Location
Magdalen College Auditorium
Event type
Alumni, College, Public
Date
26 February 2026
Time
5pm
How has humans’ evolutionary inheritance shaped the world we live in today? Why are humans everywhere prone to believe in supernatural beings and forces? How might our tendency to imitate one another be contributing to the climate crisis? And does our deep evolutionary past impel us into deadly wars? In 1987, Harvey Whitehouse went to live with an indigenous community deep in the Papua New Guinea rainforest. His experiences there convinced him that, far from being wildly different, humans are fundamentally alike: their beliefs and behaviours rooted in a set of evolutionary urges that can be found in any society, anywhere. In this talk, Whitehouse will discuss his new book, roving across 12 millennia and five continents to uncover how these evolved urges have both shaped and been reshaped by human history. Along the way, he will show that this ancient inheritance does not just hold the key to explaining the modern world – but perhaps also to changing it.
The lecture includes a Q&A and is due to finish at 6.30pm, followed by a drinks reception in the Auditorium foyer.
Registration for in-person or online attendance is welcome via Eventbrite.
For questions, please contact the Calleva Centre for Evolution and Human Science at calleva.centre@magd.ox.ac.uk. To be informed about future Calleva events, those interested can sign up to the Centre’s mailing list here.
