Evolving Complexity And Environmental Risk In The Prehistoric Southwest

Evolving Complexity And Environmental Risk In The Prehistoric Southwest

Author: Joseph A. Tainter

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2018-05-04

Total Pages: 297

ISBN-13: 0429961138

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This book explores how and why prehistoric Southwestern societies changed in complexity, and offers important new perspectives on evolution of culture. It discusses the factors that made prehistoric Southwesterners vulnerable to an arid environment, and their strategies to lessen risk and stress.


Book Synopsis Evolving Complexity And Environmental Risk In The Prehistoric Southwest by : Joseph A. Tainter

Download or read book Evolving Complexity And Environmental Risk In The Prehistoric Southwest written by Joseph A. Tainter and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2018-05-04 with total page 297 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores how and why prehistoric Southwestern societies changed in complexity, and offers important new perspectives on evolution of culture. It discusses the factors that made prehistoric Southwesterners vulnerable to an arid environment, and their strategies to lessen risk and stress.


Evolving Complexity And Environmental Risk In The Prehistoric Southwest

Evolving Complexity And Environmental Risk In The Prehistoric Southwest

Author: Joseph A. Tainter

Publisher: Westview Press

Published: 1996-01-01

Total Pages: 284

ISBN-13: 9780201870404

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Cultural behavior exhibits many of the features of complex adaptive systems, but is in some ways distinctive. Cultural complexity is enigmatic, improbable, and difficult to maintain. It constrains behavior, limits understanding of processes, and imposes economic burdens. The advantages of complexity are modified by human cognition and limited by economic and environmental costs. This book explores in detail how and why prehistoric Southwestern societies changed in complexity, and thus offers important new perspectives on the evolution of culture.The papers discuss the factors that made prehistoric Southwesterners vulnerable to an arid environment, and their strategies to lessen risk and stress. The topics of the book link Southwestern data to fields such as economics, climatology, and evolutionary theory. In addition to a readership of archaeologists and anthropologists, this volume will be of interest to specialists in these related fields and to those concerned with complex adaptive systems and the work of the Santa Fe Institute.


Book Synopsis Evolving Complexity And Environmental Risk In The Prehistoric Southwest by : Joseph A. Tainter

Download or read book Evolving Complexity And Environmental Risk In The Prehistoric Southwest written by Joseph A. Tainter and published by Westview Press. This book was released on 1996-01-01 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cultural behavior exhibits many of the features of complex adaptive systems, but is in some ways distinctive. Cultural complexity is enigmatic, improbable, and difficult to maintain. It constrains behavior, limits understanding of processes, and imposes economic burdens. The advantages of complexity are modified by human cognition and limited by economic and environmental costs. This book explores in detail how and why prehistoric Southwestern societies changed in complexity, and thus offers important new perspectives on the evolution of culture.The papers discuss the factors that made prehistoric Southwesterners vulnerable to an arid environment, and their strategies to lessen risk and stress. The topics of the book link Southwestern data to fields such as economics, climatology, and evolutionary theory. In addition to a readership of archaeologists and anthropologists, this volume will be of interest to specialists in these related fields and to those concerned with complex adaptive systems and the work of the Santa Fe Institute.


Social Complexity and Complex Systems in Archaeology

Social Complexity and Complex Systems in Archaeology

Author: Dries Daems

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2021-02-22

Total Pages: 228

ISBN-13: 1000344738

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Social Complexity and Complex Systems in Archaeology turns to complex systems thinking in search of a suitable framework to explore social complexity in Archaeology. Social complexity in archaeology is commonly related to properties of complex societies such as states, as opposed to so-called simple societies such as tribes or chiefdoms. These conceptualisations of complexity are ultimately rooted in Eurocentric perspectives with problematic implications for the field of archaeology. This book provides an in-depth conceptualisation of social complexity as the core concept in archaeological and interdisciplinary studies of the past, integrating approaches from complex systems thinking, archaeological theory, social practice theory, and sustainability and resilience science. The book covers a long-term perspective of social change and stability, tracing the full cycle of complexity trajectories, from emergence and development to collapse, regeneration and transformation of communities and societies. It offers a broad vision on social complexity as a core concept for the present and future development of archaeology. This book is intended to be a valuable resource for students and scholars in the field of archaeology and related disciplines such as history, anthropology, sociology, as well as the natural sciences studying human-environment interactions in the past.


