The Power of Materialist-Environmental Explanations: General and Specific Evolution, and the Incest Taboo ()
ABSTRACT
The incest taboo has been the subject of much
curiosity since the mid-19th century. While the taboo and its
violation have consumed much attention especially concerning the abuse of
children, other
scholars have focused on the origin of the
incest taboo. This focus on origin created a division between those who ascribed
to Darwin’s selection theory and those who recognized environmental conditions.
In the latter case what has been underdeveloped is an understanding of materialist-environmental
theory as a powerful explanation for understanding complex human behaviors. In
the following article I will examine the nature of materialist-environmentalism
and its efficacy
in explaining sociocultural evolution of human society, the specific evolution of the Hindu taboo against eating beef,
and the general sociocultural evolution of the incest taboo, as powerful
examples of material-environmental theory. In conclusion I will survey
specifically the origin of the incest taboo through environmental theory.
Share and Cite:
Leavitt, G. C. (2021) The Power of Materialist-Environmental Explanations: General and Specific Evolution, and the Incest Taboo. Sociology Mind, 11, 81-94. doi: 10.4236/sm.2021.113007.
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