SOCECOL E8 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Jared Diamond, Moai, Environmental Determinism
Document Summary
Humans are confused by existence -> danger to the rest of life. Believe problems can be solved by bringing together multiple disciplines. Question of altruism -> humans inherently selfish. Scorpion could not overcome its innate nature and instincts. Fable of the frog and the scorpion. War and genocide as universal and eternal. Natural selection has favored helpful social interactions. Debate over humanities being enough to explain human nature. Wilson -> applying the wilson framework (powerpoint #31) Many not in proper place or fully completely -> face down and in rocks. Extraordinary society that is not completely treeless. Giant statues seen by european explorers on easter sunday -> named island that. Statues meant to represent ancestors and protect descendants (called moai) Cut down trees in order to move moai. Left with no way to make boats to leave island. Wilson: humans are both -> would have to change human nature in order to solely be one.