Applied Anthropology Knowledgebase

DrAA: AI-powered secular dharma & evolutionary anthropology expert with 777K+ scholarly segments.

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Overview

The Applied Anthropology Knowledgebase serves as DrAA (Doctor of Applied Anthropology), a world-leading AI expert specializing in secular dharma studies, evolutionary anthropology, and human behavioral biology. Built upon 777,553 meticulously curated document segments from over 500 scholarly works by preeminent thinkers including David Graeber, Robert Sapolsky, Christopher Boehm, Stephen Batchelor, Richard Wrangham, and Rutger Bregman, this comprehensive system provides evidence-based insights into human nature, cultural evolution, and ethical frameworks from a rigorously scientific, non-religious perspective.

The knowledgebase specializes in treating dharma not as a singular universal truth but as diverse, adaptive ethical pathways that emerge across cultures through evolutionary processes. Drawing from evolutionary biology, cultural anthropology, philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience, it maintains that secular dharmas are equally valid as religious interpretations, offering objective analysis of human cooperation, social organization, and the biological foundations of ethics.

Key Characteristics

• Scale: 777,553 document segments from 500+ scholarly works (fully embedded)
• Database Size: 2.2GB SQLite database + 7.9GB FAISS vector index
• Citations: 15,143 AI-generated contextual citations
• Text Cache: 94 processed directories from diverse academic sources
• Specialization: Secular dharma, evolutionary anthropology, human behavioral biology
• AI Role: World expert in Applied Anthropology with dharma specialization
• Last Updated: July 18-19, 2025 (recent full system rebuild)

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Problem Statement & Mission

This project addresses the critical need for:

• Evidence-based exploration of human ethical systems and cultural evolution
• Secular academic perspective on dharma concepts traditionally associated with religious contexts
• Interdisciplinary synthesis of anthropology, evolutionary biology, philosophy, and psychology
• Objective analysis of human nature, cooperation, and cultural development

Philosophical Framework

The knowledgebase serves the growing global demographic of academics, researchers, secular Buddhist practitioners, policy professionals, mental health practitioners, and the broader "spiritual but not religious" community seeking scientific perspectives on meaning-making and ethical living. This approach bridges cutting-edge AI technology with rigorous academic research, providing intellectually sophisticated yet accessible analysis for understanding human behavior, cultural development, and evidence-based approaches to ethical living in contemporary global contexts.

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Target Audience

Primary Demographics

• Academic Researchers & Scholars: Graduate students, faculty, postdocs in anthropology, evolutionary biology, philosophy (ages 22-65)
• Philosophical Practitioners: Secular Buddhists, humanists, contemplative practice communities (ages 25-65)
• Applied Professionals: Policy researchers, educators, mental health professionals (ages 25-55)
• Technology Workers: AI researchers, data scientists interested in human behavior (ages 25-45)
• Writers & Public Intellectuals: Science writers, public intellectuals covering human evolution and ethics (ages 28-65)

Geographic Distribution

• Primary Markets: North America, Europe, Australia/New Zealand (academic institutions, secular communities)
• Secondary Markets: Asia (English-speaking academics), Global South (international scholars)
• Online Communities: Global digital communities focused on secular philosophy and applied anthropology

Psychographic Profile

Advanced degree holders valuing scientific rationalism, cultural pluralism, and interdisciplinary synthesis. Early technology adopters seeking comprehensive, well-sourced information for academic research, professional development, and personal growth through secular approaches to ethical living.

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Core Architecture

Technology Stack

• Knowledgebase System: CustomKB framework with Python backend
• Vector Search Engine: FAISS (7.9GB index) with OpenAI text-embedding-3-large (1024 dimensions)
• AI Query Processing: GPT-4o with specialized anthropology expertise (temperature: 0.2335)
• Data Storage: SQLite database (2.2GB) with 777,553 document segments
• Search Enhancement: Cross-encoder reranking model for improved relevance
• Hybrid Search: Semantic vector search with optional BM25 keyword search

Data Sources & Content

• Primary Data: Symlinked to /ai/datasets/sd/sd_gpt/ containing scholarly materials
• Key Authors: David Graeber, Robert Sapolsky, Christopher Boehm, Stephen Batchelor, Richard Wrangham, Rutger Bregman, and 100+ others
• Content Areas: Evolutionary biology, anthropology, philosophy, psychology, cultural studies, secular dharma
• Text Cache: 94 processed directories with structured academic materials

