Jared Diamond - How Humans Differ from Other Animals

What's so special about human nature? Language? Culture? Human brains have advantages, in complexity and capacity of association for example, but are they sufficient to account for the vast superiority of human mentality?

[matonmongo]

Humans also uniquely have 'culture', which includes the values, customs and knowledge that gets passed onto each new generation, so we don't have to continually 're-invent the wheel'. It's how we got this far, by building on the accumulated knowledge and 'culture' of previous generations.

[joenelson]

This was one of the more interesting and provocative conversations. Kuhn seemed to ask a ludicrous question when he posited the concept of ovulation as being potentially cultural versus genetic. Diamond swiftly and logically reaffirmed the obvious reality that ovulation is genetically programmed. However, when Kuhn suggested that sex in private could not possibly be genetically predisposed, Diamond evaded the suggestion by invoking the likely evolutionary causation of ovulation. As much as I am on the proverbial fence, I have to infer that evolution plays no role in social behaviors. Hence, if one accepts causation as a necessity, there must be some other source for the relatively conservative and private conduct employed by humans relative to sexual behavior.

[danielturnquist]

Jared's productivity/maintaining pair bonds explanation of why we have sex in private could also explain in part why we wear clothes

[MrJamesdryable]

Good subject!

Disappointed in the range of the discussion.

[stevesayewich]

What about the idea of pheromones? There is a study at the University of New Mexico listed in the New York Times called, "Lap Dance Science, " showing that lap dancers who are fertile make more tips than other dancers on the pill, menstruating or at other times in their cycle.

[mrmetaphysics]

Although I know that we are animals by nature common sense do not suggest that we are the same thing as lower creatures!

[bio]

weird 7:30 . i think its bc of the need of protection while being distracted

[rleague]

Sex in private is absolutely not some kind of feature inherent to human sexuality. It arises purely from culture

[phillipschaefer]

Terrance McKenna touched this subject in a talk and an interview..
Terence McKenna: The primate tendency to form dominance heirarchies was temporarily interrupted for about 100, 000 years by the psilocybin in the paleolithic diet. This behavioral style of male dominance was chemically interrupted by psilocybin in the diet, so it allowed the style of social organization called partnership to emerge, and that that occured during the period when language, altruism, planning, moral values, esthetics, music and so forth -- everything associated with humanness -- emerged during that period. About 12, 000 years ago, the mushrooms left the human diet because they were no longer available, due to climatological change and the previous tendency to form dominance heirarchies re-emerged. So, this is what the historic dilemma is: we have all these qualities that were evolved during the suppression of male dominance that are now somewhat at loggerheads with the tendency of society in a situation of re-established male dominance. The paleolithic situation was orgiastic and this made it impossible for men to trace lines of male paternity, consequently there was no concept of 'my children' for men. It was 'our children' meaning 'we, the group.' This orgiastic style worked into the effects of higher doses of psilocybin to create a situation of frequent boundary dissolution. That's what sexuality is, on one level, about and it's what psychedelics, on another level, are about. With the termination of this orgiastic, mushroom using style of existence, a very neurotic and repressive social style emerged which is now worldwide and typical of western civilization.

[zoomzoom]

Sex is private is also practiced in at least one (social!) bird species - the Arabian Babblers (Turdoides squamiceps). Careful observations, mainly by the late Amoz Zahavi demonstrate that it provides a great reproductive advantage to females who receive the aid from multiple males that are under the impression that they are fathering all or some of the offspring.... The very same explanation can be suggested for humans!

[BradHolkesvig]

As long as you have an invisible consciousness that is a part of the whole consciousness called God, you will experience life in all sorts of bodies including many experiences without a body.

[mitseraffej]

Human ovulation is not concealed. Human ovulation not showing like a dog or chimp does not mean it is concealed. I’ve had two wives and several long term girlfriends and without doubt when a woman is fertile it shows, mostly by behaviour and to a lesser degree by scent.

[sanjosemike]

Even if you are an atheist, you can look at the data (and there are enormous amounts) that suggest children being raised in the nuclear family with father and mother do better, are more successful and have a better chance passing their own genes.

The reason why children from nuclear families are more successful at passing on their genes is that THEY themselves are more successful and they can attract more attractive mates themselves. It’s a repetitive pattern.

It works because female human hypergamy is SET UP to look for more successful partners.

It’s a pity that feminists have not made this clear to modern females. No matter what feminism says, females cannot escape their genetic programming.

Females will always look for more successful males. They may experiment with the rock band drummer, but when they are ready to have children, they will select the lawyer.

Feminists want to break this cycle. But females will suffer if they try. We will have an entire generation of single mothers...and older women who are living with 100 cats.

One could say that God planned this. Or you can say that genetic programming did, Take your pick.

It’s true either way,

Sanjosemike (no longer in CA)