HARRINGTON DISTINGUISHED VISITING PROFESSOR LECTURE
Survival of the Friendliest
Dr. Brian Hare, Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University
Monday, April 15, at 7:00 p.m.
Gamble Auditorium, Kulas Musical Arts Building

The only way to understand what it is to be human is to know what it is like to be not human.

Come on a journey with me from the forests of the Congo Basin to the steppes of Siberia to explore the minds of our closest relatives, bonobos and chimpanzees, and dogs – our closest friends. Find out how the secret inner lives of these animals help us understand what makes us unique and how our minds came to be.

We will arrive at the conclusion that it was friendliness that powerfully shaped the bodies and minds of the animals we meet along the way. This conclusion also leads to the realization that our species evolved for friendliness.

Comparing our friendly nature to other animals then solves the paradox of human kindness and cruelty and points to the need for cross-group friendships to encourage a friendlier future.