Final Report Summary - EEUSUP (Evolutionary epistemology applied to universal symbiogenesis and universal punctuated equilibrium)
Final report: Applying punctuated equilibria and symbiogenesis to cultural evolution
My research involves the development of a new epistemological framework to study the evolution of culture. Today, culture is more and more investigated from within evolutionary biology, and these studies are mostly conducted from within Neodarwinian, selectionist accounts. Because of the success of the implementation of the selectionist approach, I have been looking into how evolutionary mechanisms, other than natural selection, can also provide new methodologies to study cultural evolution.
Evolution by means of natural selection occurs gradually and vertically: it explains common descent and transmission of adaptive traits. It is therefore limited in explaining all aspects of cultural evolution. Cultural evolution can occur very rapidly due to the introduction of new ideas or technologies, and it can occur horizontally: culture contact often allows for the rapid horizontal exchange of new ideas or technologies.
In evolutionary biology, scholars have now demonstrated that life can also evolve rapidly and horizontally. The theory of punctuated equilibria explains how the fossil record portrays evidence of long periods of stasis that are intermitted by short periods of rapid evolutionary change. The endosymbiogenetic theory explains how multi-cellular life evolved out of the horizontal merging of different unicellular organisms.
Because these theories provide mechanisms to explain phenomena similar to those that characterize cultural evolution, I investigate how the basic tenets of these theories can be extrapolated to cultural evolution. During the course of the project, I have developed a new interdisciplinary research methodology that will enhance research into the evolution of culture.
My outgoing phase
For my outgoing research phase, I was hosted by the division of paleontology of the American Museum of Natural History of New York City. I chose to work at this museum in particular in order to do my research under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Niles Eldredge who is one of the museum's curators and one of the founding fathers of the punctuated equilibria theory.
My primary objective during the outgoing phase was to expand my knowledge on how punctuated equilibria theory is of relevance in both invertebrate evolution and hominid cultural evolution. In this latter regard, Prof. Dr. Ian Tattersall, a curator of the museum's Anthropology department, has also granted me access to the archeological collection that houses different hominid tool industries.
Having been given opportunity to actually put my hands on the different collections has greatly enriched my practical skills. My stay at the museum has allowed me to expand both my theoretical and empirical knowledge of both punctuated equilibria theory and hominid cultural evolution.
I also found it very educational to see how an institution like the American Museum of Natural History is able on the one hand, to perform high-level academic research, and, on the other, to popularize this knowledge via educational programs and museum exhibits. It has made me more experienced with the different ways there are to do science.
My outgoing phase has been successful and I am very grateful for having been given the opportunity to study in this environment.
Return phase
My return phase took place at the Belgian Dutch Free University of Brussels.
At the university, I was able to further develop the new epistemological framework. More specifically, I introduced a new methodology, called Applied Evolutionary Epistemology, that demonstrates how the theories of punctuated equilibria and symbiogenesis can be applied in studies on linguistic and cultural evolution.
During this phase, I primarily focused on the dissemination of the obtained research results.
Dissemination
I have presented aspects of the new methodology at high-profile international conferences. The most important ones are: the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, the International Symbiosis Society, the International Cognitive Linguistics Association, the Evolution of Language conference, and the Society for Philosophers in Practice.
I have already published several articles on the topic in international, peer-reviewed anthologies and academic journals, and I am currently working on three books that will further introduce the newly developed methodology in cultural sciences.
For the academic year 2011-2012, I will be appointed as part-time visiting professor at the Dutch Free University of Brussels and I will teach the course Philosophy of Science. This course will allow me to also train students in the new methodology.
Acknowledgements
I would hereby like to sincerely thank the Marie Curie Actions for giving me this enormous opportunity. With this Outgoing Research grant, my work has been able to reach a mature stage, and the experience will last a life time.
Selection of publications
- In preparation. Applied Evolutionary Epistemology: A new methodology for conducting evolutionary research in both the natural and sociocultural sciences,
- In preparation. The evolutionary origin of modern human behavior,
- In preparation. The tree of life,
- 2012. 'Three heuristics that allow to identify the units, levels and mechanisms of language evolution' (3 parts) Foundations of Science,
- 2011. 'Depicting the tree of life: The philosophical and historical roots of evolutionary tree diagrams' September issue of Evolution, Education and Outreach. (in press),
- 2011. 'Introducing universal symbiogenesis' In: Symons, J., Manuel Torres, J. & Pombo, O. Special sciences and the unity of science. Berlin: Springer. (in press),
- 2010. 'Evolutionary epistemology as a scientific method: a new look upon the units and levels of evolution debate' Theory in Biosciences 129 (2-3): 167-182,
- 2010. 'How to identify the units, levels and mechanisms of language evolution' In: Smith, ADM, Schouwstra, M., de Boer, B. & Smith, K. The evolution of language: Proceedings of the 8th International Conference (Evolang 8): 176-183.