Book Synopsis Social Complexity and Complex Systems in Archaeology by : Dries Daems

Download or read book Social Complexity and Complex Systems in Archaeology written by Dries Daems and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-02-22 with total page 228 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Social Complexity and Complex Systems in Archaeology turns to complex systems thinking in search of a suitable framework to explore social complexity in Archaeology. Social complexity in archaeology is commonly related to properties of complex societies such as states, as opposed to so-called simple societies such as tribes or chiefdoms. These conceptualisations of complexity are ultimately rooted in Eurocentric perspectives with problematic implications for the field of archaeology. This book provides an in-depth conceptualisation of social complexity as the core concept in archaeological and interdisciplinary studies of the past, integrating approaches from complex systems thinking, archaeological theory, social practice theory, and sustainability and resilience science. The book covers a long-term perspective of social change and stability, tracing the full cycle of complexity trajectories, from emergence and development to collapse, regeneration and transformation of communities and societies. It offers a broad vision on social complexity as a core concept for the present and future development of archaeology. This book is intended to be a valuable resource for students and scholars in the field of archaeology and related disciplines such as history, anthropology, sociology, as well as the natural sciences studying human-environment interactions in the past.


Understanding Complexity In The Prehistoric Southwest

Understanding Complexity In The Prehistoric Southwest

Author: George J. Gumerman

Publisher: Westview Press

Published: 1994-07-20

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13:

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This volume brings together the combined efforts of 26 physical and behavioral scientists to attempt to understand the evolution of prehistoric Southwestern societies.


Book Synopsis Understanding Complexity In The Prehistoric Southwest by : George J. Gumerman

Download or read book Understanding Complexity In The Prehistoric Southwest written by George J. Gumerman and published by Westview Press. This book was released on 1994-07-20 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume brings together the combined efforts of 26 physical and behavioral scientists to attempt to understand the evolution of prehistoric Southwestern societies.


Ancient Burial Practices in the American Southwest

Ancient Burial Practices in the American Southwest

Author: Douglas R. Mitchell

Publisher: UNM Press

Published: 2001

Total Pages: 284

ISBN-13: 9780826334619

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Prehistoric burial practices provide an unparalleled opportunity for understanding and reconstructing ancient civilizations and for identifying the influences that helped shape them.


Book Synopsis Ancient Burial Practices in the American Southwest by : Douglas R. Mitchell

Download or read book Ancient Burial Practices in the American Southwest written by Douglas R. Mitchell and published by UNM Press. This book was released on 2001 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Prehistoric burial practices provide an unparalleled opportunity for understanding and reconstructing ancient civilizations and for identifying the influences that helped shape them.


The Economy As An Evolving Complex System

The Economy As An Evolving Complex System

Author: Philip W. Anderson

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2018-03-12

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 0429961391

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This book proceeds from a meeting at the Santa Fe Institute where economists and physical and biological scientists came together to discuss a conceptual framework incorporating a more appropriate mathematics with a greatly strengthened capacity to deal simultaneously with multiple variables, nonlinearity, incomplete information and dynamical processes.


Book Synopsis The Economy As An Evolving Complex System by : Philip W. Anderson

Download or read book The Economy As An Evolving Complex System written by Philip W. Anderson and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2018-03-12 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book proceeds from a meeting at the Santa Fe Institute where economists and physical and biological scientists came together to discuss a conceptual framework incorporating a more appropriate mathematics with a greatly strengthened capacity to deal simultaneously with multiple variables, nonlinearity, incomplete information and dynamical processes.


General Technical Report RM.

General Technical Report RM.

Author:

Publisher:

Published: 1996

Total Pages: 388

ISBN-13:

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Book Synopsis General Technical Report RM. by :

Download or read book General Technical Report RM. written by and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


The Economy As An Evolving Complex System II

The Economy As An Evolving Complex System II

Author: W. Brian Arthur

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2018-05-04

Total Pages: 600

ISBN-13: 0429965184

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A new view of the economy as an evolving, complex system has been pioneered at the Santa Fe Institute over the last ten years, This volume is a collection of articles that shape and define this view?a view of the economy as emerging from the interactions of individual agents whose behavior constantly evolves, whose strategies and actions are always adapting.The traditional framework in economics portrays activity within an equilibrium steady state. The interacting agents in the economy are typically homogenous, solve well-defined problems using perfect rationality, and act within given legal and social structures. The complexity approach, by contrast, sees economic activity as continually changing?continually in process. The interacting agents are typically heterogeneous, they must cognitively interpret the problems they face, and together they create the structures?markets, legal and social institutions, price patters, expectations?to which they individually react. Such structures may never settle down. Agents may forever adapt and explore and evolve their behaviors within structures that continually emerge and change and disappear?structures these behaviors co-create. This complexity approach does not replace the equilibrium one?it complements it.The papers here collected originated at a recent conference at the Santa Fe Institute, which was called to follow up the well-known 1987 SFI conference organized by Philip Anderson, Kenneth Arrow, and David Pines. They survey the new study of complexity and the economy. They apply this approach to real economic problems and they show the extent to which the initial vision of the 1987 conference has come to fruition.


