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Limited evidence that fitness interdependence produces historical origin myths

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2025

Andreas Wimmer Open the ORCID record for Andreas Wimmer [Opens in a new window]
Andreas Wimmer*
Affiliation:
Department of Sociology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA andreas.wimmer@columbia.edu https://www.awimmer.com
*
*Corresponding author.
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Abstract

This commentary points out some theoretical lacuna in the argument and then evaluates, in a preliminary way, its main comparative empirical hypotheses. It finds very limited support for the observable implications of the evolutionary theory. By contrast, the historical remoteness of foundational myths is closely associated with how long a society has been ruled by a centralized state, pointing at the important role of political history.

Information

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 47 , 2024 , e194
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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References

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