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Before the Bible | How Humanity Learned Fairness episode artwork

Jun 19, 2026 1 hr 37 min

Before the Bible | How Humanity Learned Fairness

from First Beliefs Hosted by First Beliefs

Did morality come before religion, or did religion invent morality? Tonight we travel back further than most dare to look — into a science lab studying fairness in monkeys, into the oldest law codes ever written, and into the silence of an Egyptian tomb where hearts were weighed against a feather. In this episode of First Beliefs, we trace the deep origins of human justice across three civilizations: 🐒 The Capuchin Fairness Experiment — what monkeys reveal about the evolutionary roots of justice ⚖️ Hammurabi vs. Ur-Nammu — comparing the oldest law codes in Mesopotamia, revenge vs. restitution 🪶 Ma'at and the Weight of the Heart — how ancient Egypt judged the dead by what they carried in their soul First Beliefs explores the ancient wisdom and sacred knowledge humanity has carried for thousands of years. Settle in and let the rhythm of history carry you somewhere quiet. Subscribe for more episodes, and leave a review telling us which ancient tradition you'd like explored next.

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Before the Bible | How Humanity Learned Fairness

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This episode is 1 hour and 37 minutes long.

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This episode was published on June 19, 2026.

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