Episode 40 - Nicholas Christakis - Technology and Contagion

Dr. Nicholas Christakis is the Sterling Professor of Social and Natural Science at Yale University and the Director of the Human Nature Lab. His research sits at the intersection of the social, biological, and computational sciences, exploring how our evolutionary biology and social network structures shape human behavior, health, and society. His groundbreaking work on "social contagion," demonstrates how everything from obesity and smoking to happiness and cooperative behavior spreads through human networks. Most recently, his work has focused on the emergence of "hybrid systems" of humans and machines, examining both the Burkean risks of how AI might degrade our interpersonal social graces and the technoprogressive potential of using "dumb bots" to optimize human coordination.

Show Notes:

The Human Nature Lab at Yale University
An overview of Dr. Christakis's current research on social networks, computational social science, and the biology of social interactions.

Blueprint: The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society, by Nicholas Christakis.
His 2019 book detailing how evolution has biologically pre-wired humans for a "good society" based on love, friendship, and cooperation.

Connected: The Surprising Power of Our Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives, by Nicholas Christakis
His 2009 book exploring the "three degrees of influence" rule and how social contagion dictates our behavior.

Dr. Christakis on Bluesky - @nachristakis.bsky.social

For the Love of Science Vlog

As always, listeners can contact us at prostheticgods@gmail.com with questions, comments, and suggestions for future topics.

Credits:

Hosted by James Hughes and Nir Eisikovits
Music & Production by Jake Burley