PhilSci Archive

Cultural Attractor Theory and Explanation

Buskell, Andrew (2017) Cultural Attractor Theory and Explanation. Philosophy, Theory, and Practice in Biology, 9 (13). ISSN 2475-3025

[img]
Preview
Text
cultural-attractor-theory-and-explanation.pdf
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial No Derivatives.

Download (250kB) | Preview

Abstract

Cultural attractor theory (CAT) is a highly visible and audacious approach to studying human cultural evolution. However, the explanatory aims and some central explanatory concepts of CAT remain unclear. Here I remedy these problems. I provide a reconstruction of CAT that recasts it as a theory of forces. I then demonstrate how this reinterpretation of CAT has the resources to generate both cultural distribution and evolvability explanations. I conclude by examining the potential benefits and drawbacks of this reconstruction.


Export/Citation: EndNote | BibTeX | Dublin Core | ASCII/Text Citation (Chicago) | HTML Citation | OpenURL
Social Networking:
Share |

Item Type: Published Article or Volume
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCID
Buskell, Andrewab2086@cam.ac.uk
Keywords: cultural attractor theory, cultural evolution, explanation
Depositing User: Nora Boyd
Date Deposited: 06 Apr 2018 16:17
Last Modified: 06 Apr 2018 16:17
Item ID: 14544
Journal or Publication Title: Philosophy, Theory, and Practice in Biology
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.3998/ptb.6959004.0009.013
Date: 2017
Volume: 9
Number: 13
ISSN: 2475-3025
URI: https://philsci-archive.pitt.edu/id/eprint/14544

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Monthly Downloads for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Altmetric.com

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item