Complexity, Compassion and Self-Organisation: Human Evolution and the Vulnerable Ape Hypothesis

Table of Contents

• Summary
• Table of Contents
• List of Figures

• 1. Introduction
  • 1.1 Synergetic and heroic models of fitness
  • 1.2 Symbiogenesis, constraint and evolutionary theory
• 2. Early Evolutionary Theories and Darwin's Goldilocks Problem
  • 2.1 Saltation, emergence and non-linear dynamics
  • 2.2 Changing perspective to push emergence into the background
  • 2.3 Using system concepts to revisit Darwin's theory
• 3. Plesionic Science and Reflexivity
  • 3.1 Predictions - uncertain or meaningless?
• 4. Darwin's multi-scale approach to human evolution
  • 4.1 Selection on two levels
  • 4.2 Caveat lector
• 5. Fit Genes Hide
  • 5.1 Equilibrium-seeking dynamics
  • 5.2 Reticulated evolution
  • 5.3 Molecular clocks and reticulated evolution
  • 5.4 Refugial landscapes
• 6. Causality in the Hard Sciences
  • 6.1 'Anti-cause' and innovation
• 7. The Vulnerable Ape Hypothesis
• 8. Postscript: Archaeology and Future Studies
• Bibliography
• Acknowledgements