Ian Morris: The Patterns of History

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Stanford Professor Ian Morris for a discussion of his new book, Why the West Rules - For Now. Professor Morris uses the insights of biology, geography and sociology to identify the essential features and patterns of global history. Focusing on the complex relationship between geography and social development, he emphasizes humanity's capacity to adapt to the changing constraints and opportunities presented over time. He uses these variables to explain the dominance of the West and the rise of the East. He then sketches the future--anticipating, on the one hand, extraordinary changes in social development and, on the other hand, global problems that could mean catastrophe for humanity.