Robert Sapolsky: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst

Why HN readers recommended it

HN recommends Sapolsky as an exceptional storyteller and points to this lecture on the biology of human behavior and violence.

This is a summary from the source dataset, not an endorsement by Hacker News or the video creator.

Video & recommendation details

Creator / channel

Stanford Iranian Studies Program

Topic

biology of human behavior

Format

lecture

Level

general

HN recommenders in dataset

3

HN mentions in dataset

4

Recommendation years in dataset

2020–2026

These counts and years describe the included Hacker News records; they are not YouTube views or the video’s publication date.

From the original HN conversations

Excerpts from the recorded comments. Follow each source for the full comment and surrounding discussion.

• A good counterexample is Robert Sapolsky. He uses a lot of storytelling and anecdotes in his scientific teachings and lectures. His writing is amazing, his lectures even more so. Here's an example lecture: [VIDEO]

• I think if you take the view of modern genetics, admittedly I'm a layman on this topic, this is an often useless, antiquated (nature vs nurture) reductive trope. Despite what genetics may code for, our actions are a sum of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Genetics …

• The parent comment mentions Robert Sapolsky and I can't resist linking a talk where he explores various physical and environmental factors that influence human actions - [VIDEO] If anyone finds the video above interesting, also check out his Behavioural Biology lecture series on YouTube - …