141 books
—
126 voters
“
The extension of minds into the world through the use of artifacts was perhaps the last vital step in the evolution of culture that underlies the modern mind. Written symbols, alphabets and number systems, are ways of using the world to hold ideas. These external symbols allow a society a capacity for systematic thinking that would be impossible otherwise, a process we have referred to earlier as progressive externalization. Indeed, these external devices are not just static devices for memory s
...more
”
― Liars, Lovers, and Heroes: What the New Brain Science Reveals About How We Become Who We Are – Understanding Cultural Biology and the Ancient Systems Behind Our Humanity
― Liars, Lovers, and Heroes: What the New Brain Science Reveals About How We Become Who We Are – Understanding Cultural Biology and the Ancient Systems Behind Our Humanity
“
The ultimate cause of much historical, social and cultural change is the gradual accumulation of human knowledge of the environment. Human beings use the materials in their environment to meet their needs and increased human knowledge of the environment enables human needs to be met in a more efficient manner. The human environment has a particular structure so that human knowledge of the environment is acquired in a particular order. The simplest knowledge is acquired first and more complex kno
...more
”
― How Change Happens: A Theory of Philosophy of History, Social Change and Cultural Evolution
― How Change Happens: A Theory of Philosophy of History, Social Change and Cultural Evolution






















