Cultural Revolution

Cultural evolution, also called sociocultural

evolution, the development of one or more
cultures from simpler to more complex
forms.
The subject may be viewed as a
unilinear phenomenon that describes the
evolution of human behavior as a whole, or it
may be viewed as a multilinear phenomenon,
in which case it describes the evolution of
individual cultures or societies (or of given
parts of a culture or society).
Unilinear Theory
Unilinear social evolution – the notion that culture
generally develops (or evolves) in a uniform and
progressive manner. It was thought that most
societies pass through the same series of stages, to
arrive ultimately at a common end.
The Age of Discovery introduced 15th- and
16th-century Europeans to a wide
variety of “primitive” cultures.
 Thomas Hobbes
17th-century, He is an English philosopher
He was very much mistaken when he described
indigenous peoples as living in conditions in which
there were “no arts, no letters, no society” and
experiencing life as “solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and
short,” his description encapsulates the era’s popular
conception of the “savage.”
Thomas Hobbes was an
English philosopher,
scientist, and historian
best known for his
political philosophy,
especially as articulated
in his masterpiece
Leviathan (1651).
Multilinear Theory
The multilinear evolutionary theory views the
process of cultural development as an adaption to
nature's resources through technological
breakthroughs, as well as coping with outside
cultural influence.
A widespread reaction against sweeping generalizations
about culture began in the late 19th century in the
United States and somewhat later in Europe.

Theories and descriptions of hypothetical stages of

evolution generally, and of unilinear evolution
specifically, were heavily criticized as racist; instead of
presuming that some peoples were more evolved than
others, the new trend was to regard all cultures as
unique in time and place.
In the United States this movement, known as
cultural particularism, was led by the
German-born anthropologist Franz Boas.
The idea of historical particularism suggests
all cultures have their own historical
trajectory and that each culture developed
according to this history.
Biological Evolution
Biological evolution is defined as any genetic
change in a population that is inherited over
several generations. These changes may be
small or large, noticeable or not so
noticeable.
In order for an event to be considered an
instance of evolution, changes have to occur
on the genetic level of a population and be
passed on from one generation to the next.
What Evolution Is Not
Biological evolution is not defined as simply change
over time. Many organisms experience changes over
time, such as weight loss or gain. These changes are
not considered instances of evolution because they
are not genetic changes that can be passed
on to the next generation.
Is Evolution a Theory?
Evolution is a scientific theory that was proposed
by Charles Darwin. A scientific theory gives
explanations and predictions for naturally
occurring phenomena based on observations and
experimentations. This type of theory attempts to
explain how events seen in the natural world work.
What Is Natural Selection?
Natural variation--differences among
individuals of a species
Artificial selection- nature provides the
variation among different organisms, and
humans select those variations they find
useful.
Survival of the Fittest-Some individuals
better suited for the environment
Natural Selection
Over time, natural selection results in
changes in inherited characteristics of a
population. These changes increase a
species fitness in its environment
Natural selection is the process by
which biological evolutionary
changes take
place. Natural selection acts on
populations and not individuals. It
is based on the following concepts:
Individuals in a population have different
traits which can be inherited.
These individuals produce more young than
the environment can support.
The individuals in a population that are best
suited to their environment will leave more
offspring, resulting in a change in the genetic
makeup of a population.
How Does Genetic Variation Occur in a
Population?
Genetic variation occurs mainly through
DNA mutation, gene flow (movement of
genes from one population to another) and
sexual reproduction.
 Biological Evolution Versus Creation

The theory of evolution has caused controversy from

the time of its introduction until today. The controversy
stems from the perception that biological evolution is at
odds with religion concerning the need for a divine
creator. Evolutionists contend that evolution does not
address the issue of whether or not God exists, but
attempts to explain how natural processes work.