• How Change Happens - A theory of Philosophy of History, Macro Sociology and Cultural Evolution

    Author(s):
    Rochelle Forrester (see profile)
    Date:
    2013
    Group(s):
    Historical theory and the philosophy of history
    Subject(s):
    History--Philosophy, Social evolution
    Item Type:
    Book
    Tag(s):
    big history, course of history, theory of history, macro history, technological determinism, substantive philosophy of history, speculative philosophy of history, macro sociology, Philosophy of history, Cultural evolution
    Permanent URL:
    http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/sr1f-6g17
    Abstract:
    It is proposed that the ultimate cause of much historical, social and cultural change is the gradual accumulation of human knowledge of the environment. Human beings use the materials in their environment to meet their needs and increased human knowledge of the environment enables human needs to be meet in a more efficient manner. Human needs direct human research into particular areas and this provides a direction for historical, social and cultural development. The human environment has a particular structure and human beings have a particular place in it so that human knowledge of the environment is acquired in a particular order. The simplest knowledge, or the knowledge closest to us, is acquired first and more complex knowledge, or knowledge further from us is acquired later. The order of discovery determines the course of human social and cultural history as knowledge of new and more efficient means of meeting human needs, results in new technology, which results in the development of new social and ideological systems. This means a major part of human history, had to follow a particular course, a course that is determined by the structure of the human environment. An examination of the structure of the human environment will reveal the particular order in which our discoveries had to be made. Given that a certain level of knowledge will result in a particular type of society, it is possible to ascertain the types of societies that were inevitable in human history. While it is not possible to make predictions about the future course of human history, it is possible to explain and understand why human history has followed a particular path and why it had to follow that particular path.
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    Status:
    Published
    Last Updated:
    4 years ago
    License:
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