Rules of thumb, from Holocene to Anthropocene
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 4189016 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Roope O Kaaronen (0000-0002-2414-6974, University of Helsinki), M A Manninen (0000-0002-8906-6502, University of Helsinki), Jussi T Eronen (0000-0002-0390-8044, Finland University) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 685-709 |
| Publication date | 2023-12-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Anthropocene Review (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2053-0196 • E-ISSN: 2053-020X |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/20530196221149105 |
| OpenAlex | W4317434074 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 100 |
This article reviews how simple heuristics - 'rules of thumb' - have guided human adaptation and the evolution of complex cultures. First, we argue that rules of thumb have been important catalysts for the evolution of human knowledge systems in the Holocene past. Through a variety of examples and case studies, we discuss how human cultures have used simple heuristics in domains as diverse as foraging, agriculture, social learning, moral and legal judgement and technological development. We emphasise how rules of thumb are convenient units for cultural transmission, and how they can facilitate efficient decision making by making use of recurrent environmental features. Second, we caution that as Anthropocene environments rapidly change, many traditional heuristic problem-solving strategies will face challenges due to cultural evolutionary mismatch. Old rules may not function in new environments, creating potential challenges for traditional (ecological) knowledge
Anthropocene · Archaeology · Biology · Cultural transmission in animals · Environmental ethics · Epistemology · Evolutionary biology · Geography · Heuristic · Heuristics · Holocene · Judgement · Political science · Rule of thumb · Sociology · Computer Science · Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation · Experimental Behavioral Economics Studies · Language and cultural evolution · Law · Artificial Intelligence · Ecology
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| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 3 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2025 (1) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |