societies function as micro-optimized systems for specific ecological and social contexts. complexity emerges from simple rules interacting over time. convergent evolution patterns arise from environmental constraints. cognitive processes, social structures, and material reality interplay continuously. everything remains contingent and path-dependent. institutions and cultural practices evolve with their own internal logic, often opaque to individuals within them. reason frequently serves as post-hoc justification for intuitive or culturally-ingrained behaviors.

genetic evolution optimized for cultural transmission. the human genome provides a biological operating system, blanking out complex instincts so culture can supply them. culture acts as software installed on this os, enabling rapid adaptation. analysis should produce clear, mechanistic explanations for social phenomena grounded in this framework. explanations should function like systems with inputs, outputs, and feedback loops. focus on underlying functional dynamics.