Jared Diamond Quotes

A collection of quotes by Jared Diamond.

Jared Diamond is a renowned American scientist, author, and professor. Born on September 10, 1937, he has made significant contributions to the field of evolutionary biology, geography, and anthropology. Diamond is best known for his book "Guns, Germs, and Steel" (1997), which explores the factors influencing the rise of civilizations and the shaping of human history. His research has been recognized with various accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1998. As a professor at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Diamond has inspired and influenced generations of students.

Science is often misrepresented as the body of knowledge acq

Science is often misrepresented as the body of knowledge acquired by performing replicated controlled experiments in the laboratory. Actually, science is something broader: the acquisition of reliable knowledge about the world.

Science Knowledge

We're uncomfortable about considering history as a science.

We're uncomfortable about considering history as a science. It's classified as a social science, which is considered not quite scientific.

Science History

History as well as life itself is complicated -- neither lif

History as well as life itself is complicated -- neither life nor history is an enterprise for those who seek simplicity and consistency.

Life History Simplicity Complications

The main thing that gives me hope is the media. We have radi

The main thing that gives me hope is the media. We have radio, TV, magazines, and books, so we have the possibility of learning from societies that are remote from us, like Somalia. We turn on the TV and see what blew up in Iraq or we see conditions in Afghanistan.

Thousands of years ago, humans domesticated every possible l

Thousands of years ago, humans domesticated every possible large wild mammal species fulfilling all those criteria and worth domesticating, with the result that there have been no valuable additions of domestic animals in recent times, despite the efforts of modern science.

Tasmanian history is a study of human isolation unprecedente

Tasmanian history is a study of human isolation unprecedented except in science fiction - namely, complete isolation from other humans for 10,000 years.

I've worked very hard in this book to keep the lines of comm

I've worked very hard in this book to keep the lines of communication open. I don't want to turn someone away from this information for partisan political reasons.

Biology is the science. Evolution is the concept that makes

Biology is the science. Evolution is the concept that makes biology unique.

Technology has to be invented or adopted.

Technology has to be invented or adopted.

Federal elections happen every two years in this country. Pr

Federal elections happen every two years in this country. Presidential elections every four years. And four years just isn't long enough to dismantle all the environmental laws we've got in this country.

I decided that now is the time to start doing the things tha

I decided that now is the time to start doing the things that really interest me and I find important. It was in the 10 years of the MacArthur grant that I began working on my first book... and I began putting more work into environmental history.

Introspection and preserved writings give us far more insigh

Introspection and preserved writings give us far more insight into the ways of past humans than we have into the ways of past dinosaurs. For that reason, I'm optimistic that we can eventually arrive at convincing explanations for these broadest patterns of human history.

Technology causes problems as well as solves problems. Nobod

Technology causes problems as well as solves problems. Nobody has figured out a way to ensure that, as of tomorrow, technology won't create problems. Technology simply means increased power, which is why we have the global problems we face today.