Jared diamond guns germs and steel thesis. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies > Air University (AU) > Display Review 2022-12-15

Jared diamond guns germs and steel thesis Rating: 8,5/10 840 reviews

Jared Diamond's book "Guns, Germs, and Steel" presents a fascinating and thought-provoking thesis about the factors that have shaped the modern world. In it, Diamond argues that the differences in power and technology between different societies are not due to inherent differences in the abilities or intelligence of their people, but rather to the presence or absence of certain environmental factors that allowed certain societies to thrive while others stagnated.

According to Diamond, the key factors that contributed to the rise of some societies and the decline of others were the availability of domesticated animals, fertile land, and access to the benefits of trade. Societies that were able to domesticate animals and cultivate crops on fertile land were able to produce more food and support larger populations, which in turn allowed them to develop more advanced technology and expand their empires. Those that were unable to do so remained small and isolated, and were unable to compete with the more technologically advanced societies.

Diamond also points out that access to trade played a crucial role in the development of societies. Those that were able to trade with other societies were able to access new ideas, technologies, and resources that they would not have been able to obtain otherwise. This, in turn, allowed them to continue to grow and thrive, while those that were isolated remained stagnant.

One of the most compelling aspects of Diamond's thesis is the way it challenges traditional notions of racial and cultural superiority. Many people have historically argued that certain races or cultures are inherently superior to others, and that this is why some societies have been more successful than others. Diamond's argument, however, suggests that these differences are not due to inherent differences in people, but rather to the presence or absence of certain environmental factors.

Overall, Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs, and Steel" presents a compelling and thought-provoking argument about the factors that have shaped the modern world. It challenges traditional notions of superiority and provides a new perspective on the ways in which different societies have developed over time.

Guns Germs And Steel Thesis

jared diamond guns germs and steel thesis

It takes a very long time for civilizations to develop alphabets for the language they speak in, but writing is helpful for powerful societies to stay organized in maintaining a huge population of many. More specifically, some societies centered in Europe developed the powerful military technologies, diseases, and other factors—"guns, germs, and steel"—that allowed them to dominate other societies without these things. He uses scientific evidence, linguistic evidence, and historical evidence, among others. When Diamond was working as a biologist in New Guinea, a New Guinean man named Yali asked him why whites were so rich and New Guineans were so poor. R McNeil and Professor of Anthropology and Geography James Blaut. Over history, many people have argued that white people are simply superior to non-white people.

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What is the thesis of Guns, Germs, and Steelby Jared Diamond? I think the thesis is that a country's outcome is determined by its geographical...

jared diamond guns germs and steel thesis

He attempts to answer Yali's question by examining trends in agriculture and geography, a thesis which flies in the face of traditional scholarship that posits cultural explanations for European and Western superiority. Critics claim he is asserting a kind of determinism that denies free will and understates cultural variables. For instance, Diamond and historian William H. By and large, Diamond argues, it is easier for ideas, goods, and foods to spread from east to west than it is for them to spread north and south—this is because the Earth spins east-west, meaning that areas with the same latitude share a similar climate and environment. Guns, Germs and Steel begins with a personal anecdote, telling of Diamond's interactions with Yali and how those set Diamond on the path of writing the book to investigate why Europeans possess so much more "cargo" material wealth and advanced technology than the natives of Papua New Guinea.

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Thesis On Guns, Germs, And Steel By Jared Diamond

jared diamond guns germs and steel thesis

The Spanish Conquistadores tried to the Incan leader, Atahuallpa, to convert to Christianity but it failed so Pizarro then captured Atahullpa. Diamond wonders how the Europeans could have so much power and advanced technology while the rest of the world was still hunting and gathering. Around 1526 the Atahuallpa had won battles in a civil war that had left the Premium Infectious disease Native Americans in the United States Malaria Guns Germs and Steel professor. The story goes like: Francisco Pizarro by order of the King to travel across New World and conquer the lands and riches for his nation. In short, Diamond, like any author attempting to write such a grand synthesis, leans on decades of original research by scholars in a number of fields.

