapter discusses modernization theories, theories of social evolution, network configurations in France, and French capital networks and interlocking directorates. In France, two types of corporate networks are differentiated: a network that is integrated through several levels of hierarchical coordination, and a network in which the internal integration stems from ownership and family relations.
Shiping Tang
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- September 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199658336
- eISBN:
- 9780191756054
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199658336.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter summarizes a more detailed discussion on what social evolution is as a phenomenon and as a paradigm developed elsewhere (Tang 2014-15). It also provides a brief critique of some of the ...
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This chapter summarizes a more detailed discussion on what social evolution is as a phenomenon and as a paradigm developed elsewhere (Tang 2014-15). It also provides a brief critique of some of the evolutionary theorizing in IR. This chapter lays the foundation for applying SEP to empirical inquiries followed.Less
This chapter summarizes a more detailed discussion on what social evolution is as a phenomenon and as a paradigm developed elsewhere (Tang 2014-15). It also provides a brief critique of some of the evolutionary theorizing in IR. This chapter lays the foundation for applying SEP to empirical inquiries followed.
