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Biology Quote by Nicholas Wade

“Our bones are more gracile than those of our Upper Paleolithic ancestors, our personalities less aggressive, our societies more trusting and cohesive. An element of human choice, a preference for negotiation over annihilation, has perhaps been injected into the genome. And that might explain why…” quote by Nicholas Wade
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““Our bones are more gracile than those of our Upper Paleolithic ancestors, our personalities less aggressive, our societies more trusting and cohesive. An element of human choice, a preference for negotiation over annihilation, has perhaps been injected into the genome. And that might explain why there is an inescapable sense of progress about human evolution over the last 50,000 years: human choice has imposed a direction on the blind forces that hitherto have shaped evolution’s random walk.””

Nicholas Wade

About This Quote

Source Book: The New Science of Evolution, 2020

Human evolution now favors cooperation and negotiation, suggesting cultural choices shape biology.

In simple terms: We choose cooperation over conflict.

Key Takeaway

Foster collaborative societies.

Themes

evolution culture cooperation

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

scientific philosophical

When to use this quote

  • education
  • conflict resolution
  • community building

Key Concepts

Genetics social behavior history

Questions to Reflect On

  • Can cultural values truly alter genetics?
  • What limits cooperation?
A Different Perspective

Biological change is slow, cultural shifts may be temporary.

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