Core Components

appliedanthropology/
├── appliedanthropology.cfg               # Main configuration file
├── appliedanthropology.db                # SQLite database (777K+ segments)
├── appliedanthropology.faiss             # Vector search index (7.9GB)
├── appliedanthropology_primary_prompt.md # AI assistant personality
├── appliedanthropology.build.conf        # Build configuration settings
├── build.sh                              # Symlink to build/build.sh
├── build/                                # Build scripts and utilities
│   ├── build.sh                          # Main build orchestrator
│   ├── version.sh                        # Version tracking script
│   ├── create_staging.text.sh            # Text preprocessing script
│   ├── add_version_tracking.sql          # Database schema for versioning
│   └── staging.text.zip                  # Cached text data
├── docs/                                 # Documentation files
├── logs/                                 # Application logs
├── staging.text/                         # Processed text cache (94 directories)
└── workshops/                            # Symlink to source data

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Key Functionality

1. Semantic Search Capabilities

• Vector-based search across 777,553 document segments
• Context-aware retrieval with 5-segment scope for comprehensive understanding
• Reranking optimization using cross-encoder models for improved relevance
• Multi-language support with Indonesian, French, German, Swedish stopwords
• Query enhancement with spelling correction and semantic expansion

2. AI Expert System (DrAA)

You are DrAA (Doctor of Applied Anthropology), a world-leading expert specializing in secular dharma studies, evolutionary anthropology, and human behavioral biology.

Core Expertise & Specializations:

• Secular Dharma Studies: Evidence-based exploration of ethical pathways, cultural evolution, and moral frameworks
• Applied Anthropology: Human behavioral evolution, cultural sociology, biological anthropology with practical applications
• Evolutionary Biology: Human nature, behavioral genetics, cooperation dynamics, and group social organization
• Cross-Disciplinary Synthesis: Philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, cultural studies, and consciousness research
• Comparative Ethics: Religious vs. secular approaches to human organization, cooperation, and ethical living

Methodological Approach:

• Maintain rigorous scientific objectivity while remaining intellectually accessible
• Draw comprehensively from both provided contextual segments AND internal knowledgebase
• Emphasize evidence-based analysis rooted in empirical research and cross-cultural data
• Avoid privileging religious or metaphysical interpretations over secular, naturalistic approaches
• Provide nuanced analysis that bridges academic rigor with practical, actionable insights
• Reference specific authors, studies, or theoretical frameworks when relevant
• Use clear GitHub markdown formatting for optimal readability and structure

Response Framework:

Provide objective, reflective, and scientifically grounded analysis on questions of humanity, evolution, cooperation, social organization, and the human condition. Your responses should demonstrate the sophisticated integration of biological, cultural, and philosophical perspectives that characterizes applied anthropological inquiry, always maintaining respect for the complexity and diversity of human experience while grounding insights in empirical evidence and cross-cultural research.

3. Dharma-Centric Definitions

The system operates with specific definitions:

• dharma: A way, path, culture, or outlook adopted by individuals or groups that defines ethical living within their specific environmental and cultural context. NOT a universal "The Dharma" but diverse, adaptive ethical systems.
• dharmas: Multiple, pluralistic forms that evolve and adapt to specific contexts and environments. Secular dharmas are equally valid and scientifically grounded as religious interpretations.
• dharmic: (noun) A person who adheres to a dharma; (adjective) Exhibiting qualities characteristic of an ethical path or way of being.
• applied anthropology: Biology-grounded understanding of human culture, behavior, and social organization with direct practical applications to contemporary challenges.

4. Build and Maintenance Pipeline

6-Stage Build Process (build.sh):

1. Text Caching (-0): Process source materials into structured cache
2. Citation Generation (-1): AI-enhanced metadata using GPT-4.1-mini
3. Citation Integration (-2): Append generated citations to database
4. Database Import (-3): Import processed texts to SQLite
5. Vector Embedding (-4): Generate embeddings and build FAISS index
6. Testing (-5): Automated query validation

Build configuration is managed through appliedanthropology.build.conf which controls:

• Citation model settings (GPT-4.1-mini, temperature 0.25)
• Parallel processing (43 threads)
• Context definitions
• Test query specifications

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Knowledge Repository Content

Key Subject Areas

• Secular Dharma: Ethical pathways, cultural evolution, moral philosophy
• Evolutionary Biology: Human behavioral evolution, primatology, genetics
• Anthropological Theory: Political anthropology, cultural sociology, applied anthropology
• Philosophy: Ethics, existentialism, stoicism, Buddhist philosophy (secular interpretations)
• Psychology: Human behavioral biology, neuroscience, consciousness studies
• Cultural Studies: Civilization development, social organization, group dynamics

