| Author | : Karl Widerquist |
| File Size | : 48,9 Mb |
| Publisher | : Edinburgh University Press |
| Language | : English |
| Release Date | : 07 December 2016 |
| ISBN | : 9780748678693 |
| Pages | : 272 pages |
Prehistoric Myths in Modern Political Philosophy by Karl Widerquist Book PDF Summary
How modern philosophers use and perpetuate myths about prehistoryThe state of nature, the origin of property, the origin of government, the primordial nature of inequality and war why do political philosophers talk so much about the Stone Age? And are they talking about a Stone Age that really happened, or is it just a convenient thought experiment to illustrate their points?Karl Widerquist and Grant S. McCall take a philosophical look at the origin of civilisation, examining political theories to show how claims about prehistory are used. Drawing on the best available evidence from archaeology and anthropology, they show that much of what we think we know about human origins comes from philosophers imagination, not scientific investigation.Key FeaturesShows how modern political theories employ ambiguous factual claims about prehistoryBrings archaeological and anthropological evidence to bear on those claimsTells the story of human origins in a way that reveals many commonly held misconceptions
