Items related to Contagious Ideas: On Evolution, Culture, Archaeology...
Synopsis
Neo-Darwinism is becoming an increasingly important influence on archaeological theory, as a number of recently edited books on `Darwinian archaeologies' make clear. However, many of these volumes are internationally inconsistent and reflect the muddled understanding many archaeologists have of the potential of Darwin's thought for interpreting material culture. Ben Cullen's book starts by critiquing some recent neo-Darwinist approaches, including cultural evolutionism and cultural sociobiology. He then presents a neo-Darwinian paradigm of extreme power, which he has termed the Cultural Virus Theory (CVT). This focuses on explaining the transmission of ideas by comparing cultural memes wit natural genes. In the final section he takes the important step of applying this theory to real materials; demonstrating how CVT can be used to understand the spread of megalithic monuments in prehistoric North-West Europe, the diffusion of the renaissance in medieval Europe and the basis of stylistic change in pottery. Tragically this collection of brilliant thoughts is published posthumously. Ben Cullen was close to finishing a major book when he died suddenly in 1995 and his writings have been gathered into a consistent whole by James Steele, Richard Cullen and Christopher Chippendale.
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Product Description
This is a book about the transmission of culture and the development of a 'Cultural Virus Theory' to explain the processes of cultural change.
Review
This is an excellent, interesting, clever, important book, which has taught me much, made me think more, and differently, and made me wish I had been able to read it years ago.'
'Many authors have attempted to tackle the problems involved with the culture-biology dichotomy, either as biological anthropologists foraying into cultural theory or vice versa. Not many of them have made as good a job of it as Cullen ...' 'This is the sort of book which seems to articulate what you have always known, but could never quite get a handle on.' 'I would recommend this book to anyone who actually wants to understand, explore and work on the relationship between the cultural and biological elements of human life ...'-- (06/01/2001)If you are the type of reader who prefers a challenging text, then (this) is the book for you ...' 'Cullen applies the viral analogy to cultural material and provides a highly intellectual read.'--Archaeology Ireland, Summer 2001
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherOxbow Books
- Publication date2000
- ISBN 10 1842170147
- ISBN 13 9781842170144
- BindingPaperback
- LanguageEnglish
- Edition number1
- Number of pages300
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Contagious Ideas: On Evolution, Culture, Archaeology and Cultural Virus Theory (On Evolution, Culture, Archaeology, and Cultral Virus Theory)
Seller: Reuseabook, Gloucester, GLOS, United Kingdom
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Paperback. Condition: Used; Very Good. Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. Though second-hand, the book is still in very good shape. Minimal signs of usage may include very minor creasing on the cover or on the spine. Seller Inventory # CHL9913502
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Contagious Ideas: On Evolution, Culture, Archaeology and Cultural Virus Theory
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR003854947
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Contagious Ideas: On Evolution, Culture, Archaeology and Cultural Virus Theory
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 1.35. Seller Inventory # G1842170147I4N00
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Contagious Ideas: On Evolution, Culture, Archaeology and Cultural Virus Theory
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 1.35. Seller Inventory # G1842170147I4N00
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Contagious Ideas: On Evolution, Culture, Archaeology and Cultural Virus Theory.
Seller: Fundus-Online GbR Borkert Schwarz Zerfaß, Berlin, Germany
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Softcover. Condition: Sehr gut. 283 p. Aus der Bibliothek von Prof. Wolfgang Haase, langjährigem Herausgeber der ANRW und des International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT) / From the library of Prof. Wolfgang Haase, long-time editor of ANRW and the International Journal of the Classical Tradition (IJCT). - Leicht berieben, sonst sehr gutes Exemplar. - This is a book about the transmission of culture and the development of a 'Cultural Virus Theory' to explain the processes of cultural change. This was Ben Cullen's intellectual project and his ideas, presented here in an edited version of his writings, are an important contribution to archaeological theory. Setting aside pre-existing frameworks for explaining culture change in archaeology and anthropology, Ben Cullen develops his own neo-Darwinian theory. Recognising that cultural traits are inherited by individuals independently of their genes and that selection acts on pre-existing variations, he explores ways in which cultural traits can be seen as self-reproducing entities analagous to viruses; the appropriateness of this analogy is the most distinctive premise of his Cultural Virus Theory. The core of this book is taken from Ben Cullen's doctoral thesis. After completing that he began to apply his theory to the explanation of cultural persistence and change in specific cases such as megalithic religion and Renaissance art, and to introduce new refinements of the virus metaphor for human culture. Ben Cullen was only thirty one when he died in 1995. His Cultural Virus Theory now assumes an evolutionary life of its own. ISBN 9781842170144 Sprache: Englisch Gewicht in Gramm: 554. Seller Inventory # 1192411
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Contagious Ideas: On Evolution, Culture, Archaeology and Cultural Virus Theory (On Evolution, Culture, Archaeology, and Cultral Virus Theory)
Seller: Edmonton Book Store, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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Condition: Very good. Dust Jacket Condition: No Dustjacket. 8vo pp. xx 283.paperback edition,Âprevious owners details penned on verso of front cover. "Neo-Darwinism is becoming an increasingly important influence on archaeological theory, as a number of recently edited books on `Darwinian archaeologies' make clear. However, many of these volumes are internationally inconsistent and reflect the muddled understanding many archaeologists have of the potential of Darwin's? book. Seller Inventory # 198197
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