Razib Khan, an American geneticist known for his insights on genetics and culture, joins the discussion to tackle some thought-provoking topics. They debate the theory of Christopher Columbus's potential Jewish ancestry, exposing the contrasts between genetic and cultural identities. Khan unpacks the hype around genetic ancestry tests and reveals the complexities behind them. The conversation also delves into human evolution, gene flow, and the societal impacts of marriage customs, while debunking some myths about genetics and history.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Columbus's Jewish Heritage?
A recent documentary claims Christopher Columbus was Jewish, sparking debate.
Razib Khan investigated the claim, finding the evidence inconclusive.
insights INSIGHT
Levant Ancestry Misconceptions
Genetic markers from the Levant are widespread due to migration patterns.
Focusing solely on these markers can misidentify individuals as Jewish.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Ramesh Ponnuru mistaken for others
The Dalai Lama mistook Ramesh Ponnuru for someone else due to his appearance.
Dick Cheney also confused Ramesh Ponnuru with Dinesh D'Souza.
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In this book, Joseph Henrich explores how Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (WEIRD) populations developed their unique psychological profiles. He argues that changes in family structures, marriage, and religion, particularly influenced by the Roman Catholic Church, led to the emergence of WEIRD psychology. This psychology is characterized by individualism, self-obsession, control-orientation, nonconformity, and analytical thinking, which contrast with the more group-focused and shame-driven cultures of non-Western societies. Henrich uses research from anthropology, psychology, economics, and evolutionary biology to explain how these psychological differences contributed to the industrial revolution and the global expansion of Europe[1][4][5].
There are many pressing questions plaguing the mind of modern man. Where do we go when we die? What is the meaning of life? Was Christopher Columbus Jewish? Razib Khan, the unofficial geneticist of The Remnant, stops by to answer the latter, arguing that cultural identities are very different from genetic identities. Jonah and Razib get into the 23&Me craze, the Dalai Lama’s microaggressions, and genomes from the old world. Plus: what happened to epigenetics, some Nazi myth debunking, and some hard truths for the Hapsburgs and horses.
The Remnant is a production of The Dispatch, a digital media company covering politics, policy, and culture from a non-partisan, conservative perspective. To access all of The Dispatch’s offerings—including Jonah’s G-File newsletter, weekly livestreams, and other members-only content—click here.
The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg 