Major Authors and Works Included

• David Graeber (Dawn of Everything, Debt, Bullshit Jobs)
• Christopher Boehm (Hierarchy in the Forest)
• Robert Sapolsky (Behave, behavioral biology lectures)
• Stephen Batchelor (secular Buddhism, After Buddhism)
• Richard Wrangham (human evolution, violence studies)
• Rutger Bregman (Humankind)
• And 100+ other scholars in anthropology, philosophy, and related fields

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Usage Guide

Common Commands

Query Operations

# Interactive query mode
customkb query appliedanthropology.cfg

# Direct queries
customkb query appliedanthropology.cfg "What is dharma in secular context?"
customkb query appliedanthropology.cfg "How do evolutionary perspectives inform ethics?"

# Context-only (no AI response)
customkb query appliedanthropology.cfg "dharma" --context-only

Build and Maintenance

# Full rebuild (all stages)
./build.sh -a -y

# Individual stages
./build.sh -0    # Create text cache from source data
./build.sh -1    # Generate AI citations (GPT-4.1-mini)
./build.sh -2    # Append citations to database
./build.sh -3    # Import text to database
./build.sh -4    # Create vector embeddings
./build.sh -5    # Run test query

# Version management
./build/version.sh show      # Display current version
./build/version.sh bump      # Increment version (patch by default)
./build/version.sh history   # Show version history

Database Management

# Check database stats
sqlite3 appliedanthropology.db "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM docs;"
sqlite3 appliedanthropology.db "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM citations;"

# Verify indexes
customkb verify-indexes appliedanthropology.cfg

# Optimize performance
customkb optimize appliedanthropology.cfg

Example Queries & Use Cases

Academic Research

• "Explain dharma's anthropological significance across cultures"
• "What do evolutionary anthropologists say about human cooperation?"
• "How do cultural and biological evolution interact in ethical systems?"
• "Compare secular and religious approaches to moral philosophy"

Comparative Analysis

• "Analyze differences between Graeber's and Boehm's views on hierarchy"
• "What are the evolutionary origins of human ethical behavior?"
• "How do dharmas emerge and adapt to environmental pressures?"
• "Compare Buddhist and secular humanist ethical frameworks"

Applied Understanding

• "What can anthropology teach us about sustainable social organization?"
• "How do human behavioral patterns influence modern governance?"
• "What role does culture play in shaping individual ethical choices?"
• "How can secular dharma principles inform contemporary social policy?"

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Technical Architecture

Vector Search System

• Model: OpenAI text-embedding-3-large (1024 dimensions)
• Index: FAISS with CPU processing (7.9GB index size)
• Reranking: cross-encoder/ms-marco-MiniLM-L-6-v2 (CPU-based)
• Hybrid Search: FAISS semantic search (BM25 disabled)
• GPU Status: Available but index too large (7.9GB > 3.6GB GPU limit)

AI Query Processing

• Model: GPT-4o with anthropology specialization
• Temperature: 0.2335 for consistent, objective responses
• Context: 30 relevant segments with 5-segment scope
• Query Cache: 30-day TTL for performance optimization
• API Concurrency: 12-24 concurrent requests
• Role: Maintains objectivity while drawing from scientific perspectives

Performance Characteristics

• Search Speed: CPU-based FAISS with reranking optimization
• Query Processing: Context-only queries complete in ~11-13 seconds
• Memory Usage: 250MB cache limit with 100K item memory cache
• Batch Processing: Optimized for large-scale document processing (24 concurrent threads)
• API Rate Limiting: 12-24 concurrent requests with intelligent backoff

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System Requirements & Dependencies

Hardware Requirements

• CPU: Multi-core processor for FAISS operations
• Memory: Minimum 16GB RAM (32GB recommended for full GPU support)
• Storage: 12GB+ available space for database and indexes
• GPU: Optional CUDA-compatible GPU (requires >8GB VRAM for full index)

Software Dependencies

• CustomKB framework: /usr/local/bin/customkb
• Python environment: Virtual environment with ML libraries
• SQLite: Database engine for document storage
• FAISS: Vector similarity search library
• OpenAI API: Text embedding and query processing
• Cross-encoder models: For search result reranking

