On Humans

What would a Neanderthal think about our species? What about a chimpanzee? When compared to our cousins, how friendly or violent are we? Richard Wrangham is a chimpanzee expert and professor of human biology at Harvard. He is one of the most important evolutionary anthropologists alive and truly one of the dream guests for this podcast. It was a great honour to have him on the show. We discuss topics such as: What makes studying chimpanzees interesting Why you could not put 100 chimps on a plane (and not see a fight) What about bonobos? The goodness paradox: or why Wrangham thinks that humans are both a remarkably friendly and a relatively violent ape. Are humans a child-like ape? Why human skulls resemble dogs, not wolves What five decades of research have taught Wrangham about humansMentioned scholarsJane Goodall / Takayoshi Kano / Martin Surbeck / Michael Wilson / Kim Hill / Victoria Burbank / Brian Hare / Dimitri Belyaev / Lyudmila Trut / Adam Wilkins / Tecumseh Fitch / Stephen Jay Gould / Michael Tomasello / Christopher Boehm / Douglas P. Fry / Amar Sarkar Mentioned papers Neural crest cells Neurobiology of aggressionFurther reading and a FREE audiobook offer:Below is a list of further book recommendations written for the general audience. You might be eligible to get one of these books for free from Audible.  Reason For Hope (by Jane Goodall). A mix of a scientific memoir and a philosophical inquiry. Read beautifully by the author. How to Tame a Fox (by Lyudmila Trut and Lee Dugatkin). Story of the remarkable experiment on domesticated foxes. The Chimpanzee Whisperer (by David Blissett and Stany Nyandwi). The story of a man who learns to pant-hoot with chimpanzees.How to get your free audiobook from Audible (if eligible, see terms & conditions behind the link): Start an Audible account or re-activate your old one using this link: https://amzn.to/3qMMshw. Once your account is live, you will get one free credit. You can use this on the book of your choice. BECOME A SPONSOR?Please consider becoming a monthly donor via Patreon! Patreon.com/OnHumansGET IN TOUCHEmail: ilari@onhumansorgA suggestive timeline of human evolution (estimated years ago)  c. 6 million years ago: Last common ancestor of humans, chimpanzees and bonobos  4 — 3 million years ago: Australopithecines 2.5 — 1.5 million years ago: Homo habilis (arguably the first human) 2 million — 100 thousand years ago: Homo erectus (first “proper” human according to Wrangham) 600 thousand — 300 thousand: Homo heidelbergensis (evolving to Neanderthals and us) 300 thousand — today : Homo sapiens 

Season 2 is out this Saturday, 17th of June! In this final highlight from season 1, anthropologist Vivek Venkataraman talks to Ilari about living with Batek hunter-gatherers. The Batek live in the rainforests of Malaysia and are famous for being one of the most egalitarian society ever studied: things are shared, decisions are made together, and men don't dominate over women. The Batek lifestyle was inspirational in many ways, Dr Venkataraman tells, but one of their norms was particularly difficult to follow...

Season 2 is kicking off on the 17th of June! In the meanwhile, we have time for a couple of more highlights. This one is from episode 18 with economic historian Brad Delong, author of Slouching Towards Utopia.

In this highlight from season 1, Ilari talks with economist Oded Galor about how factors such as soil quality can explain cultural differences, such as variations in the level of patriarchy. For the full episode and show notes, see episode 13. For the first episode with Galor, see episode 12. Season 2 is out in June! Do consider subscribing to stay updated. 

In this highlight from season 1, Helen Fisher discusses her research with couples deeply in love after 20 years of marriage. The clip also includes Fisher's 7 science-based tips for fostering romantic relationships, and a cautionary note on SSRI (not SNRI) antidepressants. Dig deeper To read more about the possible effects of SSRIs on sex drive and romantic love, see ⁠Tocco and Brumbaugh (2019)⁠. Below is a short list of some possible alternatives and/or complements to SSRIs (please consult with your doctor in all matters related to pharmaceuticals): Fisher herself suggested that SNRIs could be less risky than SSRIs. Theoretically, dopamine reuptake inhibitors, such as bupropion, could also counter the risks associated with SSRIs (for a review, see ⁠Zisook et al. 2006⁠). For alternative or complementary oral treatments of depression, see research on supplementation with a high dosage of Omega 3 (EPA and DHA, not ALA) (for a review, see ⁠Bhat & Ara 2015⁠).

