The Ratchet of Technology, a site by Michael Magoon

A Library of 280+ Book Summaries on Technology, History, Economic Growth & Progress

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Tag: Theory

September 22, 2021December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Introduction to Cultural Ecology” by Sutton and Anderson

July 27, 2021January 28, 2023 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Causes of Economic Growth” by Rick Szostak

July 21, 2021December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Gifts of Athena: Historical Origins of the Knowledge Economy” by Joel Mokyr

April 16, 2021November 24, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Tragedy of Great Power Politics” by John Mearsheimer

March 23, 2021November 20, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Uncontrolled: The Surprising Payoff of Trial-and-Error… ” by Jim Stanzi

November 22, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Is There Anything Good About Men?” by Roy F. Baumeister

April 13, 2020November 21, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Cultural Evolution: How Darwinian Theory Can Explain Human Culture” by Alex Mesoudi

April 13, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Nature’s Magic: Synergy in Evolution…” by Peter Corning

April 8, 2020November 21, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge” by Matt Ridley

April 7, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Ultrasociety: How 10,000 Years of War Made Humans the Greatest Cooperators…” by Peter Turchin

March 24, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Origin and Evolution of Cultures” by Robert Boyd and Peter Richerson

March 23, 2020April 15, 2021 Michael Magoon

Article Summary: “Five Facts You Need to Know about Technology Diffusion” by Comin, Hobijn and Rovito

March 19, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Convergence: The Idea at the Heart of Science” by Peter Watson

March 13, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World” by Daniel Epstein

March 11, 2020November 21, 2021 Michael Magoon

Course Summary: “Principles of Human Ecology” by Peter Richerson et al

February 26, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Principles of Social Evolution” by Andrew Bourke

February 24, 2020April 15, 2021 Michael Magoon

Article Summary: “The Diffusion of Development” by Spolaore and Wacziarg

February 13, 2020April 15, 2021 Michael Magoon

Article Summary: “Technology as a Complex Adaptive System” by Fleming and Sorenson

February 12, 2020November 20, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Why the West Rules-for Now: The Patterns of History” by Ian Morris

February 10, 2020November 21, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Violence and Social Orders” by North, Wallis and Weingast

February 6, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Cultural Evolution: People’s Motivations are Changing” by Ronald Inglehart

February 5, 2020April 15, 2021 Michael Magoon

Article Summary: “The European Origins of Economic Development” by Easterly and Levine

February 3, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Human Societies: An Introduction to Macrosociology” by Nolan and Lenski

February 3, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Ecological-Evolutionary Theory” by Gerhard Lenski

January 31, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Not by Genes Alone: How Culture Transformed Human Evolution” by Richerson and Boyd

January 30, 2020April 15, 2021 Michael Magoon

Article Summary: “Was the Wealth of Nations Determined in 1000 BC? ” by many

January 28, 2020April 15, 2021 Michael Magoon

Article Summary: “How Deep are the Roots of Economic Development?” by Spolaore and Wacziarg

January 21, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Origin of Wealth” by Eric D. Beinhocker

January 15, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny” by Robert Wright

January 10, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Nature of Technology” by W. Brian Arthur

January 7, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Why Information Grows” by Cesar Hidalgo

January 6, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “Foragers, Farmers and Fossil Fuels” by Ian Morris

January 2, 2020December 2, 2021 Michael Magoon

Book Summary: “The Secret of Our Success” by Joseph Henrich

December 28, 2019May 10, 2020 Michael Magoon

Keys to Progress

December 26, 2019December 28, 2019 Michael Magoon

Authors who have influenced me the most

December 26, 2019January 18, 2020 Michael Magoon

Introduction to my thoughts so far… (part 4)

December 26, 2019January 18, 2020 Michael Magoon

Introduction to my thoughts so far… (part 3)

December 26, 2019January 18, 2020 Michael Magoon

Introduction to my thoughts so far… (part 2)

December 26, 2019January 9, 2021 Michael Magoon

Introduction

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Top Posts & Pages

  • Book Summary: “The Tools of Empire: Technology and European Imperialism..” by Daniel Headrick
  • Book Summary: “The Tragedy of Great Power Politics” by John Mearsheimer
  • Book Summary: "Special Providence: American Foreign Policy and How It Changed the World" by Walter Russell Mead
  • Book Summary: “Blueprint – How DNA Makes Us Who We Are” by Robert Plomin
  • Book Summary: “Nature’s Metropolis: Chicago and the Great West” by William Cronon

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