A5 | The evolution of cooperation

A5 | The evolution of cooperation

From The Monkey Dance by The Monkey Dance

March 27, 2026 · 1h 57m · Episode 50

About this episode

This episode explores the evolution of cooperation and its implications for building better societies, featuring a discussion with Nikhil Chaudhary.

Cooperation is deeply embedded in the genetics of our species. Looking at the evolution of cooperation can teach us a lot about how to build better societies. Given the state of the world, this episode with Nikhil Chaudhary from February 2024 is more relevant than ever. - What can evolutionary anthropology teach us about ourselves? We sit down with Nikhil Chaudhary and chat about everything from the formation of the self to societal pressures. We cover cooperation and collaboration, hunter-gatherer societies, how to think about thinking, managing uncertainty, cultural narratives, and everything in between. Show notes on the website!

People in this episode

Guest: Nikhil Chaudhary

Topics covered

  • evolution of cooperation
  • evolutionary anthropology
  • societal pressures
  • hunter-gatherer societies
  • cultural narratives

Keywords

  • cooperation
  • evolution
  • anthropology
  • society
  • collaboration
  • cultural narratives
  • uncertainty

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