Anti-Human Memes and Institutions

Perhaps one way to begin a conversation on human ethics is to start at the beginning of humanity. Homo sapien, our species, has been around for two hundred thousand years, and our closely-related ancestral species lived as far back as two millions years. For the great majority of their evolution, our primitive ancestors were hunter-gatherers. It wasn't until very recently (in the grand scheme of things, ten thousand years ago) that we adopted agriculture, and there are still hunter-gatherers around today. What can we learn from them about human relations? About property norms? About parenting? About education? About nutrition and exercise? Using the evolution of h. sapien as a guide, we can determine a number of patently anti-human memes and institutions.

Read the rest of my column at EVC.