Randolph Nesse Interview (3/5) - Richard Dawkins

[halflifeproductionz]

i think randolph is buff.

[sonykroket]

I wish we had more teachers like these people

Clone them bishes, yo

[MCAMVP]

absolutely fascinating

[ThePhil909]

so tremendous this i wish they taught me this at school instead of other shit thats of little importance

[Crayola6394]

@ Propanni You tolerate a crying baby, you tolerate your family, you tolerate things of all sorts., one thing that should NOT be tolerated is ignorance. Ignorant people should be harassed until they wise up or withdraw from society completely. In America ignorance is not only tolerated its celebrated even. It is disgusting to allow such things without a fight.

[lucasdaudt22]

I wish I were a donkey!

[achmedboy]

Actually, standing upright (as well as a lack of fur on our bodies, our ability to sweat profusely, and even male pattern baldness) comes from the fact that we are born to run.

As we began to proliferate as a species, we required meat and other richer foods. This meant literally chasing animals to death in the plains and flatlands. To do that meant that we had to become bipeds and those individuals whom couldn't take the heat (too hairy or unable to sweat) perished.

[Judicial78]

We stand upright to hold tools. Makes perfect sense. Sticks, rocks, whatever it took to ward off the lions and other larger predators and to take down our prey. We needed our hands free.

[shagoosty]

@Judicial78 Otters use tools. Certain birds use tools. Most apes use tools.

[Judicial78]

@shagoosty Your point being?

[shagoosty]

@Judicial78 Clearly we don't stand upright to use tools since non-bipedal animals also use tools.

[Judicial78]

@shagoosty You are comparing apples to oranges. I suggest you read the book "The Hunting Hypothesis by Robert Ardrey".

[shagoosty]

@Judicial78 I'm going off of what you said. You said that we became bipedal to use tools, I gave you examples of creatures who are not bipedal but still use tools. Your solution is to tell me to read a book?

[Judicial78]

@shagoosty Look if you are just commenting to try and prove yourself superior, go fuck yourself. I was trying to help you understand a subjective and speculative subject. I don't measure penises online so good bye.

[shagoosty]

@Judicial78 I'm not, I just think you're trying to make a complicated answer too easy.

[Judicial78]

@shagoosty Oh ok I will write up a 5 page essay on you tube reiterating what is outlined in the book I recommended you on a subject which I already stated was speculative and subjective because you think that's feasible. Just hold your breath and wait for it.

[shagoosty]

@Judicial78 You seem to be really angry. My point still is that scientist don't know why we became bipedal. "To use tools" is a very over simplification of the whole thing.

[Judicial78]

@shagoosty And they never will have answers without a time machine. It's not an oversimplification. You really think a hominid with no claws, no teeth or body strength or speed of any significance would survive in the open savanna without holding tools? Nothing makes as much sense to me. I've heard scientists say it was to look over tall grass. And then what? Run slow away from a lion? No. Tool use, specifically weapons make the most sense. Read the book I mentioned it makes sense.

[shagoosty]

@Judicial78 And other scientists believe it was possible that there was a time in our ancesestral life that we were amphibious that that would of caused us to grow the more straight back. But we don't know, there are many reasons we could have become bipedal, and it probably wasn't just one. Like I said before, otters use tools, but they are not bipedal.

[Judicial78]

@shagoosty You are comparing apples to oranges again. Those animals do not need hands to use their tools, and the ones that do did not have the same circumstances we were in. And even if they were, that does not imply evolution would take the same path. Just read the book for fucks sake I am not going to reiterate Robert Ardreys points for you. I guarantee you its "complex" since that seems to be whats most important to you.

You are acting like because situation a occurs, result b happens.

[Judicial78]

@shagoosty And the aquatic ape theory is rather laughable, most evolutionary biologists reject it at this point. You can do your own research on it. 

[shagoosty]

@Judicial78 It would be laughable except for our third eye lid, our reaction to hold our breath underwater (most animals don't have this reaction and drown very quickly), our ability to swim before we walk, our nose which allows water to glide around our nostrils instead of up it like a normal ape, and the fact that some people are born with web feet which could be an old trait popping up instead of a mutation. My point once again is that you can't just state why we are bipedal, we don't know.

