The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens John Gowdy: "Superorganisms, Crazy Ants, and Fire Apes, Oh My!"
7 snips
Apr 13, 2022 AI Snips
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Episode notes
Superorganism’s System Over Individuals
- The superorganism is a self-organizing system without consciousness or intentions.
- Larger societies simplify individual roles to optimize system functioning rather than individual autonomy.
Brain Size Shrunk with Agriculture
- Human brains shrank about 10% since agriculture as cognitive demands shifted to social and collective functions.
- Outsourcing mental tasks to the group parallels outsourcing work to fossil-fueled technology smartly.
Downward Causation Drives Growth
- Downward causation means higher social levels direct lower levels, perpetuating the system's growth.
- The superorganism operates without will but enforces growth imperatives on individuals within it.