Jonathan Leaf
Playwright and critic who authored The Primate Myth, arguing recent genetic and neuroscientific findings revise conventional views of human nature.
Best podcasts with Jonathan Leaf
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Feb 17, 2026 • 1h
The Primate Myth
Jonathan Leaf, playwright, novelist and author of The Primate Myth, argues humans are behaviorally closer to dogs than apes. He discusses language, domestication and cooperative hunting as core human traits. He contrasts empathy and cognition across species, examines conformity, fashion and herd behavior, and explores how cooperation shapes war, suicide, sexuality and social bonds.
Nov 7, 2025 • 38min
Jonathan Leaf on What New Research about Men and Apes Says about Human Nature
Jonathan Leaf, a playwright and critic known for his work The Primate Myth, challenges the longstanding belief that humans are merely advanced primates. He discusses groundbreaking research showing that humans share only about 86% of our genes with chimpanzees, particularly in traits governing cooperation and empathy. Leaf argues this allows us to reconsider human nature as more cooperative than aggressive. He also explores the implications of language on social development and contrasts chimp violence with human social structures.
