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Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
255 | Michael Muthukrishna on Developing a Theory of Everyone
Oct 30, 2023
01:17:21
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Michael Muthukrishna believes in the possibility of a 'Theory of Everyone' emerging. They discuss the concept of a 'theory of everything' and its limitations. They explore the grand scope of human history, the influence of biology and evolution on humans, and the exceptionalism of human beings due to their educational systems and organized cultural transmission. They highlight the importance of understanding human behavior and societal change, explore the limitations of human knowledge, the reliance on social networks for information, and the development of a cultural evolutionary system. They also discuss the concept of collective knowledge and cultural software, the characteristics of hunter-gatherer societies and egalitarianism, the relationship between trust in institutions and excess energy, and the potential for a brighter future.
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- Human cognition is shaped by cultural evolution and the transmission of social information.
- The availability and use of energy have played a central role in shaping human societies and technological advancement.
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The Evolution of Human Cognition and Cultural Knowledge
Humans are unique in that they possess a third line of information or a second line of inheritance, which is cultural software accumulated over time. This cultural line of information is transmitted and evolves beyond conscious awareness, allowing humans to have a different kind of cognition. Our reliance on social information and agreement to use that information has fueled the accumulation of knowledge and the ability to think new thoughts. This cultural evolution has played a significant role in shaping human societies and the advancement of technology.
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