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What is the thesis of Jared Diamond’s Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies? In other words, how does Diamond explain the patterns of...

jared diamond guns germs and steel thesis

It won a Pulitzer Prize in 1998, and was translated into numerous languages, sold out more than one million copies around the world. It seems China's detour from destiny is over—a puzzle Diamond simply cannot answer in his narrow explanation for societal development based on geography. Trisha Polo AP World, Period 4 Mr. The authors also say after 1491 Spanish were successful in conquering a lot of land including the Inca. Specifically, he is asking why the Europeans were able to go out and conquer other people back in the age of exploration rather than having those people like the Incas go and conquer them. This book is clearly one of the most influential in recent years.

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Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond Plot Summary

jared diamond guns germs and steel thesis

For example, in the early parts of the book, Diamond uses a great deal of scientific evidence. Their technology, their germs, and their organized societies allowed them to become rich and powerful. He was born to a Bessarabian Jewish family. Quarterly Review of Biology, numerous disease and immunology publications, botany studies, and a number of monographs and journals about human psychology. The Spanish had a great advantage over all other civilizations because of their resources from the location they resided in. Their wealth and power stemmed from their early adoption of agriculture.

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What is Diamond's thesis in Guns, Germs, and Steel?

jared diamond guns germs and steel thesis

Ancient agricultural societies tend to develop into large, complex states. Agricultural societies then gained tremendous advantages over non-agricultural societies, because the increase in leisure time enabled people to develop technologies and centralized political structures, and the proximity to animals gave people immunities to deadly diseases. European-borne diseases ravaged less-developed societies, making them easier to conquer. Diamond also draws upon a wide variety of scientific evidence. In other chapters, Diamond uses "softer" kinds of evidence.

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What kind of evidence did Diamond rely on in Guns, Germs, and Steel?

jared diamond guns germs and steel thesis

Beginning about half a million years ago, the first human beings emerged in Africa, and eventually migrated around the rest of the world in search of game and other sources of food. Because they did so, they were also the first to get technology. The last part of the question involves formulating and explaining your personal opinion on Diamond's theories. They also claimed that guns and steel were not long term effective. Diamond was a physician. They also had become immune to germs, resourceful food, and used steel. Generally speaking, there are three types of evidence: anecdotal evidence, data, and expert opinion.

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Analysis Of Jared Diamond’s Theory In In Guns, Germs, And Steel: [Essay Example], 1164 words GradesFixer

jared diamond guns germs and steel thesis

What makes Guns, Germ, and Steel so powerful is the breadth of evidence Diamond drew upon to build his argument. The Spanish were already immune to the disease, so they did not have to face this harsh problem. He was raised by two highly intelligent people. Our lord permitted that your pride should be brought low and that no Indian should be able to offend a Christian. Both of these works feature characters that turn to using firearms when they have no other options. Guns that are poorly maintained may malfunction, which can mean certain death in some situations.

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What is Jared Diamond's thesis in Guns, Germs, and Steel?

jared diamond guns germs and steel thesis

These are very scientific types of evidence. Factionalism would cause extreme weakness throughout the people because they all disagreed on the way they were being ruled. As to whether you agree or disagree with Diamond's theories, this is a matter of personal opinion that a careful reading of the book will help you formulate and defend. Finally, they became home to infectious diseases to which they developed some immunity while people in places like the Americas did not. For one a person could become mentally ill and could cause harm to others. He explains the patterns of world history in relation to geographical conditions, the availability of flora and fauna that can be domesticated in diverse areas, and other environmental considerations. The New Guineans were more successful than their neighbors, the peoples of Java and Borneo, in staving off European colonization and massacre in the 18th and 19th centuries, largely because their agricultural practices made them resistant to malaria, preventing colonists from staying for too long on their island.

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