[Judicial78]

@shagoosty Oh my god here we go again. Dude do your own research jesus christ what the fuck do you want from me? I don't give a shit what you say, using our hands for holding weapons is the most plausible reason to me. To ME. Get it? Now fuck off already. I already beaten this topic to death in my personal studies. I mentioned holding tools as a reason to walk upright since it was not mentioned in the video. Go argue with Evolutionary Biologists. FFS.

[shagoosty]

@Judicial78 Ok, then why don't otters walk on two legs? Or other apes that use tools?

[Judicial78]

@shagoosty Go research and read and find out. I am not your teacher.

[shagoosty]

@Judicial78 I'm going to take that as you conceding that you don't know what you're talking about.

[Judicial78]

@shagoosty Like I said from the start, this has just been a penis measuring contest. You do not care about learning anything, just trying to intellectually bludgeon someone. The fact that you even are attempting to claim some sort of victory on a speculative subject shows your pathetic ego trip and lack of true self worth. Suck my dick fag.

[guysmiley00]

@Judicial78 Actually, you made a claim that shagoosty questioned, and then you got angry about being asked to provide evidence. Your little homophobic send-off really just confirmed what was already obvious about the mindsets of the two of you from the beginning of the exchange.

[Judicial78]

@guysmiley00 I gave him evidence, a good book to read about the subject written by a respected person. He rejected it. Reread.

And I am not homophobic, gay people do not scare me. Its a figure of speech, oh well if I am not politically correct I have yet to meet a gay person who takes offense to the use of the word fag. Only politically correct dipshits do.

[BlckSbthMan]

So interesting.

[TheBiddleMan]

When he talks about the hypothetical calcium genes, you get a sense that he hits upon a core part of darwinian thinking that is often overlooked.

[Kan2209]

Theres a certain aura with medicinal people.

[TehOwnerer999]

Wow, I've learned so much from this interview

[alvisc2002]

Ultimately it's 7:22 that defines everything. We want to procreate because it feels good but we dont really WANT to have children. children are simply a consequence of procreation. The reason why there are more stupid people in the world is because of this main reason. because stupid people dont really handle contraception very well. Also we have to concede that higher intellectuals like dawkins will be unsuccessful as well since many of them lack the charm or charisma necessary for sex.

[sodalight666]

@alvisc2002 You might want to view the movie Idiocracy, where they take this idea of succesfull/intelligent people not procreating as much as the lower intellectuals, and "show" us what might happen over time. Just a suggestion, for the rest it's just a really silly movie without any clever jokes or concepts, just the one.

[adamscott]

probably his most insightful interview

[adlerbr12]

@TheOnlyGodIsZeus

I

[adlerbr12]

@adlerbr12

No no you got it wrong, its the pope that is advocating rape , he knows that .

[INSOMNASTALGICAL]

"I'm not too sure why we stand up right"

Because as humans we needed to travel long distances, and standing upright is the most effective method of doing so physiologically... we needed to travel such long distances is because in the turn of Africa's tropical rain-forest into a desert like state, we needed to travel further in order to get to where we needed to go for food.

Summery from February's Scientific American in the article 'Of why Humans Have No Hair'.

[estrellatuya]

Ugh this physician needs to read Gary Taubes...

[CathySander]

Experiment47: There are two groups of creationists--those who manipulate the evidence, and those who listen for the ride. Using natural selection to explain this is not the right way to do it, since it is short-sighted. We have to understand people's behaviour in how they respond to new information, especially when it may 'hurt' their intuitions about life and themselves.

[Experiment47]

Unfortunately natural selection depends on genetic variation, this include human brain power, so it's not the creationists fault they're stupid, it's natures.

[d3st88]

@Experiment47

Actually, brain power is a question of nature and nurture. It's very highly dependant on both factors and it's WAAAAAY much more complex than having what quality genes.

[aaronsdavis]

@Experiment47 lol yes indeed it is natual selections "fault"

[ahnowhere]

Haha sugary feuds!! Like a marshmallow fighting a licorice whip!!

