Book · 2018 · Psychology
The Ape that Understood the Universe
How the Mind and Culture Evolve
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- people
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- podcast
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The ape who understood the universe by steve stewart williams will take your face off evolutionary psychology understanding why we are the way we are basis of human nature if you enjoyed the sort of human naturey conversations on the channel the ape who understood the universe will blow you away.
Chris Williamson · Modern Wisdom · Sep 2022 Listen at 2:18 What they say about it
- Favorite book“one of my favorite books”2
- Number one primer“is the number one primer”2
The best things said about it
Uh moral Animal by Robert Wright the ape who understood the universe by Steve Stuart Williams is the number one primer the in fact just the ape who understood the universe by Steve Stuart Williams all you need is that book.
The Ape Who Understood the Universe by Steve Stewart-Williams and The Moral Animal by Robert Wright are two of my favorite books of all time.
Chris Williamson Modern Wisdom · Jul 2022 I'm currently reading the apo understood himself the apo understood the universe by steve stewart williams mint so good.
Chris Williamson Modern Wisdom · Mar 2021 Anyone that's read The Ape That Understood the Universe knows, humans are grandchildren optimizing machines.
Chris Williamson Modern Wisdom · Sep 2023 Steve Stewart Williams, who wrote the fantastic The Ape Who Understood the Universe, his new book is a billion years of sex differences.
Chris Williamson Modern Wisdom · Feb 2026 Where and when it comes up
Mentions per year
How it comes up
Why people recommend it
The Ape that Understood the Universe by Steve Stewart-Williams is an accessible exploration of evolutionary psychology that investigates human nature, culture, and the biological drivers behind modern behavior. On Modern Wisdom, Tim Ferriss recommended the book as a premier overview of the field, while host Chris Williamson repeatedly praised it as one of his all-time favorite books, describing it in various Q&A and interview episodes as an essential primer that can completely transform a reader's understanding of human psychology. Chris Williamson also drew upon the author's insights and quotes regarding societal expectations and male aggression during discussions with guests. Geoffrey Miller similarly recommended the book on Modern Wisdom, placing it alongside other foundational texts in evolutionary psychology and describing the intellectual journey of engaging with these concepts as a profound paradigm shift. Throughout multiple appearances and specialized episodes, podcast guests and hosts emphasized that the publication offers vital clarity on why humans think and act the way they do, bridging the gap between biological evolution and contemporary social structures in a manner that deeply resonates with audiences interested in human behavior.
Every mention
Chris Williamson There was this interesting uh quote that I found from Steve Stewart-Williams, guy that wrote uh The Ape Who… 10
“Steve Stewart Williams, who wrote the fantastic The Ape Who Understood the Universe, his new book is a billion years of sex differences.”
“The start of his book, The Apo, Understood the Universe, he uh goes through all of these different he imagines an alien looking down on Earth...”
“And the guy sites Steve Stewart Williams again saying, as Steve noted in the ape that understood the universe, "It is more common, not just among humans, but in nature at large, for females to be the sex that invests more in children. We shouldn't find it surprising or offensive if women indicate a greater desire to spend time with”
“There was this interesting uh quote that I found from Steve Stewart-Williams, guy that wrote uh The Ape Who Understood the Universe, one of my favorite books. And he said, consider the claim that society encourages males to be aggressive.”
“And as you identified, and anyone that's read The Ape That Understood the Universe knows, humans are grandchildren optimizing machines.”
“the ape who understood the universe by Steve Stuart Williams is the number one primer the in fact just the ape who understood the universe”
“the ape who understood the universe by steve stewart williams will take your face off evolutionary psychology understanding why we are the way we are basis of human nature if you enjoyed the sort of human naturey conversations on the channel the ape who understood the universe will blow you away”
“The Ape Who Understood the Universe by Steve Stewart-Williams and The Moral Animal by Robert Wright are two of my favorite books of all time.”
“i don't know whether you follow steve stewart williams i'm gonna guess that you probably will know who he is i don't okay so he's an evolutionary psychologist wrote the the apo understood the universe fantastic book”
“i'm currently reading the apo understood himself the apo understood the universe by steve stewart williams mint so good”
Geoffrey Miller i do think there's a little bit of a like a dark valley that you go through that's basically like you know… 1
“i do think there's a little bit of a like a dark valley that you go through that's basically like you know maybe you read the moral animal and you read some david bostoff and some steve pinker stuff and you read yeah the the the apes that understood the universe by steve stewart williams great book”
Tim Ferriss so the non-fiction is the ape who understood the universe by Steve Stewart Williams 1
“so the non-fiction is the ape who understood the universe by Steve Stewart Williams”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker1
“uh moral Animal by Robert Wright the ape who understood the universe by Steve Stuart Williams is the number one primer the in fact just the ape who understood the universe by Steve Stuart Williams all you need is that book”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“My new book, A Billion Years of Sex Differences, my previous book, The Eight That Understood the Universe”