Further information
(Nathalie.Gontier@vub.ac.be via e-mail)
(see: http://vub.academia.edu/NathalieGontier online)
My research involves the development of a new epistemological framework to study the evolution of culture. Today, culture is more and more investigated from within evolutionary biology, and these studies are mostly conducted from within Neodarwinian, selectionist accounts. Because of the success of the implementation of the selectionist approach, I have been looking into how evolutionary mechanisms, other than natural selection, can also provide new methodologies to study cultural evolution.
Evolution by means of natural selection occurs gradually and vertically: it explains common descent and transmission of adaptive traits. It is therefore limited in explaining all aspects of cultural evolution. Cultural evolution can occur very rapidly due to the introduction of new ideas or technologies, and it can occur horizontally: culture contact often allows for the rapid horizontal exchange of new ideas or technologies.
In evolutionary biology, scholars have now demonstrated that life can also evolve rapidly and horizontally. The theory of punctuated equilibria explains how the fossil record portrays evidence of long periods of stasis that are intermitted by short periods of rapid evolutionary change. The endosymbiogenetic theory explains how multi-cellular life evolved out of the horizontal merging of different unicellular organisms.
Because these theories provide mechanisms to explain phenomena similar to those that characterize cultural evolution, I investigate how the basic tenets of these theories can be extrapolated to cultural evolution. During the course of the project, I have developed a new interdisciplinary research methodology that will enhance research into the evolution of culture.
My outgoing phase
For my outgoing research phase, I was hosted by the division of paleontology of the American Museum of Natural History of New York City. I chose to work at this museum in particular in order to do my research under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Niles Eldredge who is one of the museum's curators and one of the founding fathers of the punctuated equilibria theory.
My primary objective during the outgoing phase was to expand my knowledge on how punctuated equilibria theory is of relevance in both invertebrate evolution and hominid cultural evolution. In this latter regard, Prof. Dr. Ian Tattersall, a curator of the museum's Anthropology department, has also granted me access to the archeological collection that houses different hominid tool industries.
Having been given opportunity to actually put my hands on the different collections has greatly enriched my practical skills. My stay at the museum has allowed me to expand both my theoretical and empirical knowledge of both punctuated equilibria theory and hominid cultural evolution.
I also found it very educational to see how an institution like the American Museum of Natural History is able on the one hand, to perform high-level academic research, and, on the other, to popularize this knowledge via educational programs and museum exhibits. It has made me more experienced with the different ways there are to do science.
My outgoing phase has been successful and I am very grateful for having been given the opportunity to study in this environment.
Return phase
My return phase took place at the Belgian Dutch Free University of Brussels.
At the university, I was able to further develop the new epistemological framework. More specifically, I introduced a new methodology, called Applied Evolutionary Epistemology, that demonstrates how the theories of punctuated equilibria and symbiogenesis can be applied in studies on linguistic and cultural evolution.
During this phase, I primarily focused on the dissemination of the obtained research results.
Dissemination
I have presented aspects of the new methodology at high-profile international conferences. The most important ones are: the meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Association of Physical Anthropologists, the International Symbiosis Society, the International Cognitive Linguistics Association, the Evolution of Language conference, and the Society for Philosophers in Practice.
I have already published several articles on the topic in international, peer-reviewed anthologies and academic journals, and I am currently working on three books that will further introduce the newly developed methodology in cultural sciences.
For the academic year 2011-2012, I will be appointed as part-time visiting professor at the Dutch Free University of Brussels and I will teach the course Philosophy of Science. This course will allow me to also train students in the new methodology.
Acknowledgements
I would hereby like to sincerely thank the Marie Curie Actions for giving me this enormous opportunity. With this Outgoing Research grant, my work has been able to reach a mature stage, and the experience will last a life time.
Selection of publications
- In preparation. Applied Evolutionary Epistemology: A new methodology for conducting evolutionary research in both the natural and sociocultural sciences,
- In preparation. The evolutionary origin of modern human behavior,
- In preparation. The tree of life,
- 2012. 'Three heuristics that allow to identify the units, levels and mechanisms of language evolution' (3 parts) Foundations of Science,
- 2011. 'Depicting the tree of life: The philosophical and historical roots of evolutionary tree diagrams' September issue of Evolution, Education and Outreach. (in press),
- 2011. 'Introducing universal symbiogenesis' In: Symons, J., Manuel Torres, J. & Pombo, O. Special sciences and the unity of science. Berlin: Springer. (in press),
- 2010. 'Evolutionary epistemology as a scientific method: a new look upon the units and levels of evolution debate' Theory in Biosciences 129 (2-3): 167-182,
- 2010. 'How to identify the units, levels and mechanisms of language evolution' In: Smith, ADM, Schouwstra, M., de Boer, B. & Smith, K. The evolution of language: Proceedings of the 8th International Conference (Evolang 8): 176-183.
Further information
(Nathalie.Gontier@vub.ac.be via e-mail)
(see: http://vub.academia.edu/NathalieGontier online)