Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels: How Human Values Evolve by Ian Morris (Engl

Description: Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels by Ian Morris, Stephen Macedo, Richard Seaford, Jonathan D. Spence, Christine M. Korsgaard, Margaret Atwood Most 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 FORMAT Hardcover LANGUAGE English CONDITION Brand New Publisher Description Most 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 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 favors 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. Back Cover "Ian Morris has thrown another curveball for social science. In this disarmingly readable book, which takes us from prehistory to the present, he offers a new theory of human culture, linking it firmly to economic fundamentals and how humans obtained their energy and resources from nature. This is bold, erudite, and provocative." --Daron Acemoglu, coauthor of How Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty "Ian Morris has emerged in recent years as one of the great big thinkers in history, archaeology, and anthropology, writing books that set people talking and thinking. I found delightful things in every chapter of Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels , interesting enough that I found myself sharing them with family over dinner. The breadth of reading and the command of the subject are just dazzling. His major argument--that value systems adapt themselves to ambient energy structures, in the same way that an organism adapts to its niche--is fascinating." --Daniel Lord Smail, author of On Deep History and the Brain "This is an important and stylistically excellent book written from a sophisticated materialist perspective. It is eminently readable, lively, and with clearly stated arguments explored in a systematic fashion. In a sense, it follows up on Jared Diamonds work on agricultural origins, and it parallels Steven Pinkers book on warfare in depicting a world that is culturally evolving in a certain direction. Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels should have a serious impact." --Chris Boehm, author of Moral Origins: The Evolution of Altruism, Virtue, and Shame Flap "Ian Morris has thrown another curveball for social science. In this disarmingly readable book, which takes us from prehistory to the present, he offers a new theory of human culture, linking it firmly to economic fundamentals and how humans obtained their energy and resources from nature. This is bold, erudite, and provocative." --Daron Acemoglu, coauthor of How Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty "Ian Morris has emerged in recent years as one of the great big thinkers in history, archaeology, and anthropology, writing books that set people talking and thinking. I found delightful things in every chapter of Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels , interesting enough that I found myself sharing them with family over dinner. The breadth of reading and the command of the subject are just dazzling. His major argument-that value systems adapt themselves to ambient energy structures, in the same way that an organism adapts to its niche-is fascinating." --Daniel Lord Smail, author of On Deep History and the Brain "This is an important and stylistically excellent book written from a sophisticated materialist perspective. It is eminently readable, lively, and with clearly stated arguments explored in a systematic fashion. In a sense, it follows up on Jared Diamonds work on agricultural origins, and it parallels Steven Pinkers book on warfare in depicting a world that is culturally evolving in a certain direction. Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels should have a serious impact." --Chris Boehm, author of Moral Origins: The Evolution of Altruism, Virtue, and Shame Author Biography Ian Morris is professor of classics and a fellow of the Stanford Archaeology Center at Stanford University. Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction by Stephen Macedo xiii Chapter 1 Each Age Gets the Thought It Needs 1 Chapter 2 Foragers 25 Chapter 3 Farmers 44 Chapter 4 Fossil Fuels 93 Chapter 5 The Evolution of Values: Biology, Culture, and the Shape of Things to Come 139 Comments Chapter 6 On the Ideology of Imagining That "Each Age Gets the Thought It Needs," Richard Seaford 172 Chapter 7 But What Was It Really Like? The Limitations of Measuring Historical Values, Jonathan D. Spence 180 Chapter 8 Eternal Values, Evolving Values, and the Value of the Self, Christine M. Korsgaard 184 Chapter 9 When the Lights Go Out: Human Values after the Collapse of Civilization, Margaret Atwood 202 Response Chapter 10 My Correct Views on Everything, Ian Morris 208 Notes 267 References 305 Contributors 341 Index 343 Review "Excellent and thought-provoking... More important, by putting forth a bold, clearly formulated hypothesis, Morris has done a great service to the budding field of scientific history."--Peter Turchin, Science "A provocative explanation for the evolution and divergence of ethical values... In the hands of this talented writer and thinker, [this] material becomes an engaging intellectual adventure."--Kirkus "A very good and enjoyable read."--Diane Coyle, Enlightened Economist "Stimulating."--Russell Warfield, Resurgence & Ecologist Long Description Most 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 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 favors 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. Review Quote "This is an important and stylistically excellent book written from a sophisticated materialist perspective. It is eminently readable, lively, and with clearly stated arguments explored in a systematic fashion. In a sense, it follows up on Jared Diamonds work on agricultural origins, and it parallels Steven Pinkers book on warfare in depicting a world that is culturally evolving in a certain direction. Foragers, Farmers, and Fossil Fuels should have a serious impact." e"Chris Boehm, author of Moral Origins: The Evolution of Altruism, Virtue, and Shame Details ISBN0691160392 Publisher Princeton University Press Year 2015 ISBN-10 0691160392 ISBN-13 9780691160399 Format Hardcover Author Margaret Atwood Imprint Princeton University Press Place of Publication New Jersey Country of Publication United States Edited by Stephen Macedo Birth 1957 Media Book DEWEY 170 Pages 400 Short Title FORAGERS FARMERS & FOSSIL FUEL Edition Description Updated Language English Subtitle How Human Values Evolve Translated from English Illustrations 4 Maps NZ Release Date 2015-03-22 US Release Date 2015-03-22 UK Release Date 2015-03-22 Publication Date 2015-03-22 Alternative 9780691175898 Audience Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly Series The University Center for Human Values Series AU Release Date 2015-06-01 We've got this At The Nile, if you're looking for it, we've got it. 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