Abstract
The significance of evolutionary theory for archaeology is fiercely debated: one does not entitle a theory or interpretation, let alone a book, as “Darwinian” without inviting controversy. For many archaeologists the word Darwinism implies a denial of our humanity and free will and is thought to support a pernicious political agenda by legitimizing selfish individualism. For others, the word invokes quite different ideas: it suggests an attempt to view ourselves as part of, rather than separate from, the natural world with the many positive political, social, and economic implications that would follow. Others remain unmoved. They simply feel that any reference to biological evolution is irrelevant to the explanation of human behavior and culture change. In short, there is much controversy and little agreement.
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Maschner, H.D.G., Mithen, S. (1996). Darwinian Archaeologies. In: Maschner, H.D.G. (eds) Darwinian Archaeologies. Interdisciplinary Contributions to Archaeology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9945-3_1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9945-3_1
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