Cognitive agency in sociocultural evolution

Models of sociocultural evolution generally study the population dynamics of cultural traits given known biases in social learning. Cognitive agency, understood as the dynamics underlying a specific agent’s adoption of a given trait, is essentially irrelevant in this framework. This article argues that although implementing and instrumenting agency in computational models is fundamentally challenging, it is ultimately possible and would help us overcome major limitations in our understanding of sociocultural dynamics.Indeed, the behaviour of humans is not causally generated by a set of predefined behavioural laws, but by the situated activity of their cognitive architecture. Idealised models of biased transmission certainly help us understand specific features of population dynamics. However, they distract us from the deep intrication of the cognitive and ecological processes underlying sociocultural evolution, and erase their embodied, subjective nature.In line with the earlier “Thinking Through Other Minds” account of sociocultural evolution, this article highlights how the Active Inference framework can help us implement and instrument computational models that address these limitations. Such models would not only help ground our understanding of sociocultural evolution in the underlying cognitive dynamics, but also help solve (or frame) open questions in the study of ritual, relation between cultural transmission and innovation, as well as scales of cultural evolution.

The Beat of Change - Fashioned by the Peacock Revolution

The development of British menswear during the first phase of the Peacock Revolution from 1960 to 1965 demonstrated a significant visual change in the representation of masculinity. Examining the elements that helped shape this moment in style indicates a deep rooted relationship between a group of upper class dandies and rock music icons. This practice-based study addresses gaps in existing research, qualitatively exploring the collaborative role of fashion and music that supported the progression of menswear. The methodological framework investigates the process of sociocultural evolution through the study of memetics, accompanied by a semiotic analysis of oppositional dress. Bricolage was applied as a method of shaping and applying new meaning to the themes investigated in this research, expressing the potential of music to serve as a vehicle for change. An interactive audio-visual installation piece has been created to stimulate audience participation, encouraging the public to question more generally how fashion and music collaborate to facilitate shifts in identity.

The Beat of Change - Fashioned by the Peacock Revolution

The development of British menswear during the first phase of the Peacock Revolution from 1960 to 1965 demonstrated a significant visual change in the representation of masculinity. Examining the elements that helped shape this moment in style indicates a deep rooted relationship between a group of upper class dandies and rock music icons. This practice-based study addresses gaps in existing research, qualitatively exploring the collaborative role of fashion and music that supported the progression of menswear. The methodological framework investigates the process of sociocultural evolution through the study of memetics, accompanied by a semiotic analysis of oppositional dress. Bricolage was applied as a method of shaping and applying new meaning to the themes investigated in this research, expressing the potential of music to serve as a vehicle for change. An interactive audio-visual installation piece has been created to stimulate audience participation, encouraging the public to question more generally how fashion and music collaborate to facilitate shifts in identity.

The Evolution of Geopolitics and Imperialism in Interpolity Systems

This chapter discusses the sociocultural evolution of relations among human polities, especially focusing on warfare and imperialism, but also taking account of the emergence of cultural agreements and institutions that facilitate intergroup cooperation. The comparative evolutionary world-systems perspective analyzes the spatial bounding of whole human interaction networks. The comparative and evolutionary world-systems perspective applies an anthropological framework of comparison for studying world-systems, including those of hunter-gatherers. The evolution of geopolitics is due to changes in the character of the interacting polities as well as changes in the nature of their interaction. World history and global history are the most important evidential bases, along with prehistoric archaeology, for the comparative study of world-systems. All world-systems, small and large, exhibit some similar patterns of interaction regarding conflict and cooperation among autonomous polities. But there have also been qualitative transformations as these networks, and the polities within them, grew more complex and larger.

The problem of relevant social regulation of the technosphere exemplified by fire safety

The article addresses the problem of mainstreaming the state regulation of the technosphere in terms of fire safety assurance and urban development.The technosphere, being an artificial structure created by humans willing to simplify and protect their living, has turned into a major problem rather than a benefit over the last fifty years. Accelerated sociocultural evolution is the reason for this change.Reason 1 is our poor knowledge of the technosphere and its constituents that we are still willing to create and apply using our simplified (conventional) ideas about the natural processes underlying their creation and application.Reason 2 is the logistic breakdown of the technosphere, as a result of which the consolidated sociocultural space is regulated by separate social norms focused on minor fragmented goals, determined by subjective needs of small groups willing to obtain immediate benefits.Reason 3 is decelerated development of the social environment that lags behind industrialization and urbanization. Thus, it is unable to exercise reliable control over the safety of the technosphere.A set of actions, aimed at the expansion of the area exposed to social control and the tightening of penalties represent a practical solution to these problems that is currently applied by executive government authorities.However, social regulation quality improvement, based on the principle of prevention of inacceptable social harm, has been disregarded.The introduction of a risk oriented model into fire safety assurance and urban planning is analyzed in an attempt to consider the problems in question.

Construction of sports facilities and playgrounds in the Moscow region as a factor of sustainable development

The article analyzes the measures, taken in and around Moscow to create a comfortable architectural and urban planning environment. Special focus has been placed on the construction of childcare and art centres, as well as sports facilities. The author uses statistical data and news reports about the launch of a network of facilities designated for children and teenagers. The article outlines the most recent trends in the construction of childcare facilities. The purpose of the research is to identify the top-priority focus of urban development and urban planning. The author emphasizes the ability of proper architectural environments to ensure the successful social involvement of children, residing in the capital. The work analyzes the state of affairs in this area of research and makes projections in terms of the sociocultural evolution of urban areas.

Towards a model of urban evolution I: context

This paper seeks to develop the core concepts of a model of urban evolution. It proceeds in four major sections. First we review prior adumbrations of an evolutionary model in urban theory, not-ing their potential and their limitations. Second, we turn to the general sociocultural evolution litera-ture to draw inspiration for a fresh and more complete application of evolutionary theory to the study of urban life. Third, building upon this background, we outline the main elements of our proposed model, with special attention to elaborating the value of its key conceptual innovation, the “formeme.” Last, we conclude with a discussion of what types of research commitments the overall approach does or does not imply, and point toward the more formal elaboration of the model that we undertake in “Towards a Model of Urban Evolution II” and “Towards a Model of Urban Evo-lution III.”