1. Comment #431107 by ANTIcarrot on November 11, 2009 at 3:08 pm

This should be interesting, seeing as the theory of evolution implies the exact opposite.

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2. Comment #431119 by Lithium_joe on November 11, 2009 at 3:21 pm

Saplosky has another online lecture I've seen him give on whether or not religiosity is a specialised form of organised schizotypal disorder characterised by excessive amounts of meta-magical (i.e dualistic, purposeful) thinking.

If memory serves he presses heavily on the evolutionary, and adaptive benefit of inheriting religiosity (in the sense of the genes for full and partial expression of schizotypal personality traits.)

Based on that, I'd broadly have put him in 'our' camp, so I agree it'll be interesting to see what this lecture is really all about.

[Edit]

Found it!

http://blip.tv/file/2204956/

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3. Comment #431120 by Mr Blue Sky on November 11, 2009 at 3:21 pm

What a great address. Took me a while to get over the hair style. We should see more of him.

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4. Comment #431126 by William Carlton on November 11, 2009 at 3:48 pm

That lecture on the adaptive benefits of religiosity from an evolutionary perspective has been posted here before. Worth multiple views and mass forwarding.

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5. Comment #431158 by Colwyn Abernathy on November 11, 2009 at 6:45 pm

His Words are Wise...His Face is Beard...

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6. Comment #431159 by theseanze on November 11, 2009 at 6:46 pm

Stunningly succint, yet it covers everything! Brings to mind Einstein's quote, "It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer." If there is anything that can be labeled God, it is the carrot we dangle in front of ourselves, and the will to achieve those goals we construct. The resilience of a martyr isn't some blanket given by a guy in the clouds, but the same spirit of mental focus that drives scientists to solve big problems or maybe lets coal walkers adapt to the practice...

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7. Comment #431162 by stptrck75 on November 11, 2009 at 7:04 pm

I saw him at Syracuse University in NY a few years back. It was such a refreshing change from the usual narrow focus of university lectures. He's a great speaker and such a inspiring person. You can't help but be energized by hearing him speak.
If only there were more people with minds like Sapolsky.

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8. Comment #431166 by andersemil on November 11, 2009 at 7:32 pm

Oh I DO love this man! Crazy hairdo, wonderful dry humor and self-proclaimed "most strident atheist" :) And brilliant lecture too, btw.

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9. Comment #431204 by flying goose on November 11, 2009 at 9:24 pm

Wow.

Loved this, more please.

Awesome.

That was great, more please.

I am going to have to watch this all over again.

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10. Comment #431217 by chuckgoecke on November 11, 2009 at 9:50 pm

I'm stunned, I'm in love(in an academic sort of way), I'm boggled, and I'm a little dismayed. Now I have another person I HAVE to follow, taking up more and more of my precious neurons(i.e. the ones still alive). Richard, Hitch, Dennet, Harris, PZ, Steve Pinker, Neil deG-T... now Robert Sapolsky. The look, it kind of reminds me of god.

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11. Comment #431249 by Logicel on November 11, 2009 at 11:44 pm

I adore Sapolsky, a very generous guy in terms of giving time to bloggers for interviews. He frequently pops up on my Newsreader in my psychology/science category. So glad that some here are discovering him for the first time.

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12. Comment #431257 by Notstrident on November 12, 2009 at 12:32 am

All the good things everybody else says, I agree with, but I find that hair schtick of his, and it is a schtick, quite, well...STRIDENT.

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13. Comment #431260 by alovrin on November 12, 2009 at 1:14 am

Yep great talk. Hope those listening take Robert's little exhortation at the end to heart.

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14. Comment #431265 by therussmeister on November 12, 2009 at 1:50 am

His books are well worth reading.

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15. Comment #431303 by ianrgoulding on November 12, 2009 at 6:57 am

His essay 'circling the blanket for god' in his book 'The Trouble with Testosterone' is superb, as is his on-line lecture on the neuroscience of religiosity. Its wonderful to see Robert's work appearing on this site.

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16. Comment #431311 by Lithium_joe on November 12, 2009 at 7:44 am

#431265

- As of right now, he is going on my 2010 book list.

I've just got (apropos 431217 chuckgoecke) Dennet and Pinker to finish off.

Watch the speech last night - what a fantastic event. Poignant and humorous, and shot through with a vein of 'evolution is true' and even a shout-out for atheism at the end. Those lucky, lucky people....

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17. Comment #431336 by Roy_H on November 12, 2009 at 12:40 pm

Take your glasses of a minute please....OMG its the guy from the Turin Shroud!
Joking apart, great lecture!