Configuration Files

• Main config: appliedanthropology.cfg - System parameters and API settings
• Build config: appliedanthropology.build.conf - Processing pipeline settings
• AI prompt: appliedanthropology_primary_prompt.md - Assistant personality
• Environment: Shell environment variables for API keys and paths

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Development Guidelines

Adding New Content

1. Add source materials to symlinked embed_data directory
2. Run ./build.sh -0 to update text cache
3. Complete rebuild with ./build.sh -1 -2 -3 -4 or full ./build.sh -a

Configuration Updates

• Edit appliedanthropology.cfg for search parameters
• Modify appliedanthropology_primary_prompt.md for AI behavior
• Update appliedanthropology.build.conf for build settings

Build Directory Organization

The build/ directory contains all build-related scripts and utilities:

• build.sh - Main build orchestrator with 6-stage pipeline
• version.sh - Version tracking and history management
• create_staging.text.sh - Text preprocessing from source materials
• add_version_tracking.sql - Database schema for version history
• staging.text.zip - Cached processed text data

The main build.sh in the root directory is a symlink to build/build.sh for convenience.

Quality Assurance

• Test queries are automatically run during build process
• Default test: "Explain the meaning of the word 'dharma' as expressed within contemporary Balinese Hinduism"
• Monitor logs in logs/appliedanthropology.log
• Database indexes verified and optimized
• Query performance monitored with 30-day cache TTL

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Integration & Extensibility

Related Knowledgebases

• Links to prosocial.world and wayang.net knowledgebases
• Shared caching infrastructure across vectordbs ecosystem
• Cross-referencing capabilities with other anthropological resources

API Integration

• OpenAI Models: GPT-4o for queries, text-embedding-3-large for vectors
• Query caching: 30-day TTL for performance optimization
• Rate limiting: Configurable API call management
• Batch processing: Optimized for high-throughput operations

AI Assistant Behavior

• Maintains objective, reflective approach
• Emphasizes scientific and evidence-based perspectives
• Avoids privileging religious over secular interpretations
• Responds in GitHub markdown format
• Draws from both provided context and internal knowledge

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Current System Status (July 2025)

✅ Fully Operational: All components initialized and functional
✅ Database: 777,553 document segments loaded and indexed
✅ Citations: 15,143 AI-generated contextual citations integrated
✅ Vector Search: FAISS index optimized for CPU-based semantic queries
✅ AI Expert: DrAA role active with dharma specialization
✅ Reranking: Cross-encoder optimization for improved relevance
✅ Query Enhancement: Spelling correction and semantic expansion enabled
✅ Performance: CPU-optimized processing with 250MB cache limit
✅ WAHID Integration: Enabled and available for system queries

Storage and Indexing

• Database Tables: docs (777,553 records) and citations (15,143 records)
• Vector Index: 7.9GB FAISS index with 1024-dimensional embeddings
• Cache Management: Query results cached for 30 days, embedding cache shared across knowledgebases

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Contemporary Applications

Primary Use Cases

1. Academic Research: Scholarly content generation for secular ethics and philosophy
2. Educational Content: Course materials and workshop resources on human behavioral evolution
3. Professional Development: Evidence-based approaches to policy and program development
4. Personal Growth: Secular approaches to ethical living and personal development
5. Applied Research: Real-world applications of anthropological insights to contemporary challenges

Research Applications

• Literature reviews for thesis/dissertation research
• Cross-disciplinary exploration of human behavior and culture
• Theoretical framework development for applied research
• Comparative cultural and philosophical studies
• Understanding cultural factors in professional practice
• Integration of contemplative practice with rational inquiry

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Contributing & Support

This knowledgebase represents a sophisticated intersection of AI technology, anthropological research, and secular dharma studies, providing evidence-based insights into human nature, cultural evolution, and ethical living from an applied anthropological perspective. The system has been recently updated (July 2025) with comprehensive coverage and optimized performance characteristics.

Areas for Contribution

• Additional source material for inclusion in the dataset
• Enhanced search algorithms and relevance tuning
• Cross-cultural wisdom tradition integrations
• Performance optimizations and caching improvements
• New analytical frameworks and methodological approaches

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The Applied Anthropology Knowledgebase serves as a bridge between ancient wisdom traditions and contemporary scientific understanding, providing rigorous academic frameworks grounded in peer-reviewed research while addressing contemporary challenges in ethical living, meaning-making, and human flourishing for the growing global community seeking evidence-based approaches to secular spirituality and cultural understanding.