Michael Muthukrishna on Cultural Evolution and the Human Advantage

In this episode of the Charter Cities Podcast, Mark speaks with Michael Muthukrishna, Associate Professor of Economic Psychology at LSE, about how cultural evolution explains the rise of human civilization. They explore why Homo sapiens prevailed over Neanderthals, the role of self-domestication and social learning in societal development, and how religion and cooperation have shaped social complexity. The conversation covers major historical shifts—from agriculture to the Industrial Revolution—and examines how modern challenges like declining fertility, institutional stagnation, and academic conformity can be better understood through the lens of cultural evolution.