Review of: The Evolution of Culture: An Interdisciplinary View
Author: ck
The very first word spoken by a woman: ‘No’
[photopress:cartoon.png,full,alignleft]EVOLUTION
Do the origins of mankind’s success lie in a sex-strike by our female ancestors?
IT ALL began with cosmetics. What did? The human success story. How we came out of Africa about a hundred thousand years ago, beat up all our rival species and invented language, art and religion. And we were able to do all this because of make-up.
But cosmetics were just the starting point, according to the latest theory. Continue reading “The very first word spoken by a woman: ‘No’”
Interview with Chris Knight in Ready Steady Book
The Science of Marxism
Is scientific objectivity compromised by a subordination to the interests of the international working class? Chris Knight examines the issues. Article in Weekly Worker,. 28 Sept 2006
Solidarity and Sex
The first human revolution was led by women, argues Chris Knight of the Radical Anthropology Group. Article in Weekly Worker, 31 Aug 2006
The Science of Solidarity
“Chris Knight of the Radical Anthropology Group looks at the ‘selfish gene’ revolution – and draws some rather different conclusions from moralistic liberals” – article in Weekly Worker. 3 Aug 2006
Language co-evolved with the rule of law
Let me begin with a self-evident point, perhaps too often taken for granted. When academics participate in conferences and debates, we find ourselves operating under the rule of law. Protocols exist. We must keep to agreed time limits, disclose our sources, accept criticism and renounce any temptation to use threats, material inducements or force. There is status competition, certainly. But status is determined on an intellectual basis by peer evaluation alone; we compete to demonstrate relevance (Sperber and Wilson 1995 [1986]; Dessalles 1998) in one anothers’ eyes.
Download short (2006) version of Language co-evolved with the rule of law [PDF 188KB].
Download long (2007) version of Language co-evolved with the rule of law [PDF 224KB]
International conferences on the evolution of language
The Sixth International Conference on the Evolution of Language (Evolang6) was held in Rome on 12-15 April 2006. The conference took place at the Centro Congressi (Conference Centre) of the University of Rome “La Sapienza”, via Salaria 113.
Noam Chomsky: The New Galileo?
Language is peculiar. No other species has anything remotely like it. If language is part of nature – a kind of organ or instinct, like stereoscopic vision – it’s puzzling. It’s unusual for a complex biological adaptation to be wholly confined to just one species.
The Human Revolution (Symposium on the Evolution of Language)
Let me begin with a self-evident point, perhaps too often taken for granted. When academics participate in conferences and debates, we find ourselves operating under the rule of law. Protocols exist. We must disclose our sources, expose ourselves to criticism and renounce any temptation to use threats, material inducements or force. There is status competition, certainly. But the status of our output is determined on an intellectual basis by peer evaluation alone; we compete to demonstrate relevance in others’ eyes… Download The Human Revolution (Symposium on the Evolution of Language) in PDF format [348KB]