Evolution Almanac
* Book: Almanac. Evolution Series. Ed. by Leonid E. Grinin, Аndrey V. Korotayev. Uchitel, 2011+.
URL = https://www.sociostudies.org/almanac/evolution/
Description
"The application of the evolutionary approach to the history of nature and society has remained one of the most effective ways to conceptualize and integrate our growing knowledge of the Universe, life, society and human thought. The present volume demonstrates this in a rather convincing way. This is the third issue of the Almanac series titled ‘Evolution’. The first volume came out with the sub-heading ‘Cosmic, Biological, and Social’, the second was entitled ‘Evolution: A Big History Perspective’. The present volume is subtitled Development within Big History, Evolutionary and World-System Paradigms. In addition to the straightforward evolutionary approach, it also reflects such adjacent approaches as Big History, the world-system analysis, as well as globalization paradigm and long wave theory. The volume includes a number of the exciting works in these fields."
(https://www.sociostudies.org/almanac/evolution/dwbheawsp/)
Contextual Quotes
1.
“The application of the evolutionary approach to the history of nature and society has remained one of the most effective ways to conceptualize and integrate our growing knowledge of the Universe, society and human thought. Moreover, we believe that without using mega-paradigmatic, theoretical instruments such as the evolutionary approach, the scientists working in different fields may run the risk of losing sight of each other's contributions (Grinin, Korotayev, Carneiro, and Spier 2011: 7). What is more, we have become convinced that the evolutionary mega-paradigm is not only capable of uniting representatives of different branches of science; it is capable of finding such research directions where representatives of different sciences can work together.”
- Leonid Grinin et al. [1]
2.
“Evolution should be considered as multilinear. The transition to a new level of complexity is inevitably realized in the bundle of models and forms. They can, on the one hand, be considered within a ‘horizontal’ dimension as equal versions of the same complexity level, and on the other hand, can be analyzed within the evolutionary ‘vertical’ dimension. So theoretically, one may detect ‘main’ and ‘collateral’ development lines of social evolution. … But it took the new organizational principles a rather long time and a few generations of polity types to prove their advantage because possessing an evolutionary potential does not mean to have advantages in a concrete historical situation. Quite often it was just the other way round. Over entire epochs the evolutionary models coexisted and competed with each other (yet being mutually complementary), whereas in particular ecological and social niches some ‘collateral’ pathways, models, and versions could well have turned out to be more competitive and adequate. We proceed from the assumption that complex chiefdoms, early states, and different other societal types (large confederations, large self-governed civil and temple communities etc.) which will be discussed below, should be considered as standing at the same evolution- ary stage, which could be defined as a complex societies or early-state stage. The transition to it by definition cannot be fulfilled but in a very extensive variety of forms, developmental trends and combinations. The answer to the question about the factors that caused the rise of the state depends on what stages of statehood are singled out.”
- Leonid Grinin [2]
Directory
Vol. 1: Evolution: Cosmic, Biological, and Social
This issue initiates the series of almanac under the common title Evolution, which is supposed to unite researchers working in all fields of evolutionary studies.
"The present issue may be regarded as a collective effort dedicated to the search for the contours and specifics of evolutionary mega-paradigms. In addition, in this issue we have tried to present articles that study problems on various scales. Yet in general this issue deals with studies on very large temporal and spatial scales, in other words: the issues of mega- and macroevolution."
(https://www.sociostudies.org/almanac/evolution/cbas/)
See: The Integration of Cosmic, Biological, and Social Evolution
Vol. 2: Evolution: A Big History Perspective
The present almanac may be regarded as a collective effort of searching for the contours and specifics of evolutionary megaparadigms. Here the contributions present studies at very large temporal and spatial scales, in other words, the issues of mega- and macroevolution.
See: Big History Perspective on Evolution
Vol. 3: Evolution: Development within Big History, Evolutionary and World-System Paradigms
The application of the evolutionary approach to the history of nature and society has remained one of the most effective ways to conceptualize and integrate our growing knowledge of the Universe, life, society and human thought. The present volume demonstrates this in a rather convincing way. This is the third issue of the Almanac series titled ‘Evolution’. The first volume came out with the sub-heading ‘Cosmic, Biological, and Social’, the second was entitled ‘Evolution: A Big History Perspective’.
See: Overview of Evolutionary and World-System Paradigms
Vol. 4: Evolution: From Big Bang to Nanorobots
"The present volume is the fourth issue of the Yearbook series entitled ‘Evolution’. The title of the present volume is ‘From Big Bang to Nanorobots’. In this way we demonstrate that all phases of evolution and Big History are covered in the articles of the present Yearbook. Several articles also present the forecasts about future development.
The main objective of our Yearbook as well as of the previous issues is the creation of a unified interdisciplinary field of research in which the scientists specializing in different disciplines could work within the framework of unified or similar paradigms, using the common terminology and searching for common rules, tendencies and regularities. At the same time for the formation of such an integrated field one should use all available opportunities: theories, laws and methods. In the present volume, a number of such approaches are used."
See: Evolution from the Big Bang to Nanorobots
Vol. 5: Evolution and Big History: Dimensions, Trends, and Forecasts
The present volume is the fifth issue of the ‘Evolution’ Yearbook series. Our Yearbooks are designed to present to its readers the widest possible spectrum of subjects and issues: from universal evolutionism to the analysis of particular evolutionary regularities in the development of biological, abiotic, and social systems, culture, cognition, language, etc. The main objective of our Yearbook is the creation of a unified interdisciplinary field of research, within which scientists specializing in different disciplines could work within the framework of unified or similar paradigms, using common terminology and searching for common rules, tendencies and regularities. Global evolution (in connection with the Big History) becomes the main subject of our Yearbook. We strive to arrange each issue in such a way that the line from cosmic evolution to the human future is evident.
Vol. 6: Evolution: Evolutionary Trends, Aspects, and Patterns
The present volume is the sixth issue of the ‘Evolution’ Yearbook series. Our Yearbooks are designed to present to its readers the widest possible spectrum of subjects and issues: from universal evolutionism to the analysis of particular evolutionary regularities in the development of biological, abiotic, and social systems, culture, cognition, language, etc. The main objective of our Yearbook is the creation of a unified interdisciplinary field of research, within which scientists specializing in different disciplines could work within the framework of unified or similar paradigms, using common terminology and searching for common rules, tendencies and regularities. Global evolution (in connection with the Big History) becomes the main subject of our Yearbook. We strive to arrange each issue in such a way that the line from cosmic evolution to the human future is evident."
Vol. 7: Evolutionary Aspects: Stars, Primates, and Religion
Every time we work on this Yearbook, we are focused on making at least a small step forward to gradual elaboration of a mega-evolutionary paradigm which is designed to create a united scientific field for cross-disciplinary studies.
Vol. 8: Evolution: Trajectories of Social Evolution
The present volume is the eighth issue of the ‘Evolution’ Yearbook series. Our Yearbooks are designed to present to its readers the widest possible spectrum of subjects and issues: from universal evolutionism to the analysis of particular evolutionary regularities in the development of bio-logical, abiotic, and social systems, culture, cognition, language, etc. The main objective of our Yearbook is the creation of a unified interdisciplinary field of research, within which scientists specializing in different disciplines could work within the framework of unified or similar paradigms, using common terminology and searching for common rules, tendencies and regularities. Global evolution (in connection with the Big History) becomes the main subject of our Yearbook. We strive to arrange each issue in such a way that the line from cosmic evolution to the human future is evident. However, in this case we focus only on the social branch of evolution."