From: jimruttshow8596
The concept of “Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness” (EEA) refers to the set of environmental conditions and constraints in which an organism thrives and is best adapted [09:56:00]. While many romanticize the hunter-gatherer lifestyle of the African savannah during the Paleolithic era as the single human EEA, this view is incomplete [04:21:00].
Multiple Environments of Evolutionary Adaptedness
Humans do not have a single environment of evolutionary adaptedness; rather, we have many [04:57:00]. Our evolutionary history includes adaptations to:
- Hunter-Gatherer Lifestyle: The Paleolithic African savannah, approximately 40,000 years ago, represents one significant period of adaptation [04:26:00].
- Agricultural Lifestyle: Most humans have been agriculturalists for 10,000 to 12,000 years, indicating adaptation to this way of life [05:10:00].
- Post-Industrial Lifestyle: More recently, humans have adapted to a post-industrial lifestyle, albeit less thoroughly due to its recency [05:17:17].
- Deep Evolutionary Heritage: Our adaptations also extend to being primates, mammals, and even fish, reflecting deeper layers of our evolutionary history [05:24:00].
The ability to switch between these niches effectively is the defining characteristic of the human niche [10:17:00]. Humans are the most generalist species on the planet, excelling at adapting to diverse environments, such as transitioning from coastal fishermen to inland hunters [10:23:00].
The Beringian Story: A Testament to Human Adaptability
A powerful example of this adaptability is the story of the Beringians, the first people to cross from Asia into the Americas [19:07:00]. Between 10,000 and 25,000 years ago, people migrated onto the land bridge (Beringia) that once connected Siberia and Alaska [20:03:00]. When the climate changed, forcing them to move, some headed east into an unknown landscape [20:51:00].
These pioneers, many of whom likely perished, explored and settled two vast continents [21:26:00]. Within approximately 2,000 years, they traversed from what is now the Pacific Northwest down to Tierra del Fuego, leaving intact cultures behind them [23:59:00]. This rapid expansion led to the development of thousands of cultures, languages, and independent inventions like agriculture, astronomy, the concept of zero, and wheels [22:35:00]. This story highlights the extraordinary capacity of humans to adapt to and transform diverse environments in a pre-industrial and pre-agricultural context [23:51:00].
The Challenge of a Hyper-Novel World
Despite our remarkable adaptability, the current era presents unprecedented challenges. The world is increasingly “hyper-novel,” meaning that change is occurring at such a rapid and accelerating rate that it outstrips our ability to adapt [11:12:00]. This creates a cognitive dissonance because we are not evolved, either culturally or genetically, to cope with this pace of change [12:05:00].
Our modern ability to travel rapidly and land in unfamiliar places can create a false sense of knowledge, as demonstrated by the anecdote of the flash flood in Costa Rica [08:26:00]. This phenomenon highlights a mismatch between our evolved capacities and the demands of our technologically advanced world [09:00:00].
Human Nature and the “Blank Slate” Fallacy
While humans possess immense flexibility and are born with a broad capacity to become almost anything, we are not “blank slates” [12:11:00]. For example, all humans are born with the capacity for language, even if the specific language learned depends on environment [36:14:00]. This capacity, though flexible, is part of our inherent human nature [36:01:00]. Understanding this evolved nature is crucial for navigating our complex world and building a better future [18:26:00].
The Omega Principle: Genes and Culture
The relationship between genetic and cultural evolution is fundamental to understanding human adaptation. The “Omega Principle” suggests an obligate relationship between genes and culture, similar to the relationship between a circle’s diameter and circumference [01:18:24].
- Culture’s Role: Cultural regulators are more flexible and adapt more quickly than genes, changing within generations rather than across them [01:18:01]. However, ultimately, culture evolves to serve the genome [01:18:16]. Any complex cultural practice that has persisted over time is likely adaptive, serving underlying genetic interests [01:19:01].
- Culture as “Compiled Learning”: Culture can be seen as the application of refined and automatized ideas to circumstances for which they are adapted [00:55:44]. Conscious innovation is messy and has a high error rate, but successful innovations become embedded in culture, becoming less deliberative and more automatic [00:56:40].
The Dark Side of Adaptation
It is important to note that just because a cultural practice was adaptive in the past does not mean it is good or desirable [01:20:33]. Throughout human history, ubiquitous practices like war, slavery, and patriarchy have been adaptive for survival and reproduction [01:19:29]. However, applying the naturalistic fallacy – the idea that “what is, ought to be” – is dangerous [01:20:47].
Humans possess tremendous plasticity in behavior and even phenotype [01:20:56]. Therefore, understanding our evolutionary history does not mean we are fated to repeat past behaviors [01:21:36]. We can consciously choose to minimize negative adaptations and build a better future [01:21:39].
Navigating the Future: The Fourth Frontier
Humanity has historically expanded through geographic and technological frontiers [01:25:33]. However, with a finite planet and rapid global change, a new approach is needed – the “fourth frontier” [01:26:28]. This involves:
- Self-Understanding: Deeply understanding human nature and capabilities [01:26:37].
- Strategic Action: Recognizing how complex systems operate (e.g., fat-tail events) and consciously guiding cultural evolution [01:17:00].
- Minimizing Luck: Striving to create a future where individual potential is maximized and subject to as little luck as possible [01:39:00].
This approach acknowledges that while we cannot blueprint the future, a comprehensive understanding of human nature and evolution can inform sensible progress [01:23:51]. It emphasizes the need to overcome the “suckers’ fallacy” – the tendency to prioritize concentrated short-term benefits that obscure long-term risks [01:00:05]. The challenge is to shift from a backward-looking, compiled culture to a proactive, forward-looking one that can adapt to a hyper-novel regime [01:22:50].