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| List of figures and tables | |
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| Preface | |
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| Introduction | |
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| Scientific ground rules | |
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| Principles of physics, chemistry and biology | |
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| Physical and biological systems | |
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| Genetics and homeostasis | |
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| The new views in anthropology, archaeology and economics | |
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| Anthropology | |
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| Archaeology | |
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| Economics | |
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| Theoretical background to the vicious circle principle | |
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| The principle of population | |
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| Different kinds of population check | |
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| Population growth pushes technology | |
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| Ecological equilibrium, technological/economic development and economic growth | |
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| The vicious circle principle of the development of humankind | |
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| Presentation of the vicious circle principle | |
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| Explication of the vicious circle principle | |
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| Conclusion | |
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| The development of humankind | |
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| Apes and protohominids 7 million BP | |
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| The first hominids; Australopithecus 4 million BP | |
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| The first humans 2.5 million BP | |
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| The Neanderthals 230,000 BP | |
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| The Upper Palaeolithic in Europe 40,000 BP | |
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| The latter half of the Upper Palaeolithic in Europe 25,000 BP | |
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| The Palaeolithic-Mesolithic transformation 12,000 BP | |
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| VCP analysis of the hunter-gatherer era | |
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| VCP models of increasing complexity | |
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| The hunter-gatherer model | |
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| The horticultural (domestication) revolution 10,000 BP | |
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| VCP analysis of the horticultural era | |
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| The horticultural model | |
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| Mining metals 6000 BP | |
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| The agrarian (plough and irrigation) revolution 5000 BP | |
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| Colonisation and the (capitalistic) mercantile expansion 1500 AD | |
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| VCP analysis of the agrarian era | |
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| The agrarian model | |
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| The (capitalistic) industrial (fossil-fuel) revolution 1750 AD | |
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| VCP analysis of the industrial age | |
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| The industrial model | |
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| The vicious circle today | |
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| Our use of minerals | |
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| Biotic consumption | |
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| Pollution | |
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| Extinctions | |
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| Population growth and checks; morals | |
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| Migration | |
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| Power begets more power: capitalism | |
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| The Third World | |
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| Global military spending and war | |
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| Economic growth | |
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| Disease | |
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| The 1950s-1960s peak and the subsequent lowering of the quality of life of the middle class | |
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| �and too dumb to change | |
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| Perspectives and worldviews | |
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| Planning | |
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| The pursuit of economic growth | |
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| Innovation | |
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| Nuclear energy | |
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| Agriculture | |
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| Medicine | |
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| Resource depletion | |
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| Pollution | |
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| Energy conservation | |
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| Alternative sources of energy | |
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| Population growth | |
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| Conflict | |
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| The Third World | |
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| Overshoot and the ecological revolution | |
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| Conclusion | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Notes | |
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| References | |
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| Index | |