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Guns Germs And Steel Summary

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Inequality and Environmental Determinism In 1977, UCLA professor and biologist, Jared Diamond, published Guns, Germs, and Steel, sparking debate among fellow anthropologists. Winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize, the highly regarded novel and New York Times bestseller is arguably one of the most controversial novels of its genre, for Diamond’s attempt to answer the question - why did human development proceed at such different rates on different continents? - has resulted in critical responses among scientists. Diamond's novel emphasizes the idea of technological advances based upon bio-geographical settings, as opposed to the development of complex societies by social and cultural factors. In a review entitled “History Upside Down,” an exceptional scholar and historian, William H. McNeill, criticizes Diamond’s radical approach in explaining the differences in technological advancements and the role they play in the formation of the modern world. …show more content…

McNeill claims that Diamond’s argument is misguided, in that he has overemphasized the role of physical geography in the growth of societies and lacks discussion of the role of culture and economics in this historical divergence. McNeill criticizes Diamond for dismissing cultural idiosyncrasies, the role of human psychology, and the conscious mind, in his explanation of the varying development in different parts of the world. In his review, McNeill expands on his initial thoughts by stating that he believes, “the propagation of an idea or cluster of ideas can provoke a group of human beings to alter their concepts of reality, and then by acting accordingly make all sorts of changes in their social and physical environments” (McNeill

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