Episode
#594 - Dr Richard Wrangham - The Incredible Evolution Of Human Violence
1:25:57
Published: Sat Feb 25 2023
Description
Dr Richard Wrangham is an anthropologist and primatologist, a Professor of Biological Anthropology at Harvard University and an author whose research focuses on ape behaviour, human evolution, violence, and cooking. Humans have the capacity for incredible benevolence and kindness, but also are able to be execute other members of our species with a uniquely effective ruthlessness. Why would evolution give us such differing capacities to chimps and apes and what can this tell us about our nature? Expect to learn the fascinating evolutionary story of human aggression through the ages, how humans actually selectively bred ourselves to become less aggressive, how our capacity for violence informed the evolution of morality, the true reason for why humans might have a sense of right and wrong, what would have happened to a hyper aggressive male ancestrally and much more... Sponsors: Get 15% discount on Mud/Wtr at http://mudwtr.com/modernwisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM) Get 20% discount on House Of Macadamias’ nuts at https://houseofmacadamias.com/modernwisdom (use code MW20) Get 5 Free Travel Packs, Free Liquid Vitamin D and more from Athletic Greens at https://athleticgreens.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied) Extra Stuff: Buy The Goodness Paradox - https://amzn.to/3YVQz6Z Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → https://chriswillx.com/books/ To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/modernwisdom - Get in touch. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact/
Chapters
This podcast episode explores the evolutionary history of human aggression, how humans selectively bred themselves to become less aggressive, and how violence has informed the evolution of morality and our sense of right and wrong.
00:00 - 05:17 (05:16)
Summary
This podcast episode explores the evolutionary history of human aggression, how humans selectively bred themselves to become less aggressive, and how violence has informed the evolution of morality and our sense of right and wrong.
Episode#594 - Dr Richard Wrangham - The Incredible Evolution Of Human Violence
PodcastModern Wisdom
The development of human language enabled groups of men to kill members of their own group using coalitionary ability, which changed everything for the species' hunting and killing behaviors.
05:17 - 16:58 (11:41)
Summary
The development of human language enabled groups of men to kill members of their own group using coalitionary ability, which changed everything for the species' hunting and killing behaviors. The story carries through to modern warfare and asymmetric attacks.
Episode#594 - Dr Richard Wrangham - The Incredible Evolution Of Human Violence
PodcastModern Wisdom
The selection of less aggressive individuals can lead to surprising biological traits, such as white patches of fur and changes in facial anatomy.
16:58 - 32:28 (15:30)
Summary
The selection of less aggressive individuals can lead to surprising biological traits, such as white patches of fur and changes in facial anatomy. This phenomenon has been observed in domesticated animals and can also occur in humans, resulting in less powerful jaws, reduced brow ridge, and lower bone density.
Episode#594 - Dr Richard Wrangham - The Incredible Evolution Of Human Violence
PodcastModern Wisdom
The way in which each gender displays power struggles and aggression shows significant differences.
32:28 - 42:56 (10:27)
Summary
The way in which each gender displays power struggles and aggression shows significant differences. While men typically compete for status, women have a much wider range of approaches to assert dominance and control.
Episode#594 - Dr Richard Wrangham - The Incredible Evolution Of Human Violence
PodcastModern Wisdom
This episode explores how the moral principles within a group are based on what benefits the group of males who have taken power, and how this forms the foundation of society.
42:56 - 1:00:04 (17:07)
Summary
This episode explores how the moral principles within a group are based on what benefits the group of males who have taken power, and how this forms the foundation of society. It also looks at the differences between human and bonobo societies in terms of alpha males and how they are dealt with.
Episode#594 - Dr Richard Wrangham - The Incredible Evolution Of Human Violence
PodcastModern Wisdom
This episode delves into the evolution of human aggression, exploring the impact of capital punishment and the dynamic power shifts throughout history.
1:00:04 - 1:10:34 (10:30)
Summary
This episode delves into the evolution of human aggression, exploring the impact of capital punishment and the dynamic power shifts throughout history.
Episode#594 - Dr Richard Wrangham - The Incredible Evolution Of Human Violence
PodcastModern Wisdom
With women achieving educational and employment parity with men, and the lack of requirement for men to participate in big game hunting and warfare, the traditional roles of men are becoming outdated, leading to a changing dynamic in society.
1:10:34 - 1:22:21 (11:46)
Summary
With women achieving educational and employment parity with men, and the lack of requirement for men to participate in big game hunting and warfare, the traditional roles of men are becoming outdated, leading to a changing dynamic in society.
Episode#594 - Dr Richard Wrangham - The Incredible Evolution Of Human Violence
PodcastModern Wisdom
The speaker suggests that for a stable future for humanity, it would be best if there were no Y chromosomes.
1:22:21 - 1:25:15 (02:54)
Summary
The speaker suggests that for a stable future for humanity, it would be best if there were no Y chromosomes. Women are less given to irrational forms of aggression compared to men who have the ultimate source of violence, the Y chromosome. He wonders if it is ethical to talk about essentially an entire gender's eugenics removal from the future of civilization.