Biological and

Cultural
Evolution

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=mZt1Gn0R22Q
 Biological Evolution

Biological Evolution is a process by which species adapt to changing environment and

change into other species, e.g., from ape-like creature to humans
 Biological Evolution

Exactly how this happens is dealt with later in this course

 Biological Evolution

Sometimes, however, species do

not adapt fast enough and they
therefore go extinct (e.g, dinosaurs)

Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/the-5-major-mass-extinctions-4018102
Biological Evolution

Biological Evolution works very slowly, gradually changing

creatures over “deep time”.
The figures on the left of this table refer to millions of
years ago.
 Biological Evolution

– However, very small changes happen in every generation in a short space of time
(“shallow time”)
– Biological Evolution happens when these small changes pile up over thousands of
generations and result in large changes (i.e., one animal evolves into another)
 Biological Evolution
The small changes in every generation are
caused by reproduction and heredity – the
transmission of hereditary characteristics
from parents to offspring.
 Biological Evolution

We can imagine heredity as a process of

transmission of genetic “information” from
one generation to another.
 Biological Evolution
– Biological Evolution is not under any creature’s control, but is a natural process that
all species undergo.
– It changes the physical bodies and behaviours* of all species and explains how they
adapt to a changing environment

*Plants don’t have “behaviour”

Cultural Evolution
 Cultural Evolution

Is a rather
different process…
 Cultural Evolution

But also involves

“transfer of
information”
 Cultural Evolution

However, the
“information” is not
passed through
heredity but from one
mind to another – i.e.,
through learning
 Cultural Evolution

Or from one mind to

many….
Cultural Evolution

The lines in the graphs below

contrast “information flow” in
Biological evolution (BE) and
Cultural evolution (CE).
In BE information goes only
from parents to offspring (i.e.,
through sexual reproduction
and heredity).
IN CE information can flow from
parents to offspring, from one
to many people, from one
culture to another, etc…
Petter Porter, “Biological and Cultural
Evolution”, Journal of Genetics, vol. 94, 1
March, 2015.
Cultural Evolution

In CE, the information doesn’t

have to flow forward in time, as
with BE (i.e., from parents to
offspring). One generation or
culture can learn from past
cultures or generations (as we
do in this class).
Cultural Evolution

The kinds of information or

knowledge passed on in CE are
extremely varied. It includes,
language, customs, ideas, social
institutions and practices, tools,
technology, even fashions,
musical styles, etc ….
 Cultural Evolution
The development of
stone tools and
weapons is
technological
evolution, a part of
cultural evolution
 Cultural Evolution

The development of computers is another example of technological and cultural evolution

 Cultural Evolution

Technological evolution of mobile phones

 Cultural Evolution
Cultural evolution also includes the spread of new kinds of food, a
result of the discovery of new lands.
 Cultural Evolution
Biological Evolution definition

– “Change in the genetic composition of a population during successive generations

[due partly to natural selection] and resulting in the development of new species”
(Webster’s)
– “and resulting in the development of new species” means that after thousands or
millions of years, this process results in the development of new species.
– Roughly speaking a “species” is a “kind of” animal or plant, such as a dog or a
human, etc… (NB: This is not an adequate definition of species but will do for now).
– A new species means a new “kind of” animal (or plant) which differs significantly in
body and behaviour from the original ancestor
– Example: Homo erectus  Homo sapiens (us)
 Cultural Evolution

Not just food but just

about everything else
can now spread far and
wide. This is a map of
the spread of reggae
music 1965-85
 Cultural Evolution
The spread of ideas is also part of cultural evolution
 Cultural Evolution

Cultural Evolution first appears

with our hominid ancestors.
However, Some animals can also
learn and transmit knowledge to
others. But humans are the
creatures that most rely on the
transmission of knowledge
(“information”) and therefore on
cultural evolution.
Thanks to cultural evolution, humans have spread all over the world
Cultural Evolution
 Cultural Evolution

– Unlike biological evolution, cultural evolution, can transform the human and
natural worlds in a very short time span.
– Think about how quickly the world has changed thanks to the development of
computers and the internet.
– While biological evolution changes species to adapt to a changing environment,
Cultural evolution, changes the environment to “adapt” to human goals and
purposes.
Where to next with cultural evolution?