(Let 17) Evolutionary Perspectives on Warfare

These flashcards cover key concepts and definitions related to the evolutionary perspectives on warfare discussed in the lecture.

What are the anthropological definitions of war according to Brian Ferguson and Luke Glowacki?

War is defined as a group from one community trying to kill members of another community, and the most salient characteristic is intergroup coalitionary killings.

Who argued that humanity is fundamentally good and peaceful while suggesting that warfare arose as a corruption?

Jean-Jacques Rousseau argued that humanity is fundamentally good and peaceful, and that warfare arose due to the rise of private property, inequality, and the state.

What viewpoint did Thomas Hobbes have regarding the natural state of humanity?

Thomas Hobbes believed that in the natural state, human life would be solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short, with continual fear of a violent death.

According to Raymond Kelly, when did warfare first become associated with human societies?

Raymond Kelly proposed that warfare is a recent phenomenon associated with the rise of agriculture, sedentary societies, and states around 5,000 years ago.

What hypothesis do Joe Manson and Richard Wrangham propose regarding the dynamics of lethal encounters in humans and chimpanzees?

The Imbalance of Power Hypothesis suggests that many lethal encounters occur when there is a clear advantage for the attackers, facilitating access to important resources.

What role does kinship play in warfare among the Yanomamö according to Chagnon’s research?

Kinship promotes cooperation within Yanomamö fighting groups and predicts the alliance taken when groups split.

What is the significance of the term 'Unokai' in Yanomamö society?

Unokai are Yanomamö war heroes who have more wives and children, suggesting that participation in warfare may offer reproductive benefits.

What evidence supports the idea that warfare existed prior to agriculture?

Archaeological data, such as those from sites like Nataruk and Jebel Sahaba, show mass graves and signs of violent death dating back thousands of years.

Which primates are noted for their frequency in lethal aggression, according to the lecture?

Chimpanzees, white-faced capuchins, and humans are cited as the three primates that kill members of their own species most frequently.

What does the Kin Cue Manipulation Model explain regarding modern militaries?

The Kin Cue Manipulation Model describes how militaries exploit evolved tendencies to help kin by manipulating cues of kinship through association and group identity.