In this highlight from season 1, Kristen Hawkes presents an intriguing hypothesis about the human past. According to Hawkes, ancient climate changes pushed our ancestors away from the rainforests. On the savannas, teamwork was finally rewarded. For more notes and links, see the original episode 6 (Are Grandmothers the Key to Our Evolutionary Success).

Season 1 is over. Season 2 is coming. In the meanwhile, please enjoy some highlights from the archives. This highlight revisits episode four, where Ilari talks with psychiatrist and neuroscientist Gregory Berns about his recent book, Self Delusion.  In this flashback, Berns explains why he thinks psychiatry has been led astray by "medicine envy" and why we misunderstand many of the root causes of mental illness. For more show notes and links, see the original episode.

In the final episode of season 1, Ilari addresses one of the underlying themes in many of the season's episodes: Darwinism. Is Darwinism dangerous? Is Darwinism linked to vicious ideologies? Does Darwinism prove that we are all selfish?These questions have been addressed in many of this season's episodes (most notably episodes 1 and 2, but also 6, 8, and 11). In this short solo episode, Ilari connects some dots by reading his essay Distorting Darwinism, published in the Skeptic Magazine. Topics include: The early links between Darwinism and far-right ideologies Why do even professional evolutionists make rookie mistakes when explaining human behaviour. Richard Dawkin's U-turn on human nature Are all males naturally inclined to mate with a harem of females? Why human desires come in “endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful” The problem with “scratch an altruist and watch a hypocrite bleed” Survival of the friendliest: from silver foxes to human self-domestication Conclusions: ”Not everything evolution teaches us is nice and jolly. But we must stay alert at the perilous ease in which selfishness, ruthlessness, and deceptiveness seep into evolutionary theorising, even when not appropriate.”_________Please consider becoming a supporter of On Humans. Even small monthly donations can make a huge impact on the long-term sustainability of the program. Visit: ⁠Patreon.com/OnHumans ⁠Get in touch: ilari@onhumans.org_________Names mentionedCharles Darwin / Herbert Spencer / William Jennings Bryan / Richard Dawkins / Edward Fox / Robert Sapolsky (author of Behave, 2017) / Michael Ghiselin / Jonathan Haidt / Frans de Waal / Dmitri Belyaev / Lyudmila Trut / Brian Hare / Richard Wrangham Technical termsScopes Monkey Trial (famous legal case in 1925 regarding the teaching of evolution in Tennessee high schools) / Social Darwinism / Self-Domestication 

The idea of Universal Basic Income (UBI) is simple: Everyone should have an income. And that they should have it whether they work or not. Indeed, its simplicity has made UBI an attractive policy suggestion for many on both the left and the right. But sometimes the practical virtues of UBI can distract us from the deeper significance of this idea.Karl Widerquist is an economist and political philosopher who has campaigned for UBI since the 90s. And he thinks that it is a practical idea. But he also thinks that it can remedy something deeper than government bureaucracies. He thinks that it can remedy our social contract. For Widerquist, UBI is our best tool to navigate the difficult waters between elitist liberalism and oppressive communism. Yet somewhere beyond those waters lies a genuinely free society. And he thinks we can get there very soon. This is an important argument. But it is also a very stimulating one. Indeed, Widerquist‘s treatment of the topic takes us from the biases of John Locke to the hunting grounds of medieval peasants. In this discussion, Dr Widerquist and Ilari discuss topics such as: Why UBI has friends on both sides of the political divide Why UBI is needed for a (genuinely) free society Modern poverty and the problem with "negative vs positive freedoms" Why modernity is not a land of the free (or how the masses lost access to the means of food production) The freedoms of our ancestors, from hunter-gatherers to peasants The problem with "owning" natural resources John Locke's mistake The role of the enclosure movements (in Europe) and colonialism (outside of Europe) Why Widerquist is not a Marxist UBI vs the Nordic welfare state What happened in Finland when the government tested a UBI Why UBI promotes respect, kindness, and unselfishness._________Please consider becoming a supporter of On Humans. Even small monthly donations can make a huge impact on the long-term sustainability of the program. Visit: ⁠Patreon.com/OnHumans ⁠Get in touch: ilari@onhumans.org_________Technical terms mentionedUniversal basic income or UBI (also known as Basic Income Guarantee) / Negative income tax (similar in outcome to a UBI) / Positive vs negative freedoms / The enclosure movement Names mentionedMilton Friedman / Isaiah Berlin / Thomas Paine / Henry George / Herbert Spencer / Gerald Allan Cohen / Michael Otsuka / John Locke / Thomas Hobbes / Jean-Jacques Rousseau / David Hume Mentioned work Isaiah Berlin lectures Prehistoric Myths in Modern Political Theory (Widerquist & McCall 2017) Prehistory of Private Property (Widerquist & McCall 2021)

