Final answer:
Cultural evolution can be understood as the changes in human culture over time, similar to biological evolution. The traditional definition of evolution can include cultural evolution by applying the principles of evolution to the development and change of cultural forms.
Step-by-step explanation:
Cultural evolution can be understood as the changes in human culture over time, similar to how biological species change over time. The traditional definition of evolution can be altered to include cultural evolution by applying the principles of evolution to the development and change of cultural forms. Just as biological evolution involves processes such as mutation, natural selection, and speciation, cultural evolution also involves processes of innovation, discovery, and cultural diffusion.
For example, British anthropologist Edward Tylor believed that human culture evolved from savagery, through barbarism, to civilization. He associated savagery with people who used gathering and hunting, while civilization resulted from more advanced forms of farming, trade, and manufacturing. Similarly, American anthropologist Lewis Henry Morgan focused on technology as the primary driver of cultural evolution.
By incorporating cultural adaptation and the study of the origins and changes of human cultural forms, the traditional definition of evolution can be expanded to include cultural evolution.