#490 Are Humans Naturally Good or Bad? - Dr. Rui Diogo

The Not Old - Better Show

Are Humans Naturally Good or Bad? - Dr. Rui Diogo

The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Series

Welcome to The Not Old Better Show. I’m Paul Vogelzang, and this is episode #490.

As part of our Smithsonian Associates Art of Living series, our guest today is evolutionary biologist, Dr. Rui Diogo.

For centuries, philosophers have attempted to answer the question of whether humans are naturally good or evil. Despite the publication of thousands of works on the subject, no satisfactory answer seems to have been found. If philosophy hasn’t found the clue, what do other disciplines say about humanity’s propensity for good or malice?

Evolutionary biologist Rui Diogo, who will be at Smithsonian Associates, via Zoom, Nov 5, 2020, tells us what empirical research actually says about this age-old question. Drawing from the sciences, anthropology, history, sociology, and other fields, Dr. Rui Diogo looks at what empirical data says about our basic nature, and which societies’ members are more likely to do each other good or harm.

In answers that might surprise you, he cites figures such as those charting homicide rates, life expectancies, suicide rates, types of foods consumed, levels of egalitarianism, frequency of sexual relationships, and stress levels around the world. You might not leave as a better person, but you’ll have a better idea of why you—and perhaps all of us—behave as we do.

Please join me in welcoming to The Not Old Better Show, via internet phone, Dr. Rui Diogo.

Thank you to Rui Diogo for joining me on the show today. Remember, Dr. Rui Diogo will be presenting at Smithsonian Associates, and the title of his presentation is Are Humans Naturally Good of Bad? notes and details are available at our web site, or at Smithsonian Associates’ web pages. My thanks to Smithsonian for their help with the show, and my thanks to you, our wonderful Not Old Better Show audience. Please stay safe everyone, practice smart social distancing, and remember, Talk About Better. The Not Old Better Show. Thanks, everybody. For more details, please go HERE to the Smithsonian Associates web site: https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/tickets/248020?utm_source=SI-Trumba-Calendar&utm_medium=SIWeb&utm_campaign=2019FY-Trumba-TSA-ev&utm_content=SA-event&tmssource=243615