The Synergism Hypothesis: A Theory of Progressive EvolutionThis book represents a major theoretical synthesis between the life sciences and the social sciences. Peter Corning shows that the selective advantages arising from various kinds of cooperation - from single-celled creatures to wolf packs to modern nation-states - are the cause of the directional aspect of evolutionary history, that is, the progressive emergence of more complex, hierarchically organized systems in the biological , cultural, and political realms. The Synergism Hypothesis spans a vast intellectual and scientific territory and speaks to the central concerns of evolutionary biology, sociobiology, anthropology, psychology, economics, sociology, and political science. It is an extraordinary contribution, which should influence all future discussions of why we behave the way we do. -- from back cover. |
From inside the book
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Page 71
... thermodynamics and kinetics must increasingly be supplemented by cybernetics , by applied systems analysis . " 41 By far the most compelling recent explication of the hierarchical , cybernetic model of biological organization is James G ...
... thermodynamics and kinetics must increasingly be supplemented by cybernetics , by applied systems analysis . " 41 By far the most compelling recent explication of the hierarchical , cybernetic model of biological organization is James G ...
Page 72
... thermodynamic perspective has become an important part of our vision of life and humankind.43 Indeed , some theorists have been energetic monists . A living organism , Alfred Lotka maintained , is " primarily an energy capturing device ...
... thermodynamic perspective has become an important part of our vision of life and humankind.43 Indeed , some theorists have been energetic monists . A living organism , Alfred Lotka maintained , is " primarily an energy capturing device ...
Page 83
... thermodynamics is not at all remote from the scientific understanding of human beings , society , and politics — as our current ( and anticipated ) food and energy crises attest . At the same time , what one critic of energy - oriented ...
... thermodynamics is not at all remote from the scientific understanding of human beings , society , and politics — as our current ( and anticipated ) food and energy crises attest . At the same time , what one critic of energy - oriented ...
Contents
Quo Vadimus? | 1 |
The Evolutionary Framework | 16 |
A General Theory of Progressive Evolution | 63 |
Copyright | |
3 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
Academic Press adaptation altruism animal Anthropology approach B. F. Skinner basic needs bioeconomic biological Brain C. H. Waddington Cambridge Carneiro carnivores causal cause Chicago Chimpanzee co-operation co-operative communications complex concept context correlation cultural evolution cybernetic systems Darwin Darwinian differentiation dynamic E. O. Wilson Ecology economic emergence energy environment environmental evidence evolutionary change evolved example factors feedback forms functional synergism genes genetic goals growth hierarchical hominid human evolution hunter-gatherers hunting hypothesis important individual innovation integrated interactions internal involves Journal kin selection learning natural selection paradigm patterns percent phenomena Political Science political systems population predation Primate problem produced progressive Psychology reciprocal reciprocal altruism reinforcement relationship Review role Scientific American scientists Sewall Wright Social Behavior social organization Sociobiology sociocultural evolution species Spencer strategy structure Study superorganisms survival and reproduction synergistic effects teleonomic selection theoretical theorists theory tion traits University Press various Wilson York