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Cultural evolution: A review of theoretical challenges
Ryan Nichols1,2, Mathieu Charbonneau3, Azita Chellappoo4
1Department of Philosophy, CSU Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA.
Evolutionary Human Sciences
|March 22, 2024
Summary
Cultural evolutionary science needs better theoretical frameworks and conceptual clarity. This paper addresses key challenges identified by scientists to enhance knowledge synthesis and theory development in the field.
Area of Science:
- Cultural Evolution
- Philosophy of Science
- Evolutionary Theory
Background:
- Cultural evolutionary science is rapidly expanding across disciplines.
- This growth has outpaced theoretical and philosophical developments.
- Concerns exist regarding knowledge synthesis, theoretical support, and operationalization of key terms like 'culture' and 'social learning'.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the theoretical and conceptual challenges in cultural evolutionary science.
- To increase conceptual clarity and theoretical discernment within the field.
- To synthesize and discuss the 'grand challenges' identified by the Cultural Evolution Society.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of survey results from the Cultural Evolution Society.
- Restatement and discussion of identified theoretical challenges.
- Adoption of an organizational style to facilitate discussion of these challenges.
Main Results:
- Identified key challenges include lack of knowledge synthesis and weak theoretical underpinnings.
- Ambiguous relation to biological evolution and operationalization issues with core concepts were highlighted.
- Theoretical and conceptual issues underlie most identified problems in the field.
Conclusions:
- There is a pressing need for enhanced conceptual clarity and theoretical development in cultural evolutionary science.
- Addressing these challenges is crucial for the field's continued growth and rigor.
- This work aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue among scientists, theoreticians, and philosophers of science.
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