Soci326-002 – Evolutionary Sociology

Module 13 – Socio-cultural Evolution IV – Discussion Topics – 22 Nov 2005

Today's discussion is based on the following readings:

  • Lenski.  Ecological-evolutionary Theory.

    Topics for discussion:

    1. (Carried over from last week.)  On p. 145 Lenski writes: "... for those who desire additional tests of ecological-evolutionary theory, I strongly recommend Jared Diamond's excellent volume, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies.  Although Diamond does not label his analysis as ecological and evolutionary, and though there are some differences in his perspective, these differences are not major.  Thus, most of the chapters in Guns, GErms, and Steel provide valuable further tests of the principles on which ecological-evolutionary theory is based."  How similar are the approaches of Lenski, Diamond (and, one might add, Cavalli-Sforza) to explaining the evolution of human societies; specifically, can one speak of a theoretical convergence concerning the roles of technology and inter-societal selection in socio-cultural evolution?  (Note: Cavalli-Sforza's, Diamond's, and Lenski's works seem largely independent; Lenski had already formulated the outline of his theory of socio-cultural evolution in 1966 and 1970, and neither Cavalli-Sforza nor Diamond seems aware of Lenski's earlier work.)
    2. In Chapter 7 Lenski compares ecological-evolutionary theory with alternatives, among which idealist (Parsonsian) evolutionism, cultural materialism (Mervin Harris), world-system theory (Wallerstein), classical and idealist Marxism, and historical particularism.  How useful is that discussion for understanding human society, and in particular the relationships between the ideological realm and the technological basis of society.
    3. In Chapter 8 "The Origins and Early Development of Ancient Israel" Lenski emphasizes the role of the frontier environment constituted by the highlands of Canaan as they could be occupied with the help of new production technology involving iron, new methods to line wells and rock terrassing.  I have a number of thoughts and queries about this chapter that I hope members of the seminar can help me with, particularly members with a more solid religious background than mine.
      1. Lenski (e.g., p. 154) alludes to the republican institutions of early (pre-monarchic) Israel, as contrasted with the more centralized and authoritarian features of the monarchy of Salomon and David; what were these republican (representative) institutions he talks about?
      2. On p. 164 there is a discussion of the origin of the Levites, who do not control a specific territory but are assigned to live in towns and receive one tenth of the income of members of other tribes; the tribe of Levy is connected with political and military support for Moses during the Exodus.  When I saw this mention (which I did not know about) it immediately reminded me of the Brahmins of India, who also occupy a privileged position in the caste hierarchy, are associated with the religious function and are supposedly the descendants of the original (Aryan) conquerors of the region.  If one were to pursue this parallel it might suggest that the Jews of the Exodus were, in fact, an intrusive people who conquered the settled agrarian society of Canaan, imposing their monotheistic religion but perhaps adopting the local language.  (Hebrew is a West-Semitic language closely related to ancient Phoenician and Canaanite; note also that the Jews later often assimilated into the language of a surrounding population, e.g. Aramaic, Ladino in Spain, Yiddish derived from High-German.)
      3. This chapter reminds me of a book by Sigmund Freud that I read a long time ago entitled Moses and Monotheism.  In it Freud proposes a theory of early Israelite religion as ultimately derived from the cult of the sun-god Aton that flourished briefly in Egypt under the heretic king Akhenaton (formerly known as Amenothep IV).  Freud explains monotheism with a bizarre psycho-dynamic theory involving an ancient murder of a father figure by his sons, but other aspects of the theory are interesting.  Freud points out that Moses is an Egyptian name (same as that in composed name Thutmes).  Also, there is the story where Moses is abandoned as a baby and rescued by the Queen and raised in the king's palace (?).  For Freud all this points to an Egyptian origin of Jewish monotheism, perhaps at the instigation of a late supporter of (Moses) of the Aton heresy who might have converted the enslaved Jews and led them out of Egypt.  From Lenski's discussion, it looks like the timing might work out, given the dates for Akhenaton and the emergence of Israel in the 13th century BCE.
    4. In Chapter 9 "The Rise of the West" Lenski exposes a theory of European dominance that began in the 16th century that emphasizes technological accumulation during the agrarian era (especially shipbuilding and navigation, gunpowder, and European diseases) and the important role of the discovery of the New World.  Are there serious theoretical alternatives to Lenski's scenario?
    5. On pp. 207-208 Lenski recounts with some (justified) pride his success in predicting an evolution of Marxist-Leninist societies toward more democratic institutions that better correspond to a society with an advanced industrial technology.  He approaches Marxism as "An Experiment That Failed", at least in part because the incorrect assumptions about human nature on which attempts to construct a socialist society were based.  Like everyone else I was greatly surprised by the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the subsequent dismantlement of the Soviet Union.  I am still puzzled by the (lack of) reaction of Western intellectuals to these momentous events.  I would like to discuss the role that the end of the Soviet Union is playing in the political and philosophical outlook of Western intellectuals, including sociologists.

     

    Last modified 22 Nov 2005