Skip to content
Home » Transcript: Robert Sapolsky on Behavioral Evolution at Stanford

Transcript: Robert Sapolsky on Behavioral Evolution at Stanford

 

Robert Sapolsky

Stanford professor Robert Sapolsky discusses Behavioral Evolution in detail at Stanford. This lecture took place on March 31, 2010. Below is the full transcript.

Listen to the MP3 Audio here: Robert Sapolsky on Behavioral Evolution at Stanford

TRANSCRIPT: 

The often asked question: What’s the difference between Bio 150, Bio 250, and — is it Hum Bio 160? No difference. It’s exactly the same. So like the same requirements, same unit. So take whichever one makes your life easiest.

Let’s see. Any other procedural stuff? Well, the answers are back from Monday’s questionnaire. And a variety of interesting answers. Not surprisingly, given the size of a group.

Why have you taken this course? Really want to know about animal behavior, but willing to deal with humans. Because I’m substituting it for Bio 43, which I don’t want to take. My dad used to make me read books about human behavior and biology as punishment. That doesn’t make any sense. I know one of the TAs, so I figure that guarantees me an A. OK, guys, that’s in your court.

One I really liked, because I want to be a filmmaker after college. Yay, interdisciplinary.

What else? My first grade teacher is making me. Tom McFadden told me to. I’m a hyper-oxygenated dilettante. I wanted to, somewhat correctly pointing out, why have you taken this class? I haven’t taken it yet. A number of people reporting that, in fact, that was the correct answer. And my favorite, why have you taken this course? Yes.

Relevant background, relevant background. I’m human, I’m human and I often behave. I’m human and I have biology. 19 years of being confused about human behavior. Not really, sort of. Seeing crazy behavior as an RA in an all frosh dorm. And I date a biologist.

Let’s see.