Science & Cocktails in X31: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society
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Science and Cocktails is proud to present an episode with sociologist superstar and professor at Yale University, author of many books including "Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society", Nicholas Christakis who will explain the evolution of our society grounded in the good and the bad originating in our biological heritage. All this after Public Dancer plays space age exotica beat.
Tickets. Seated tickets are paid. Standing tickets are free and valid until 8pm. This means that you should enter before 8pm and can stay the entire event. After 8pm we let people in on a first come, first served basis.
Why are societies similar worldwide? What is the effect of our biological characteristics in shaping society? Why did evolution set us on a more humane path?
Scientists and citizens often focus on the dark side of our biological heritage—on our capacity for aggression, cruelty, prejudice, mendacity, and self-interest. But natural selection has also given us a suite of beneficial social features, including our capacity for love, friendship, cooperation, and teaching. Beneath all our inventions—our tools, farms, machines, cities, nations—we carry with us innate proclivities to make such a good society. Indeed, our genes affect not only our bodies and behaviors, but also the ways in which we make societies, therefore resulting in societies that are surprisingly similar worldwide. Using many, wide ranging examples—including diverse historical and contemporary cultures, communities formed in the wake of shipwrecks, commune dwellers seeking utopia, village settings throughout the world, online groups of people and artificially intelligent bots, and even the tender and complex social arrangements of elephants and dolphins that so resemble our own— Nicholas Christakis will show that, despite a human history replete with violence, we cannot escape our social blueprint for goodness. In a world of increasing political and economic polarization, it’s tempting to ignore the positive role of our evolutionary past. But Nicholas shows how and why evolution has placed us on a humane path—and how we are united by our common humanity.
Event held in English and with the generous support of the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
Tickets. Seated tickets are paid. Standing tickets are free and valid until 8pm. This means that you should enter before 8pm and can stay the entire event. After 8pm we let people in on a first come, first served basis.
Why are societies similar worldwide? What is the effect of our biological characteristics in shaping society? Why did evolution set us on a more humane path?
Scientists and citizens often focus on the dark side of our biological heritage—on our capacity for aggression, cruelty, prejudice, mendacity, and self-interest. But natural selection has also given us a suite of beneficial social features, including our capacity for love, friendship, cooperation, and teaching. Beneath all our inventions—our tools, farms, machines, cities, nations—we carry with us innate proclivities to make such a good society. Indeed, our genes affect not only our bodies and behaviors, but also the ways in which we make societies, therefore resulting in societies that are surprisingly similar worldwide. Using many, wide ranging examples—including diverse historical and contemporary cultures, communities formed in the wake of shipwrecks, commune dwellers seeking utopia, village settings throughout the world, online groups of people and artificially intelligent bots, and even the tender and complex social arrangements of elephants and dolphins that so resemble our own— Nicholas Christakis will show that, despite a human history replete with violence, we cannot escape our social blueprint for goodness. In a world of increasing political and economic polarization, it’s tempting to ignore the positive role of our evolutionary past. But Nicholas shows how and why evolution has placed us on a humane path—and how we are united by our common humanity.
Event held in English and with the generous support of the Novo Nordisk Foundation.
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Where is it happening?
Den Grå Hal, Refshalevej 2,Copenhagen, Copenhagen , Denmark
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
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Host or PublisherScience & Cocktails Copenhagen
