The Trajectory David Sloan Wilson - Darwinian Forces Shape the Earth Superorganism (Worthy Successor, Episode 18)
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Dec 26, 2025 
David Sloan Wilson, an evolutionary biologist renowned for his insights into culture and cooperation, discusses groundbreaking concepts. He explores how Darwinism transcends genetics, highlighting cultural inheritance's role in human adaptability. Wilson argues for a future of global cooperation and prosocial principles, suggesting that early selection of such traits is vital. They also delve into the complexities of AI as an evolving system and emphasize ethical stewardship of both Earth and potential extraterrestrial environments. This conversation reshapes our understanding of flourishing societies.
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Jain Ascetics As Social Enforcers
- David uses Jain ascetics as an example where seemingly maladaptive beliefs support group cohesion.
- Ascetics serve social enforcement roles that enhance the group's cooperative success.
Whole-System Versus Agent-Level Adaptation
- Distinguish systems that are adaptive as wholes from systems whose agents are merely individually adaptive.
- Progress requires selection at higher levels so groups become organism-like, not just enduring despotic regimes.
Intentionally Steward Cultural Evolution
- Steward cultural evolution intentionally by selecting for prosocial whole-system properties.
- If we fail to select at the system level, lower-level selection will produce undesirable regimes.