[LordiRockz]

I was literally shocked by the ending of this part of the video. So nice, so simple, so amazing.

[HypnoPants]

@TURNTOCHRIST

- biologically, yes... very much so... infact in the animal kingdom, that is exactly what they do.

However, you have to remember that humans are conscious beings, in modern society that evolutionary advantage isn't as useful. It may have been useful before society really took hold of our world, but it isn't now.

In a way, we as humans are attempting to move away from natural selection, to the point that we have created our own species-wide artificial selection... *cough*

[worldcycler]

We can't re-grow brains? But what about Neuroplasticity with respect to rebounding from a TBI ?

[Skaldic]

Is that not new synapses forming between previously unsynapsed cells?

[BryanEKS89]

I mean, NOT exercising your back, sorry.

[BryanEKS89]

I don't necessarily like his explanation of diet and exercise. If true, there millions of mentally ill people who actually enjoy those things. Also back pain can also be largely due to exercising your back.

[charr05]

the calcium analogy is GENIUS 9:00

[presidentOrangutan]

It seems their is some fierce race going on to reproduce as much as possible. With checks and balances so that reproduction does not become its own doom. So ultimately, the race is towards prolonging the existence of life itself, as it is, as much as possible. I beg to ask, why? What advantage does the universe gain from life?

[thadeusmac]

You're making the assumption that the Universe benefits from Life. The relationship between life and the universe could be the opposite of your assumption, or it could be mutually beneficial, or it could be that Life and the Universe are indifferent to each other.

[VoteNixon2008]

"What advantage does the universe gain from life? "

Uhhh... it doesn't need one.

[monkeybudge]

I hope my bowels never get tangled up!

[chefpasta]

I agree sounds like it would hurt.

[12stringsforme]

1/3 of the population would live to 1000? Wouldn't it be marvelous for society to have mentors like that? Healthy, lucid people who have really seen everything imaginable and can advise the young on how to avoid trouble?

[zpick07]

wow is ananiasacts a pedophile or what?!?!?

If reproduction is the goal of natural selection not longevity, why do humans take more than a decade to become able to reproduce? okay, so you have to be able to support that child physically. Then why do we take over a decade to be able to care for ourselves well enough to be able to support another human as well? Other animals do it faster.

And isn't a concussion a brain injury after which most people live? Why not repair brain cells afterwards?

[nawitus]

Humans reach reproductive age at about 12-14. There is not yet conclusive evidence that concussion creates physical cellular damage. You ask good questions, and answer are not always easy.

[andid]

Complex animals require more development than, say, a cockroach. We have a dangerous infantile period, but for the trade we get larger brains, or bigger, faster bodies, etc. There are other benefits too, because the need for more development requires parental care. Everything's a trade, but both ways obviously work well.

[VoteNixon2008]

"If reproduction is the goal of natural selection not longevity, why do humans take more than a decade to become able to reproduce?"

There are different reproductive strategies for different ecological niches. Google "R and K selection" for a introductory primer

[burthman]

might as well be a camera women :)

[burthman]

HORRIBLE HORRIBLE camera man. so frustrating watching this interview when the camera man doesnt know where to focus. randolph is using his hands/body language alot but the camera man insists on zooming in on his face. and when he's showing the skeletons and talks about their shapes he's still trying to film the face of randolph!!!

[IvoryAgent]

Oh give the dude a break, that camera probably weighs a ton, poor guy can move and zoom wherever he wants. :p

[byteresistor]

"IF GOD created the world and the universe etc...then who created god?"

Religious people can't accept that something can come out from nothing without anything creating it but are very enthusiast defending their belief that god couldn't be created.

[Deadlybrit]

Religion can never reform mankind

Because Religion is slavery.

Oh yeah and to all you religious bible bashing freaks....IF GOD created the world and the universe etc...then who created god??....answer that one you wankers....and dont say he's always been there coz its such a cop-out.Before chistianity,there was the roman gods,before that pagan beliefs,before that another seeing anything similar here??....all religion is shit...it causes nothing but pain, murder,war,judgment of others..fuck you.

[Propaani]

You better watch it, hatred like that can turn you into worst type of fanatic. It helps no one.

