A Historical Conspiracy: Competition, Opportunity, and the Emergence of Direction in History

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" A Historical Conspiracy: Competition, Opportunity, and the Emergence of Direction in History "
Vermeij, Geerat J

Document Type	:	AL
Record Number	:	938083
Doc. No	:	LA6gh17580
Language of Document	:	English
Main Entry	:	Vermeij, Geerat J
Title & Author	:	A Historical Conspiracy: Competition, Opportunity, and the Emergence of Direction in History [Article]\ Vermeij, Geerat J
Title of Periodical	:	Cliodynamics
Volume/ Issue Number	:	2/1
Date	:	2011
Abstract	:	I describe historical patterns that I believe would emerge in any system characterized by living things competing for locally scarce resources. I then consider the search for patterns and their explanation in the context of an intellectual climate dominated by anti-adaptationist rhetoric and doubts about the validity of scientific approaches to history. Notwithstanding this hostile environment, I present a summary of the economic principles that in my view not only account for historical patterns but also serve to predict future trends and postdict past ones not yet known. A positive feedback between consumers and resources – a historical conspiracy of sorts – implies the existence of inherent directions in the history of living things, including humans.