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18. Comment #431337 by tieInterceptor on November 12, 2009 at 12:59 pm

amazing lecture I really really loved it,

It's amazing the pleasure one can get out of great reasoned explanations... eureka moments give you a high, even if you are told instead of discovering it for yourself.
this lecture brings a tear to the eye sometimes... or I'm too empathic ? ;)

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19. Comment #431347 by Hominidae on November 12, 2009 at 2:06 pm

FANTASTIC!!!

...more books on the wish list.

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20. Comment #431384 by steveroot on November 12, 2009 at 4:56 pm

I forwarded the link to my daughter, who is finishing college, and my son, who is starting. This presentation is a half hour that could well be a required part of a liberal arts education. Thanks for posting.
Steve

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21. Comment #431551 by flying goose on November 13, 2009 at 7:25 am

Been watching more of this guy on youtube. Makes me want to go back to university. Hold on a moment I am back, part time, No makes me want to go to Stanford University. Now where was that grant form?

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22. Comment #431573 by Witticism on November 13, 2009 at 11:08 am

"...maybe lets coal walkers adapt to the practice"

Nah. That is a myth.

Coal is a brilliant insulator ... NASA initially looked at using a form of it for the heat shielding tiles on the nose of the Space Shuttle.

Walking on coals is all about technique of how you walk - fairly simple - nothing to do with mind over matter.

... but I understand your point.

'Goal Orientated' people can achieve 'super' human feats.

A friend of mine was in a serious car accident, broke both her ankles and shattered her pelvis. Still managed to get out, walk around the car and pull her 2 y.o daughter out of the capsule - to safety - at which point she collapsed.

It was only when the Ambos came that she tried to walk to them - but obviously couldn't given her horrific injuries.

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23. Comment #431596 by Lastandfirstmen on November 13, 2009 at 4:42 pm

Inspiring talk. He seemed though to dismiss genes as not being responsible for Human uniqueness. Am I missing the point or would the FOXP2 gene's involvement in speech go against this.

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24. Comment #431719 by Erik on November 14, 2009 at 1:24 am

His beard is listed on his organ donor card ... He is the Most Interesting Man in the World...

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25. Comment #431728 by Vandemeer on November 14, 2009 at 2:30 am

If no one's mentioned it his book A Primate's Memoir is a fantastic read.

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26. Comment #431835 by RightWingAtheist on November 14, 2009 at 8:08 pm

"Theory of Mind"

This is an interesting subject because the human brain sometimes lapses in its ability to recognize that other humans are thinking differently.

In how many debates have we all noticed that our opponents are unable to comprehend the possibility that other people are not thinking the same way as they are?

How often do people give animals too much credit for having complex thought?

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27. Comment #431885 by Enlightenme.. on November 15, 2009 at 5:29 am

I totally don't buy his closing uniqueity.

I really do think that it is 'the Moral Law' that thinking theists hold out for.
If Collins lived in a different culture he would have *reported* seeing five frozen waterfalls telling him that the five pillars of Islam is the purpose of the universe.

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28. Comment #432036 by paulwwww on November 16, 2009 at 12:34 am

Agree with you all absolutely brilliant speech. I am enlightened!!! Thanks for the post!!!

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29. Comment #432277 by baj on November 16, 2009 at 7:12 pm

i loved this lecture, but i have a minor quibble with the golden rule being reduced to a simple tit for tat "if you don't do for me then i won't do for you" scenario.

i understand the golden rule and the like to be more of a pro-active altruism rather than a punishment scheme. am i splitting hairs? a "do unto others as you would be done by" implies regardless of how you are actually treated by others. the vampire bat example contradicts this.

maybe i'm over-thinking it. just trying to make sure there is parity in the equation. any comments welcome...

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30. Comment #444466 by Bernard Baptiste on December 24, 2009 at 3:07 pm

I must be the only person who found the speech entertaining, but disappointing, especially his closing remarks about the importance of believing in the impossible and still doing it. I would simply say no, it's impossible, a fool's errand. Which part of impossible do I not understand? And did I come out of university to act foolishly.

I agree with all he said about the lack of differentiation between ourselves and other primates. I simply cannot accept his inspirational prompt to make a difference knowing full well that you don't.

It's simply not necessary to take yourself seriously.

These graduates are privileged, but so are many other groups of other people. If I was being existential about it all I would say everyone, including those on death row are, and have been, privileged simply to have lived.

I can just imagine the Nun he mentioned having words with Camus' Mersault and being told straight about herself.

In the end, I think it's important to simply be honest. These people will earn more, live more, enjoy more and have more, because they've earned it - kind of.

That's the function of an education. Individuals and society need to look after their futures and education is the mechanism which ensures a safe and active passage into adulthood.

It is by no means the only kind of privilege or way of learning.

I left university knowing only that I'd better pay off my overdraft and I am only human after all, and pretty ignorant about everything, even about what I think I know.

Maybe I just missed the point he was trying to make.

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