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Bifocal stance theory, the transmission metaphor, and institutional reality
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 November 2022
Abstract
Biologists have replaced the metaphor of “genetic transmission” with a detailed account of the molecular mechanisms underlying the phenomenon which Darwin referred to as “like produces like.” Cultural evolution theorists, in contrast, continue to appeal to “imitation” or “copying.” The notion of ritual and instrumental stances does not resolve this issue, and ignores the institutions in which people live.
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- Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press
References
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Target article
Tradition and invention: The bifocal stance theory of cultural evolution
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Author response
Bifocal stance theory: An effort to broaden, extend, and clarify