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#139 Peter Richerson: Biology and Culture, Cultural Evolution, Cognition, and Group Selection

The Dissenter

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Evolutionary Perspective on Cultural Learning and Human Adaptations

The chapter explores how cultural learning processes evolved as adaptative traits in humans during the Pleistocene period, shaping their unique capacity for accumulating culture. It discusses the role of culture as a selective pressure on human gene-culture co-evolution, citing examples like adult lactase persistence in populations with a history of dairying. The chapter also touches on the complex relationship between biology and culture, highlighting the influence of cultural content on human fitness and behavior.

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