Equation 5 · Part 1 · Humanity Has Always Been a Human–Technology System
Symbol M_ij
What this part means
transformation or transmission from variant i to j.
Its job in the formula
j is a part of this expression. Its role is fixed by the surrounding article and by the operations shown in the formula.
Full expression→Symbol M_ij→Article meaning
Where the article explains it
where is context-dependent cultural fitness and represents transformation or transmission from variant i to j .
The passage around this formula
where is context-dependent cultural fitness and represents transformation or transmission from variant i to j . The equation is illustrative, not a claim that beliefs have fixed genes or that cultural change is reducible to one replicator law. Unlike alleles, cultural variants can be intentionally modified, horizontally transmitted, blended, externally stored, and adopted because of prestige, conformity, coercion, or institutional mandate.
Learn the underlying idea
A subscript is a label attached below a symbol. It often selects a time step, component, category, or member of a sequence.
Open the illustrated subscripts: which member of a family? guide →
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Sources cited in the article section
- [1] Cultural learning ↗
- [3] The cultural niche: Why social learning is essential for human adaptation ↗
- [2] How culture shaped the human genome: bringing genetics and the human sciences together ↗
These citations provide research context; check each source for the exact claim it supports.