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Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels
How Human Values Evolve
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Check link for latest rating. ( 331 ratings, 58 reviews)
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Format: Hardback
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See moreMost people in the world today think democracy and gender equality are good, and that violence and wealth inequality are bad. But most people who lived during the 10,000 years before the nineteenth century thought just the opposite. Drawing on archaeology, anthropology, biology, and history, Ian Morris explains why. Fundamental long-term changes in
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
Most people in the world today think democracy and gender equality are good, and that violence and wealth inequality are bad. However, most people who lived during the 10,000 years before the nineteenth century thought just the opposite. Drawing on archaeology, anthropology, biology, and history, Ian Morris explains why.
Fundamental long-term changes in values, Morris argues, are driven by the most basic force of all: energy. Humans have found three main ways to get the energy they need—from foraging, farming, and fossil fuels. Each energy source sets strict limits on what kinds of societies can succeed, and each kind of society rewards specific values.
But if our fossil-fuel world favours democratic, open societies, the ongoing revolution in energy capture means that our most cherished values are very likely to turn out not to be useful any more. Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels offers a compelling new argument about the evolution of human values, one that has far-reaching implications for how we understand the past—and for what might happen next.
Originating as the Tanner Lectures delivered at Princeton University, the book includes challenging responses by classicist Richard Seaford, historian of China Jonathan Spence, philosopher Christine Korsgaard, and novelist Margaret Atwood.
Series: The University Center for Human Values Series
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Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels
Most people in the world today think democracy and gender equality are good, and that violence and wealth inequality are bad. However, most people who lived during the 10,000 years before the nineteenth century thought just the opposite. Drawing on archaeology, anthropology, biology, and history, Ian Morris explains why. Fundamental long-term changes in values, Morris argues, are driven by the...HardbackSold Out -
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How our ability to learn from each other has been the essential ingredient to our remarkable success as a species Human beings have evolved to become the most dominant species on Earth. This astonishing transformation is usually explained in terms of cognitive ability—people are just smarter than all the rest. However, Robert Boyd argues that culture—our ability to learn from...PaperbackSold Out
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels by Ian Morris is praised for being thought-provoking and offering a bold hypothesis that benefits the field of scientific history. The book provides a provocative explanation of the evolution and divergence of ethical values, making it an engaging intellectual journey in the hands of a skilled writer. It's noted as both a good and enjoyable read and is described as stimulating by various reviewers.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780691160399
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 22 March 2015
Country: United States
Imprint: Princeton University Press
Illustration: 4 Maps
Contributors:
- Edited by Stephen Macedo
- Introduction by Stephen Macedo
- Commentaries by Richard Seaford
- Commentaries by Jonathan D. Spence
- Commentaries by Christine M. Korsgaard
- Commentaries by Margaret Atwood
Audience: Tertiary education
DIMENSIONS
Width: 140.0mm
Height: 216.0mm
Weight: 539g
Pages: 400
About the Author
Ian Morris is professor of classics and a fellow of the Stanford Archaeology Center at Stanford University.
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