The Roots of Equality

This book investigates how Homo sapiens thrived in and nurtured a certain social condition that happened to abet our continual survival. This condition of individual autonomy shaped our species and led humans to demand social equality to this day.

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For centuries, thinkers have grappled with the mystery of how humans ever invented the notion of equality. The species is quite territorial and, since earliest recorded history, has proven to have a violent streak. How could such a creature have devised such a peaceful idea as ensuring everyone gets their fair share?

Equality may be a last-gasp measure: If we could guarantee such peace, we may survive self-annihilation. However, if we step back and look at the phenomenon across Homo sapiens' existence, a naturalistic solution to the puzzle starts to shine through. After all, as Aristotle enjoined, to understand a thing, look to its origin. Lantz Miller looks to the origin of H. sapiens along its Homo line to argue that we did not concoct equality to nurture peace and so forestall self-annihilation. Rather, archaeology points to our species' having lived hundreds of thousands of years in a certain social condition that happened to abet our continual survival. That condition was one of profound individual autonomy, allowing—even urging—social equality. Bringing together insights from both philosophy and anthropology, The Roots of Equality: Anthropological and Normative Sources investigates how our foraging ancestors thrived in and nurtured an autonomy-inducing social phenomenon that so shaped our species.