The Evolution of Religions

Jared Diamond, professor of geography at UCLA, received the Pulitzer Prize for non-fiction in 1998 for Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. In 1999, he received the National Medal of Science. His most recent book is Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed (2004).

Prof. Diamond argues that religion has encompassed at least four independent components that have arisen or disappeared at different stages of development of human societies over the last 10,000 years.

Read more about The Center for Religion and Civic Culture at http://crcc.usc.edu/

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• USC College
• CRCC
• Jared Diamond
• evolution
• religion
• sociology
• humanity
• history
• Pulitzer Prize

[thirdimage]

I like how he explains his observations in an objective manner. He excludes his moral opinions in examining the subject matter and is quick to remind his audience to do the same. He's quite a grounding individual. He takes no sides. He makes no claims of right or wrong. He just points out religions' intentions, and lets us decide for ourselves. He's just real.

[Mahoivlich]

@Metsada007 You rode the short bus to school didn't you?

[smuggecko]

great video thanks

[MartianSanta]

at 1:01:20 any animal living in social group has it's form of social moral cods...

[robertus911]

He assumes that people have no common sence.That religion is about control of the massess, He assumes that everyone believes in the big bang theroy when even as a child i could not believe that an explosion caused all this harmoney.There two kinds of people in the socialty and that is one that identifies them self as part of the religion in a sociaty and one that believes in thje religion and practices the religion in a sociaty. just because some one say the kill in the of religion doesn;t make

[gobberpooper]

@nachorox1 lol same. kinda weird how he starts the thing talking about a dude who's balls were so big he had to sit on a tree to let em hang

[earinsoff]

@soulinthewall77 He is from out east. He sounds like JFK.

[jnevilled]

@eddie2042 IQ is not a measure for intelligent.

[RussianAssassin21]

@nachorox1 I don't doubt you find this boring after looking through the videos you favorite. The Green Lantern and LED taillights are far more intellectually stimulating.

[totoaklan]

is there a printed version of this lecture?

[soulinthewall77]

Interesting, and compelling. But, the way he pronounced "societies" was a bit distracting. Am I the only one who noticed this? I jest. Yes, moot, and trivial. I know. But, he said "societies" a lot!

[roadkill1001]

I see mohammad at 53:41 on the blackboard on the left hand side.