Transmission coupling mechanisms: cultural group selection
| Abstract | The application of phylogenetic methods to cultural variation raises questions about how cultural adaption works and how it is coupled to cultural transmission. Cultural group selection is of particular interest in this context because it depends on the same kinds of mechanisms that lead to tree-like patterns of cultural variation. Here, we review ideas about cultural group selection relevant to cultural phylogenetics. We discuss why group selection among multiple equilibria is not subject to the usual criticisms directed at group selection, why multiple equilibria are a common phenomena, and why selection among multiple equilibria is not likely to be an important force in genetic evolution. We also discuss three forms of group competition and the processes that cause populations to shift from one equilibrium to another and create a mutation-like process at the group level. | |||||||||
| Keywords | No keywords specified (fix it) | |||||||||
| Categories | ||||||||||
| Options |
|
|||||||||
Download options| PhilPapers Archive |
Upload a copy of this paper Check publisher's policy on self-archival Papers currently archived: 5,631 |
| External links |
  Try with proxy. |
| Through your library | Only published papers are available at libraries |
Similar books and articlesKim Sterelny (2006). Memes Revisited. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 57 (1):145-165.
Richard Pocklington (2000). Selection: Units, Modes, and Levels. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 23 (1):156-157.
Nicholas S. Thompson (2000). Shifting the Natural Selection Metaphor to the Group Level. Behavior and Philosophy 28 (1/2):83 - 101.
Nicholas S. Thompson (2000). Niche Construction and Group Selection. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 23 (1):161-162.
Elliott Sober & David Sloan Wilson (2000). Morality and ‘Unto Others': Response to Commentary Discussion. Journal of Consciousness Studies 7 (1-2):257-268.
Samir Okasha (2003). The Concept of Group Heritability. Biology and Philosophy 18 (3).
Deborah G. Mayo & Norman L. Gilinsky (1987). Models of Group Selection. Philosophy of Science 54 (4):515-538.
G. K. D. Crozier (2010). A Formal Investigation of Cultural Selection Theory: Acoustic Adaptation in Bird Song. Biology and Philosophy 25 (5):781-801.
Analytics
Monthly downloads |
Added to index2010-12-22Total downloads6 ( #145,407 of 548,969 )Recent downloads (6 months)1 ( #63,511 of 548,969 )How can I increase my downloads? |
My notes
Discussion
