Methodological problems in evolutionary biology. VIII. Biology and culture

Acta Biotheor. 1987;36(1):23-34. doi: 10.1007/BF00159229.

Abstract

Biology cannot accommodate all aspects of culture. Aspects of culture that a biological approach can take into account can be covered by the biological categories of "phenotype" and "environment". There is no need to treat culture as a separate category. Attempts to elaborate biological explanations of "cultural variation" will meet with success only if biologists expand theories of development, and integrate them in evolutionary biology. The alternative--elaborating the idea of so-called "cultural inheritance"--makes little sense from a biological point of view.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Evolution*
  • Biology*
  • Culture*
  • Environment
  • Genetics, Population
  • Models, Genetic*