


Hardcover
Published: 28th February 1999
ISBN: 9780792355793
Number Of Pages: 320
Provides an interdisciplinary theory that challenges traditional sociology by its superior ability to explain the irrational or unplanned aspects of culture, and it reveals that our society is not as rational as we would like to believe. The reader receives a comprehensive overview of cultural selection theory, including the history of the theory and the many different schools of thought, as well as an explanation of the nuts and bolts of cultural selection and the different selection mechanisms. Furthermore, the author introduces the new paradigm-breaking cultural r/k theory - a theory which reveals causal connections between religion, politics, ethics, art, and sexual behaviour - and which can explain such diverse phenomena as the fall of Rome, the advent of rock music in the late Soviet Union, and the anti-pornography movement in contemporary USA. The attraction of this theory lies in its impressive explanatory power and its usefulness for making predictions. This book maintains a down-to-earth theory with the main focus on the explanation of real world phenomena, including religion, politics, music, art, architecture, clothing fashion, sexual behavior, sport, and play. It thereby provides a foundation on which to base further research in many areas of human culture, including anthropology, archaeology, political and religious history, art, social psychology, sexology, peace research and futurology.
Introduction | p. 9 |
The History of Cultural Selection Theory | p. 13 |
Evolutionism | p. 13 |
Social darwinism | p. 22 |
Functionalism | p. 24 |
Neo-evolutionism | p. 25 |
Diffusionism | p. 30 |
Sociobiology | p. 33 |
Interaction between genetic and cultural selection | p. 36 |
Memetics | p. 41 |
Sociology and anthropology | p. 45 |
Synthesis of sociobiology and anthropology | p. 47 |
Social psychology | p. 49 |
Economic competition | p. 50 |
Universal selection theory | p. 52 |
Conclusion | p. 55 |
Fundamental Model for Cultural Selection | p. 59 |
The genetic basis of culture | p. 59 |
Cultural selection | p. 60 |
Unit of selection | p. 62 |
Innovation | p. 65 |
Reproduction | p. 67 |
Selection | p. 69 |
Selection of meme complexes | p. 73 |
Vicarious selection | p. 74 |
Barriers in evolution | p. 75 |
Differences between genetic and cultural selection | p. 78 |
Cultural selection in animals | p. 79 |
The applicability of cultural selection theory | p. 80 |
Further Development of the Model | p. 83 |
The concept of fitness | p. 83 |
Genetic selection models | p. 85 |
Genetic r- and K-selection | p. 88 |
Cultural selection models | p. 90 |
Cultural r- and k-selection | p. 91 |
Mechanisms in cultural r/k-selection | p. 94 |
Vicarious psychological mechanisms | p. 96 |
The paradox of revolution | p. 99 |
Typical characteristics of regal and kalyptic cultures | p. 101 |
Limitations to the theory | p. 103 |
Previously published related theories | p. 104 |
Conservativism versus innovativism | p. 108 |
Cultural Selection Throughout the Times | p. 110 |
The evolution of ever bigger political units | p. 110 |
The evolution of religions | p. 113 |
Animism | p. 115 |
Polytheism | p. 116 |
Monotheism | p. 119 |
Oriental religions | p. 124 |
Religions are created by cultural evolution | p. 127 |
Secularization | p. 129 |
Imperialism | p. 130 |
Modern society | p. 131 |
Migrations | p. 132 |
Economic competition | p. 134 |
Demography | p. 136 |
Social Organization Among Baboons | p. 139 |
Sociology of Deviance | p. 143 |
The fight over defining reality | p. 143 |
Defining reality in terms of science | p. 145 |
Myth making | p. 146 |
Witch-hunts and moral panics | p. 149 |
The role of the mass media | p. 153 |
The objects of witch-hunts | p. 154 |
Mass Media | p. 156 |
Advertising and sponsoring | p. 166 |
The competition for attention | p. 167 |
Sexual Behavior | p. 169 |
Psychological mechanisms | p. 174 |
Selection of discourses | p. 176 |
Social scripts | p. 177 |
Taboo and sacredness | p. 178 |
Art | p. 189 |
The function of art | p. 189 |
Styles and social stratification | p. 194 |
Visual art | p. 195 |
Music and singing | p. 200 |
Dance | p. 209 |
Architecture | p. 216 |
Clothing | p. 218 |
Other arts | p. 221 |
Play, Games and Sport | p. 222 |
Play | p. 222 |
Games | p. 227 |
Sport | p. 229 |
Comparison with other cultural phenomena | p. 232 |
Discussion and Conclusion | p. 235 |
Cultural r/k-selection | p. 236 |
Cultural transmission media | p. 239 |
The pleasure principle | p. 241 |
Are we slaves of the culture? | p. 242 |
Testability and sources of error | p. 244 |
Explanatory power | p. 249 |
The Future | p. 251 |
Security policy | p. 252 |
Population policy | p. 253 |
Immigration policy | p. 254 |
Economic policy | p. 255 |
Media policy | p. 256 |
Disadvantages of kalypticity | p. 257 |
Hazards by applying the r/k-theory | p. 259 |
Explanation of Words | p. 261 |
Literature | p. 271 |
Keyword Index | p. 308 |
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved. |
ISBN: 9780792355793
ISBN-10: 0792355792
Audience:
Professional
Format:
Hardcover
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 320
Published: 28th February 1999
Publisher: Springer
Country of Publication: NL
Dimensions (cm): 25.4 x 17.15
x 2.54
Weight (kg): 0.68