Different Matters by Damien Grant
Dr Eric Crampton on Different Matters
Aug 21, 2024
Dr. Eric Crampton, chief economist at The New Zealand Initiative, dives into Paul Rubin's thought-provoking exploration of how Darwinian principles shape modern politics. They discuss the evolutionary origins of human preferences, revealing how our ancestral experiences influence current behaviors. Crampton examines political cooperation dynamics through the lens of genetic inheritance and game theory. He also touches on the evolutionary roots of altruism, societal views on wealth, and the complex trade-offs of human intelligence, enriching our understanding of contemporary society.
59:09
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Quick takeaways
- The Environment of Evolutionary Adaptiveness (EEA) significantly shapes modern human preferences and social behaviors based on ancient conditions.
- The interplay between aggressive 'hawks' and cooperative 'doves' illustrates how inherited evolutionary traits influence contemporary social strategies and dynamics.
Deep dives
Understanding the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptiveness
The concept of the Environment of Evolutionary Adaptiveness (EEA) is essential in understanding human preferences and behaviors. This period spans from 1.6 million years ago to about 10,000 years ago, where humans primarily lived in small hunter-gatherer groups of around 150 individuals. During this time, technological changes were minimal, and economic growth was virtually non-existent, which shaped the hardwired traits that persist today. Rubin emphasizes that the preferences we exhibit now can often be traced back to the conditions of the EEA, suggesting that our modern economic and political behaviors are influenced by those ancient social structures.
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