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Guns, Germs, and Steel

Prologue


Diamond outlines the theory that

the differences between societies and

societal development arise primarily from

geographical causes NOT because of

differences in intelligence or human ability


What has happened in the last 13,000 years?


What has happened in the last 13,000 years?

Why have certain societies become powerful and dominant?


Yali’s Question

“Why do you white people have so much cargo but we black people have so little of our own?”

Yali’s Question

“Why do you white people have so much cargo but we black people have so little of our own?”

What does Yali mean by “cargo?”

Yali’s Question

Certain societies have been more successful than others:



healthier



healthier

wealthier



healthier

wealthier

more powerful



healthier

wealthier

more powerful

However, individual people across societies are very much alike in terms of nature and intelligence.


Why did human development proceed at such different rates on different continents?


“case study” -


“case study” -


the colonization of the New World by European societies after 1492 AD

“case study” -



The Americas

“case study” -



(Anno Domino)

The Americas

“case study” -



What is a “case study?”


- Diamond is describing, not judging


- Diamond is describing, not judging

- Tone is scientific and dispassionate


Is hunter-gatherer culture (for example, Native Americans and aborigines) inferior to agricultural

(or industrial) civilization?




Diamond says, “_______”




Diamond says, “No”


Humans replaced their hunter-gatherer practices with agricultural practices.



However,



Agriculture is not necessarily superior to hunting and gathering.

However,


Agriculture is just the most efficient way to extract food at certain times and places


Agriculture is just the most efficient way to extract food at certain times and places

No scientific evidence that people in hunter-gatherer cultures are less talented or intelligent than people in

an agricultural (or industrialized) culture


Is there a scientific link between race/culture and intelligence?

_____________________


Is there a scientific link between race/culture and intelligence?

NO!


In fact, New Guineans may be smarter than Westerners


In Western society, survival was largely a product of being healthy and lucky


In Western society, survival was largely a product of being healthy and lucky

(i.e., not killed by infectious diseases like the black plague (大疫病)

　or smallpox 天然痘：てんねんとう疱瘡：ほうそう)


In New Guinea, survival was more often a product of talent and intelligence (i.e., being able to hunt, avoid accidents)


In New Guinea, survival was more often a product of talent and intelligence (i.e., being able to hunt, avoid accidents)

New Guineans spend more time exploring the world than Westerners (Line, You Tube, TV…)

In an industrialized society

- intelligence and talent aren’t necessary for producing offspring




in New Guinea


- they are necessary


in New Guinea

Does climate stimulate the mind?

Possible Theories

In cold climates humans have to work harder to survive


Possible Theories

Theory A)

In cold climates humans have to:

build more sophisticated houses



plan ahead for the winter



plan ahead for the winter

do other things that make them more industrious (勤勉な)


Actually…

Actually…

Europeans who lived in cold climates


received many of their most important ideas and technologies (writing, the wheel, etc.) from _______, where

the climate was actually warmer

Actually…


received many of their most important ideas and technologies (writing, the wheel, etc.) from Eurasia, where

the climate was actually warmer

Actually…

イギリスの哲学者政治思想家フランス啓蒙期の思想家


John Locke Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Claimed that humans responded to their environment =

cold weather influenced them to work harder

イギリスの哲学者政治思想家フランス啓蒙期の思想家


John Locke Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Yes, environment can shape society …


Yes, environment can shape society …

However, this interpretation is wrong!


Possible Theories

Theory B)

Possible Theories

Theory B)

Did civilization arise near rivers?

Possible Theories

Theory B)

Many of the earliest civilizations did emerge near big rivers (Egypt, Mesopotamia （メソポタミア、Tigris, Euphrates両川周辺）etc.),

Possible Theories

Theory B)

Did the development of irrigation systems lead to the development

of complex bureaucracies (官僚制度; 官僚政治) and the basis for

government and society?

Possible Theories

Theory B)

Again, environment can shape society but …

_________!

Possible Theories

Theory B)

Again, environment can shape society but …

NO!

Possible Theories

Theory B)

Studies have shown that early civilizations developed irrigation (灌漑用水) systems AFTER they’d already

developed centralized bureaucracies

Civilizations with:

access to weaponry

Civilizations with:

access to weaponry

immunity (免疫) to infectious diseases (伝染病)

Civilizations with:

access to weaponry


proximity (近いこと,近隣) to metal

Civilizations with:

were most successful

access to weaponry



Civilizations with:

were most successful

access to weaponry



Civilizations with:

True!

But, why?

Why did certain civilizations end up with the guns, the germs, and the steel?


Diamond will provide a “synthesis” of work from many fields to answer Yali’s question


Diamond will provide a “synthesis” of work from many fields to answer Yali’s question

総合的/総合する

A thesis statement for the book:

A thesis statement for the book:

“History followed different courses for

different peoples because of differences

among people’s environments, not

because of biological differences among

people themselves.”


Part I - The history of human evolution

Part 2 - Food production (history of agriculture) and livestock cultivation (家畜栽培)

and how it led to the eventual rise of the European powers



Part 3 - The role of bacteria and microbes (微生物) in Western military

supremacy, the history of writing and other technologies


Part 4 - Case studies (事例研究) for

Diamond’s ideas (Australia, Asia, Africa, and the Americas)


Did you catch everything?

If not, ask the teacher or a classmate!

On page 6, what is the word after “Many of the earliest…?”

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