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The Dissenter

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

Feb 15, 2019
Peter Richerson, a biologist, discusses culture, gene-culture coevolution, and cognitive bases. They explore cultural evolution, evoked culture, sociobiologists, memetics, and group selection at cultural and genetic levels. Richerson defines culture, its relationship with biology, and the evolutionary process. They touch on the cognitive aspects of culture, cultural learning as an adaptive trait in humans, and cultural content's influence on behavior and fitness. Richerson also discusses culture as an extended phenotype and shares academic resources.
54:40

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Quick takeaways

  • Culture is a phenotype shaped by teaching and imitation, illustrating the interconnectedness of biology and culture.
  • Evolution of culture involves selection of traits like subsistence techniques, differing from genetic evolution with no clear gene-like units.

Deep dives

Dr. Peter Riescherson's Interest in Cultural Evolution

Dr. Peter Riescherson, a distinguished professor emeritus, became interested in studying culture due to teaching an interdisciplinary course. Together with Dr. Robert Boyd, they sought to apply evolutionary concepts to culture, noting the inadequacies in existing cultural ecological perspectives.

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