The Fifth Ape (5/5) - Richard Dawkins

Fifth (and last) part of the 2008 Channel-4 documentary 'The Fifth Ape'. The documentary is part of the series 'The Genius of Darwin'. In this episode Richard Dawkins deals with some of the philosophical and social ramifications of the theory of evolution.

Dawkins starts out in Kenya, speaking with palaeontologist Richard Leakey. He then visits Christ is the Answer Ministries, Kenya's largest Pentecostal church, to interview Bishop Bonifes Adoyo. Adoyo has led the movement to press Kenya's national museum to sideline its collection of hominid bones pointing to man's evolution from ape to human. The collection includes the Turkana Boy discovered by Kamoya Kimeu, a member of a team led by Richard Leakey in 1984.

Dawkins discusses social darwinism and eugenics, explaining how these are not versions of natural selection, and that "Darwin has been wrongly tainted".

He then meets with evolutionary psychologist Steven Pinker to discuss how morals can be compatible with natural selection. He goes on to explaining sexual selection, with peafowls as an example. To find out whether sexual selection plays a role for altruism and kindness among humans, he visits women who are looking for sperm donors, as well as a sperm bank manager. Dawkins also explains kin selection and selfish genes.

Category:

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[crowbs90]

Isn't it shameful that videos as enlightening as this have so few views, and so much mindless crap gets millions and millions of views?

[Galidago]

I agree that the result of 'niceness' may not be so much a conscience rationalization of whether an action with moral weight will satisfy our own incentives or not, but rather it is hard-wired because of its previous success in our ancestors' small groups where charity was reciprocated. I think through bipedalism we have developed larger brains to facilitate reason which can trump "the tyranny of natural selection," especially since we can understand the implications of our evolutionary history.

[Zac6230]

@tusi1390 yes he became one

[tusi1390]

Was Darwin an Atheist?

[Buyakaasha]

@leevan50rrie dawkins may say that superstition and scientific ignorance have something to do with it.

[leevan50rrie]

@rossplendent Wow really? Any articles you can introduce to me on this?

[rossplendent]

@leevan50rrie We want to support as many people as we can, starting with those who share the most genetic similarity to us. When it comes down to it, the fewer resources available, the greater each organism must fight to secure resources. If there is enough water for a few dozen people, and there are two tribes, each with that number, the members of each group recognize their greater resemblance to fellow tribesmen, and band together to secure resources (at the expense of the less similar).

[leevan50rrie]

Playing devil's advocate - why is it then that prehistoric human tribes instinctively fight other tribes that trample on their territory? Why are there still wars?

[MiloMatrataMusic]

@crowbs90 amen to that ! figurativley of course im an athiest !

[Athrun000]

I think the un-selfish genes exist because we a social animal.. and being helpful is beneficial to our survival when we are hunting together.

[ToadsMGodes]

@Scurmicurv Well said.

[TheSkunkCat]

@TheSkunkCat

That and packs aren't limited to just KIN in humans. That's a thing about humans that I think might occur in some other animals. (I would have to look up how it is with painted dogs.) but it's uncommon. Primitive human tribes could be multiple families really. (Although probably still at least distantly kin.) but it's not like an ape harem with one or a few dominant males and their mates and offspring either.

Still fact it's not all kin, explains alot too about altruism.