The Human Place in Nature

Evolution, Context and Choice

John Schooneveldt

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Forthcoming
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English

CRC Press
30 May 2025

Neurosciences; Botany & plant sciences; Zoology & animal sciences; Biodiversity

This book explores a new approach to understanding the evolution of mind and consciousness by examining the perceptual abilities of animals and the way they experience their world. It offers a science-based bottom-up approach to our own conscious worldview by seeing it through the eyes of others. Emphasis is on the role of context in evolution and the way animals internalize and engage with the contextual properties of their world that are meaningful for them. The core argument is that a context, which is subjective and comprised of the perceptual capacities, offers new insights into the evolution of mind. Rather than seeing biological evolution in terms of the emergence of mindless forms and cultural evolution as the emergence of disembodied minds, the book seeks to integrate these two perspectives through the rigorous mapping of contexts.

Key Features

Reveals an understanding of animal minds

Formulates a hypothesis for the evolution of consciousness

Includes a discussion of the origin of technological innovation

Provides a rationale for the ecology of mind

Proposes a theory of the evolution of language

Outlines the science of experience and how it influences choice

Explains the role of context and choice with respect especially to human ecology

By: John Schooneveldt
Imprint: CRC Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
Weight: 453g
ISBN: 9781032935959
ISBN 10: 1032935952
Pages: 196
Publication Date: 30 May 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Adult education , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

1. Introduction: rationale and justification. 2. What is Context?. 3. Privileging Properties. 4. Context Mapping. 5. The Evolutionary Thinking Frame. 6. The Evolution of Technology. 7. The Evolution Belief. 8. Interpretation and Sense-Making. 9. The ecology of economics. 10. Summary and its Implications for Ethics.

John Schooneveldt is a human ecologist with an academic background in psychology (BA 1972), linguistics (MA 1989) and applied ecology (PhD 2000). He worked as a senior government advisor for different governments, a green enterprise development consultant and farmer before returning to academia where he has been a visiting fellow and honorary lecturer at the Australian National University since 2010.