🧩 Philosophy Jun 5, 2026 · Robin Hanson

How Weak Is Cultural Evolution?

Overcoming Bias
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How Weak Is Cultural Evolution?
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World fertility decline seems the clearest example of a maladaptive cultural trend, as healthy biological species just don’t decline in times of plenty, peace, and health. Two main theories help explain this trend. One is that previously adaptive habits have turned maladaptive by misfiring on cues that no longer track the adaptiveness as they once did. The other is that the cultural evolution process has become much weaker than it was up until a few centuries ago, which both slows the rate

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