Giorgio Bertini
Research on society, culture, art, neuroscience, cognition, critical thinking, intelligence, creativity, autopoiesis, self-organization, rhizomes, complexity, systems, networks, leadership, sustainability, thinkers, futures ++Networks
Learning Change Project
200 Posts in this Blog
Categories
- Follow Learning Cultural Change on WordPress.com
Author Archives: Giorgio Bertini
Voluntary taxation: a lesson from the Ancient Greeks
I imagine a progressive tax – in other words, a tax that falls on those most able to pay; a tax that results in the rich paying – quite voluntarily – more than they are obliged, instead of trying to … Continue reading
How Agriculture was Invented During the Stone Age
It is believed that women were the “inventors” of agriculture, as they began applying observations to their gathering in order to maximize their returns. Plant varieties were chosen for their nutritional value and ease of production, and locations were chosen … Continue reading
Posted in Agriculture, Ancient, Cultural evolution
Tagged Agriculture, ancient, cultural education
The Neolithic Revolution in the Near East: Transforming the Human Landscape
One of humanity’s most important milestones was the transition from hunting and gathering to food production and permanent village life. This Neolithic Revolution first occurred in the Near East, changing the way humans interacted with their environment and each other, … Continue reading
Posted in Cultural evolution, Evolution, Farmers
Tagged cultural evolution, evolution, Farmers
First farmers had diverse origins
Analysis of DNA from some of the world’s first farmers shows that they had surprisingly diverse origins. Researchers compared the genomes of ancient Neolithic skeletons from across the Near East, where farming began. The results shed light on a debate over whether … Continue reading
Understanding the Past: Archaeological and Paleoanthropological Methods
A portion of a pig’s tusk, a small sample of volcanic sediment, a battered cobble, a primate’s molar tooth: What do these seemingly unremarkable remains have in common, and more to the point, why are they of interest to paleoanthropologists and archaeologists? First … Continue reading
Posted in Anthropology, Archaeology, Paleoanthropology
Tagged anthropology, Archaeology, Paleoanthropology
Is Violence Embedded in Our DNA?
Some research suggests that throughout our evolution an innate tendency toward fighting shaped human anatomy. But anthropologists are sharply divided on the matter. Whether we take the perspective that evolutionary selection made humans prone to violence matters to our sense of … Continue reading
How Music and Instruments Began – The story of music is the story of humans
How did music begin? Did our early ancestors first start by beating things together to create rhythm, or use their voices to sing? What types of instruments did they use? Has music always been important in human society, and if … Continue reading
Human evolution: why we’re more than great apes
Palaeoanthropologists have used the anatomical signs of bipedalism to identify our earliest ancestors, demonstrating our shared genetic heritage with great apes. However, despite this shared history, human evolution set out on a trajectory that has led to significant distinctions from … Continue reading
Posted in Brain, Cultural change, Culture, Human evolution
Tagged brain, cultural change, culture, human evolution
Famous doctors from the ancient world
Drastic advances in science have caused past medical practices to become not only antiquated but often shocking. Although brilliant medical insights are peppered throughout history, many dated practices are more curious than insightful. From an early take on chemical warfare … Continue reading
The Lost Knowledge of the Ancients
1500 years ago, people generally believed that the earth was flat and rectangular. However, as early as the 6th century BC Greek philosopher Pythagoras theorized that the Earth must be a sphere and in the 3rd century BC the Greek … Continue reading