Book Synopsis The Economy As An Evolving Complex System II by : W. Brian Arthur

Download or read book The Economy As An Evolving Complex System II written by W. Brian Arthur and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2018-05-04 with total page 600 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A new view of the economy as an evolving, complex system has been pioneered at the Santa Fe Institute over the last ten years, This volume is a collection of articles that shape and define this view?a view of the economy as emerging from the interactions of individual agents whose behavior constantly evolves, whose strategies and actions are always adapting.The traditional framework in economics portrays activity within an equilibrium steady state. The interacting agents in the economy are typically homogenous, solve well-defined problems using perfect rationality, and act within given legal and social structures. The complexity approach, by contrast, sees economic activity as continually changing?continually in process. The interacting agents are typically heterogeneous, they must cognitively interpret the problems they face, and together they create the structures?markets, legal and social institutions, price patters, expectations?to which they individually react. Such structures may never settle down. Agents may forever adapt and explore and evolve their behaviors within structures that continually emerge and change and disappear?structures these behaviors co-create. This complexity approach does not replace the equilibrium one?it complements it.The papers here collected originated at a recent conference at the Santa Fe Institute, which was called to follow up the well-known 1987 SFI conference organized by Philip Anderson, Kenneth Arrow, and David Pines. They survey the new study of complexity and the economy. They apply this approach to real economic problems and they show the extent to which the initial vision of the 1987 conference has come to fruition.


Supply-Side Sustainability

Supply-Side Sustainability

Author: Timothy F. H. Allen

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2003-02-19

Total Pages: 478

ISBN-13: 0231504071

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While environmentalists insist that lower rates of consumption of natural resources are essential for a sustainable future, many economists dismiss the notion that resource limits act to constrain modern, creative societies. The conflict between these views tinges political debate at all levels and hinders our ability to plan for the future. Supply-Side Sustainability offers a fresh approach to this dilemma by integrating ecological and social science approaches in an interdisciplinary treatment of sustainability. Written by two ecologists and an anthropologist, this book discusses organisms, landscapes, populations, communities, biomes, the biosphere, ecosystems and energy flows, as well as patterns of sustainability and collapse in human societies, from hunter-gatherer groups to empires to today's industrial world. These diverse topics are integrated within a new framework that translates the authors' advances in hierarchy and complexity theory into a form useful to professionals in science, government, and business. The result is a much-needed blueprint for a cost-effective management regime, one that makes problem-solving efforts themselves sustainable over time. The authors demonstrate that long-term, cost-effective resource management can be achieved by managing the contexts of productive systems, rather than by managing the commodities that natural systems produce.


Book Synopsis Supply-Side Sustainability by : Timothy F. H. Allen

Download or read book Supply-Side Sustainability written by Timothy F. H. Allen and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2003-02-19 with total page 478 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While environmentalists insist that lower rates of consumption of natural resources are essential for a sustainable future, many economists dismiss the notion that resource limits act to constrain modern, creative societies. The conflict between these views tinges political debate at all levels and hinders our ability to plan for the future. Supply-Side Sustainability offers a fresh approach to this dilemma by integrating ecological and social science approaches in an interdisciplinary treatment of sustainability. Written by two ecologists and an anthropologist, this book discusses organisms, landscapes, populations, communities, biomes, the biosphere, ecosystems and energy flows, as well as patterns of sustainability and collapse in human societies, from hunter-gatherer groups to empires to today's industrial world. These diverse topics are integrated within a new framework that translates the authors' advances in hierarchy and complexity theory into a form useful to professionals in science, government, and business. The result is a much-needed blueprint for a cost-effective management regime, one that makes problem-solving efforts themselves sustainable over time. The authors demonstrate that long-term, cost-effective resource management can be achieved by managing the contexts of productive systems, rather than by managing the commodities that natural systems produce.


Ancient Puebloan Southwest

Ancient Puebloan Southwest

Author: John Kantner

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2004-11-11

Total Pages: 340

ISBN-13: 9780521788809

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An introduction to the history of the Puebloan Southwest from the AD 1000s to the sixteenth century, first published in 2004.


Book Synopsis Ancient Puebloan Southwest by : John Kantner

Download or read book Ancient Puebloan Southwest written by John Kantner and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2004-11-11 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An introduction to the history of the Puebloan Southwest from the AD 1000s to the sixteenth century, first published in 2004.