[extropy-chat] Support for an EP model of war.

Keith Henson hkhenson at rogers.com
Sun Aug 27 13:21:16 UTC 2006


Some of you on this list have read my "evolution psychology, meme and the 
origin of war" paper.

Here is additional supporting evidence for the thesis, though they don't 
discuss the evolved psychological mechanisms behind the behavior.

Keith

****************

Radiocarbon dating indicated that people relocated their residences to 
fortified interior locations 300 years after the island was colonized. 
"These were all related people who arrived in Rapa," Kennett said. "They 
generally get along and collaborate when they arrive, but with time and 
growing populations there was division, then competition between different 
family lineages, resulting in significant amounts of aggression. This 
division led to the establishment of fortifications in not very desirable 
locations, such as mountaintop ridges, where it's cold, windy, inhospitable 
for crops, and far away from water."

snip

"The archaeological landscape is phenomenal," Kennett said. "There are 
domestic and agricultural terraces all around the island. Many of the ridge 
tops are flattened and there are staircases carved into the mountainsides. 
Arable land and access to fishing grounds were limited, and the farming 
areas and fish traps would have been well defended."

snip

"Rapa is a compelling story," Kennett said. "To me, this is an example of 
what's happening on the planet today in terms of expanding populations, 
environmental degradation and increasing warfare. Rapa is a little 
microcosm of our planet. There are lessons about the consequences of 
population growth to be learned there."

snip

The National Geographic Society, Australian National University and the 
University of Oregon funded the research.
Source: University of Oregon
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060825201027.htm




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