Most histories of the 20th century focus on world wars and ideological conflicts. Others focus on the fall of European empires. Yet others focus on the slow but inevitable progress of social justice movements.Important themes.But according to Brad DeLong, the real story of “the long 20th century” (1870-2010) is an economic story. It is the story of how humanity, for the first time in its existence, was able to generate prosperity for the masses–so much so that it became technically possible to eradicate poverty altogether.DeLong is an economic historian and the author of the magisterial “Slouching Towards Utopia”. In the book, he argues that the so-called “2nd Industrial Revolution” of 1870 changed the human condition in unprecedented ways. During the course of the long 20th century, fewer and fewer humans had to stay on the farm. More and more humans could enjoy a comfortable life. And the speedy development of new technologies meant that most humans saw their professions undergo a revolution in every generation–something that caused great material prosperity, but also social dislocation and a search for ideologies to confront the changing social realities.In many ways, DeLong tells a happy story of unprecedented victories for humanity at large. Yet humanity did not reach utopia. And alas, DeLong argues that the material boom ended in 2010. (The episode doesn’t discuss this latter claim. But if you are curious: DeLong’s argues that 2010 was marked by a sluggish recovery from the Great Recession, a looming climate catastrophe, and a populist turn against the ideologies that had energised the economic growth of the long 20th century.)In this discussion, Prof DeLong and Ilari discuss questions such as: Why 1870 was a landmark moment for the humanity How poor was the average person before 1870? What allowed the economic revolution of 1870 - and how Nikola Tesla symbolises the era. Did the world become less exploitative after 1870? The difficulties in judging the merits of “capitalism” What did Marx and Engels get right? And what not? Was imperialism a fuel or a drag on the economic boom in Europe and US? Why global inequalities became so large throughout the 20th Century? Why local inequalities (within rich countries) became smaller throughout the 20th Century - until 1970s. How economics explains the rise of ideologies from socialism to fascism and from civil rights to feminism_________Please consider becoming a supporter of On Humans. Even small monthly donations can make a huge impact on the long-term sustainability of the program. Visit: ⁠Patreon.com/OnHumans ⁠Get in touch: ilari@onhumans.org_________Names mentionedEric Hobsbaum / Francis Fukuyama / Jason Hickel / Dylan Sullivan Marshall Sahlsin / John Maynard Keynes / Oded Galor / Nate Rosenberg / Nikola Tesla, inventor / George Westinghouse / Eli Whitney, inventor / Friedrich Engels / Karl Marx / Friedrich von Hayek / Milton Friedman / Gary Gerstle / Ronald Reagan / Margaret ThatcherPapers mentionedCapitalism and Extreme Poverty (Sullivan & Hick 2023)Technical termsMalthusianism / Demographic transition / Creative destruction (after the ideas of Joseph Schumpeter) / The Kuznets curve / Elastic and inelastic supply and demand