Nicholas Wade, a former New York Times science journalist and author known for his book 'A Troublesome Inheritance,' discusses the complex interplay between race, intelligence, and environmental influences. He explores the historical context of societal behaviors, critiques academic censorship, and highlights the challenges faced in publishing controversial ideas, especially regarding the origins of COVID-19. Wade advocates for confronting racial taboos in education, emphasizing the need for a more open academic discourse to address these contentious topics.
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insights INSIGHT
Focus on Social Behavior
Nicholas Wade's book, A Troublesome Inheritance, focuses on the evolution of social behavior among racial groups.
This differs from most research, which emphasizes IQ differences.
insights INSIGHT
Social Behavior and Disparities
Wade suggests that evolved social behavior differences, not just IQ, contribute to disparities between populations.
He emphasizes the impact of agriculture and Malthusian pressures on social evolution.
insights INSIGHT
Rice vs. Wheat Farming
Studies suggest rice farming correlates with collectivism, while wheat farming correlates with individualism.
A natural experiment during Mao's era supports this, showing how environment can influence cultural traits.
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In 'The Third Chimpanzee', Jared Diamond delves into the animal origins of human behavior, discussing how Homo sapiens came to dominate their closest relatives, such as chimpanzees. The book argues that the dominance of certain human groups over others was not due to genetic superiority but rather to environmental advantages that allowed for larger populations, wider immunities to disease, and superior technologies for agriculture and warfare. Diamond also explores topics such as sexual selection, language, art, and the potential for environmental degradation leading to extinction. The book is divided into five parts, each addressing different aspects of human evolution and societal development.
The Equality of the Human Races
The Equality of the Human Races
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Theodore Waitz
Hive Mind
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Garett Jones
A Troublesome Inheritance: Genes, Race and Human History
Nicholas Wade
Nicholas Wade's "A Troublesome Inheritance" examines the role of genetics in shaping human populations and their social behaviors. The book explores how genetic variations may have influenced the development of different societies and their unique characteristics. Wade's work sparked significant debate and controversy, particularly regarding the implications of genetic differences between human groups. The book delves into the complex interplay between genetics, environment, and culture in shaping human history. It challenges traditional views on human evolution and social structures, prompting further research and discussion on the topic.
Guns, germs, and steel
The Fates of Human Societies
Fabián Chueca
Jared DIAMOND
(MEI )DAI MENG DE (Diamond J. ) XIE YAN GUANG YI
In this book, Jared Diamond explains why Eurasian and North African civilizations have survived and conquered others. He argues that differences in societal development arise primarily from geographical causes. The book details how agricultural societies developed immunities to deadly diseases, advanced in technology, and formed centralized political structures, ultimately leading to the conquest of other societies. Diamond also discusses the impact of germs, domesticated animals, and environmental factors on human history[2][4][5].
The WEIRDest People in the World
Joseph Patrick Henrich
Korey Jackson
Joseph Henrich
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].
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