The Being Human Conference, which looks at the science behind the human experience, presents this short film."
Bio
Tiffany Shlain
Honored by Newsweek as one of the "Women Shaping the 21st Century," Tiffany Shlain is a filmmaker, founder of the Webby Awards, and cofounder of the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences. A celebrated thinker and catalyst, Tiffany is known for her ability to illuminate complex ideas in culture, science, technology, and life through her unique films, dynamic talks, and projects. Her films and work have received 50 awards and distinctions. Her last four films premiered at Sundance, including her new 2011 acclaimed feature documentary, "Connected: An Autoblogography about Love, Death & Technology," which the New York Times hailed as "Examining Everything From the Big Bang to Twitter," and the US State Department just selected it as one of the films to represent American in their 2012 American Film Showcase. She is currently working on a new film series, that includes "A Declaration of Interdependence and her new film "Brain Power" looking at the development of the human brain set for completion this spring. She and her team are customizing these films for free for any non-profit around the world. www.tiffanyshlain.com
Fundamental dispositions and traits of humans. Theories about the nature of humankind form a part of every culture. In the West, debate has traditionally centred on whether humans are selfish and competitive (seeThomas Hobbes; John Locke) or social and altruistic (Karl Marx, Émile Durkheim). Recent research in genetics, evolutionary biology, and cultural anthropology suggests that humans may be both, and that there is a complex interaction between genetically inherited factors (nature) and developmental and social factors (nurture). Basic drives shared with other primates include food, sex, security, play, and social status. Gender differences include greater investment in reproduction and child-rearing among females, hence less risk-taking; and concomitantly less investment and greater risk-taking among males. See alsobehaviour genetics; Homo sapiens; personality; philosophical anthropology; sociobiology.