Category Archives: History

A CHART OF ATROCITIES.

Posted on May 18, 2012 by Philip

A CHART OF ATROCITIES. In connection with my posts on Steven Pinker’s theory that human violence has declined over time, Dick Weisfelder sent me a hard copy of a graphical display of the 100 greatest atrocities in history. This link … Continue reading →

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THE LACK OF PRIMOGENITURE AND THE FALL OF ROME.

Posted on May 14, 2012 by Philip

THE LACK OF PRIMOGENITURE AND THE FALL OF ROME. In Mary Beard’s review in the London Review of Books (April 26) of CALIGULA: A BIOGRAPHY by Aloys Winterling, she says that Augustus failed to create a reliable system of monarchical … Continue reading →

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IS HEREDITARY GOVERNMENT GOOD?

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Philip

IS HEREDITARY GOVERNMENT GOOD? In his review in the Wall Street Journal (May 11) of THE CREATION OF INEQUALITY by Kent Flannery and Joyce Marcus, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto says that his students in global history at Notre Dame have trouble understanding … Continue reading →

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ARGUING THAT THE DARK AGES WEREN’T SO DARK.

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Philip

ARGUING THAT THE DARK AGES WEREN’T SO DARK. Nick, knowing that I am interested in the transition between the Roman Empire and the Middle Ages, gave me last Christmas BARBARIANS TO ANGELS: The Dark Ages Reconsidered by Peter S. Wells. … Continue reading →

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MY OPINIONS ON PINKER’S HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (COMMENT).

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Philip

MY OPINIONS ON PINKER’S HISTORY OF VIOLENCE (COMMENT). I have revisited Pinker’s arguments on violence because I have been thinking about it a good bit. My thoughts at this point (before reading the book): First, the most important thing about … Continue reading →

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EXPLAINING DECLINES IN VIOLENCE (COMMENT).

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Philip

EXPLAINING DECLINES IN VIOLENCE (COMMENT). When I first posted three months ago on Pinker’s contention that human violence has declined, “erik” commented that rather than changes in human nature, “The most likely explanation would be that modern culture gives us … Continue reading →

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RANKING THE VIOLENT EVENTS OF HISTORY (COMMENT).

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Philip

RANKING THE VIOLENT EVENTS OF HISTORY (COMMENT). I posted here about Steven Pinker’s new book arguing that in the course of human history violence has declined. In Dick Weisfelder’s comment on that post, he said: “…the argument also appears to … Continue reading →

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HAVING A BEER WITH STONE-AGE MAN.

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Philip

HAVING A BEER WITH STONE-AGE MAN. A remarkable sentence in Terborgh’s article describes an extraordinary experience: “One starry evening, after we both had a few beers, an Amazonian acquaintance of mine loosened up and recounted to me the life he … Continue reading →

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THE VIOLENT LIFE OF EARLY MAN?—EVIDENCE FROM TODAY.

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Philip

THE VIOLENT LIFE OF EARLY MAN?—EVIDENCE FROM TODAY. John Terborgh had a review in the New York Review of Books (April 5) of Scott Wallace’s THE UNCONQUERED: IN SEARCH OF THE AMAZON’S LAST UNCONTACTED TRIBES. Terborgh has been conducting research … Continue reading →

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GLADIATORS AND PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING.

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Philip

GLADIATORS AND PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING. My first post on Steven Pinker’s book asked: “Are people less violent?” It grew out of comments by Dick Weisfelder and Nick that, as I summarized, “people today are more concerned about injuries in sporting events … Continue reading →

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