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Proposing a new scientific method and biosocial theory to explain western society / F. Mervin Baker.

Penn Museum Library GN365.9 .B335 1998
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Format:
Book
Author/Creator:
Baker, F. Mervin, 1921-
Language:
English
Subjects (All):
Sociobiology.
Physical Description:
158 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
Place of Publication:
Lewiston, NY : Edwin Mellen Press, 1998.
Contents:
Chapter 1 What Needs Explaining 1
The Successive Waves of Social Growth in Western History and the Wave That is Coming 2
The Problem: Why do the Waves go to Extremes? 4
The Solution: A Preview of the Chapters Featuring Three Cockroaches 5
Chapter 2 A Theory of Growth: Innovation, Growth and Obsolescence 9
Positive Feedback 9
The RGD Model: to Show How Positive Feedback Powers Waves of Growth in Species Populations and in Economic Systems 10
Ramifications of the RGD Model: Showing How to Apply it to Political and Cultural Institutions as Well as Economic Institutions 15
The RGD Model Ramifies Via Three Kinds of Needed Goods, or 'Supply': 1) Material Resources 2) Effects and Action-Space and 3) Evaluations 17
Each Kind of 'Supply' Works Differently in the RGD Model 20
Obstacles to Innovation: Cockroach I Discovered 23
Chapter 3 Social Growth: Why it Has to be an Institutionalization Process 25
The Additive Principle 26
The General Additive Classification: Different Kinds of Goods Needed for Plants, Animals and Humans 28
The Three Main Types of Control in Society 29
The Special Additive Classification: The Different Kinds of Control Over Plant, Animal and Human Existence 31
The Changing Combinations of Social Controls During the Institutionalization Process: Cockroach II Discovered 33
The Two Phases of Institutionalization Process 34
Extreme Types of Need/Opportunity Situations 35
The Charismatic or Decontrolling Phase 36
The Controlling Phase 38
Chapter 4 Freeing Up the Sticky Control: How the West Escaped the Trap of Military Empire 43
The Military-Political Ascendancy 44
The Religious Ascendancy 45
The Economic Ascendancy 48
Antagonistic Growth 49
Chapter 5 Decontrol in Modern Society: A Unique Combination of Social Controls 55
The New Release of Undirected Control 56
Freely Negotiated Exchange 57
Social Decontrol 58
Coercion Against Coercion 60
Morality Against Morality 62
The Role of Conscience 63
Undirected Decontrol 65
Chapter 6 A Recap for Reformers 71
Prediction and Experiment 71
Social Growth 73
Alternative Kinds of Growth and Power 73
Institutionalization Process and Social Controls 76
Kinds of Social Decontrol 77
Countervailing Powers 77
Counteractive Controls 78
Undirected Decontrol 79
Voluntary Decontrol 80
Natural Crisis: The Source of Antagonisms 81
Three Crises 82
Reactive Dynamism 83
Crisis and Institutionalization 84
Chapter 7 Reform Proposals 87
Recover Voluntary Decontrol 88
Complete the Separation of the Countervailing Powers 91
Redirect the Bonds of Community and Identity 94
Rebuild Speaker-Hearer Power 96
Ignite the Institutionalization Process 98
A Challenge 101
Appendix A Definitions for the Special Additive Classification 103
The Principle of Higher Level Negotiation 103
Appendix B A Method for the Discovery of General Theory 119
Concept Formation for Newtonian Dynamics 120
Concept Formation for the Atomic Theory of Chemistry 125
Abstracted Aspects 129
Alterable and Generalized Models 130
Systematization for Insight 131.
Notes:
Includes bibliographical references (pages [151]-154) and index.
ISBN:
0773483101
OCLC:
39458827

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