Besides, its not their fault that they were brainwashed at young age and lack the scientific understanding and knowledge to actually realize the magnitude of how they are manipulated by priests.

Be tolerant, to certain extend. Like with everything.

[jacksawild]

@Propaani Fuck you... (joking)

[n0deity]

Mate, although I agree with statements within your post. Stop calling people 'wankers,' 'frreaks' and telling them to 'fuck off.'

[ananiasacts]

Isn't the solution to longevity, given the reality of NS, to very gradually push back the average age at which women begin giving birth?

Suppose we set the limit at 5 years old to start with, and raised in by 1 day each year. No individual woman would be affected by this policy, but in 365 years the age would be up to 6, and in 36,500 years a woman would have to be 105 years old before she was legally allowed to have a child. (Giving any bad genes plenty of time to kill her.)

[ubcphysicsyangbo]

Man this evolution medicine stuff is interesting ... I probably would have gone this route if I hadn't given up medicine for physics instead.

[ananiasacts]

Combine them. Come up with a background independent theory of medicine.

[Deadlybrit]

God is a belief...and therefore can kiss my fucking arse.....bring it on you cunt.

[jonwainy]

Nice. Bring it on God botherers.

[holydave]

This is really fascinating! Evolution is just so interesting, our origins etc.

[dannyboy15]

pretty sure that the link between telomeres and human ageing has been discredited...?

[gnuochtapir]

Very interesting interview!

[futurepartyboy]

This science-babble is plain rad! far out man!

[GuacamoleKun]

Shoes. Shoes. OMG shoes. (They're one big reason for back pain.)

By the way this is a fantastic interview.

[kurtilein3]

this is phantastic :)

a really great interview.

[filorps]

Walking upright uses less energy than walking on all fours. I read an article.

A lame experiment is to see how tired you get walking to the store... and how tired you get walking back on all fours.

[SpanishForkOutcast]

Wow, talk about missing the point.

[dannyboy15]

surely no experiment can be done to prove the above since we are adapted to walk on 2 legs and an animal with 4 is adapted to walk on 4.

so your 'lame experiment' wouldn't tell you anything (not sure if you meant this)

wouldn't it be better to hypothesize that we walked on 2 legs so that we could use tools and then our front 'feet' became adapted to the tools and we could no longer walk on 4...?

[filorps]

Considering how most other primates feet are already adapted for tools, (more accurately, griping branches) our feet have developed further from gripping and more toward walking long distances. Conserving energy while walking long distances is what my original point was addressing.

I resent the negative attention for info I relayed from a scientific article I read (and did not imagine)

[dannyboy15]

it's not negative attention, it's discussion... welcome to the world of science. !

[filorps]

I was talking about the negative feedback points on my comment... not you specifically.

[Flyborg]

this is a great discussion, very informative

[Solarees]

damn good

[Jadezoo]

This discussion is awesome.

I kissed Richard Dawkins on the cheek last year!!! Lucky me!!

[dhwgrooves]

I get so much back pain this explains a lot why.

[Bigturns33]

This type of science is super cool. I love it.

[zbambam5]

All science is super cool. Except pseudo-science. That kind of stuff just needs to go away. Bunch of charlatans trying to make money off of peoples fear and ignorance of real science.

[chick5581]

This is really interesting to watch! Especially when I'm at work right now. haha cool video hope you make more in the future

[Politicimo]

This interview was HIGHLY interesting. I watched it with someone who doesn't even believe in evolution and they were intrigued too.

[HumanStrategy]

This shit is pimp as hell^^

[anthonzi]

best shit on youtube

[Mjhavok]

Cancer is so complex. I have a textbook on my desk titled "The biology of Cancer by Robert A. Weinberg" and this doesn't include the latest research or papers published. It would be more proper to call it cancers as there are I think over 200 so far identified cancer diseases.

[qanazir]

The "genes hit late" explaination.

[deconverts]

I had the same question too!!! That is a VERY convincing answer. What if the same gene had a byproduct which had a negative effect after the positive had worn off...

Interesting...

[hundingwelser]

very good interview

[Marcusisit]

Waiting for 4/5 with baited breath!