How To Academy Podcast Neuroscientist Nicholas Wright – How the Brain Shapes War
Nov 25, 2025
Neuroscientist Nicholas Wright, who advises the Pentagon and explores the brain's role in conflict, shares fascinating insights with war correspondent David Patrikarakos. Wright explains that our brains are hardwired for war and conflicts stem from mechanisms shaped by evolution. He discusses how perception and social identity can generate conflict, the impact of technology on warfare, and the ways fear influences decision-making. Wright emphasizes that understanding our neurobiology can help reduce conflicts and shape better leaders.
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War Starts In The Brain
- War ultimately stems from human brains with multiple neural drivers across regions.
- Understanding these neural mechanisms can reduce escalation and improve outcomes in conflict.
Territory Is Mapped In Our Brains
- The brain contains literal spatial maps (hippocampus) that represent territory and value.
- These maps are warped by what we care about, so territory matters psychologically as well as materially.
Social Alchemy Lets Large Groups Cooperate
- Human societies scale beyond other primates because brains create identities and shared narratives.
- Culture and social alchemy let millions cooperate but also create vulnerabilities to leaders and factionalism.
