Peter Richerson

Robert Boyd, an anthropologist known for the Dual-Inheritance Theory, and Peter Richerson, an expert at the crossroads of culture and genetics, delve into how culture has shaped human evolution. They discuss the significant role of tool use among early hominins in cognitive development. The duo highlights how cultural practices influenced genetic evolution, especially in farming and urban transitions. They also explore the unexpected effects of climate on brain size and the implications of cultural dynamics in modern communities, sparking a fascinating dialogue on human adaptability.

Peter Richerson, a biologist, discusses culture, gene-culture coevolution, and cognitive bases. They explore cultural evolution, evoked culture, sociobiologists, memetics, and group selection at cultural and genetic levels. Richerson defines culture, its relationship with biology, and the evolutionary process. They touch on the cognitive aspects of culture, cultural learning as an adaptive trait in humans, and cultural content's influence on behavior and fitness. Richerson also discusses culture as an extended phenotype and shares academic resources.