Edward Slingerland

Who is Edward Slingerland?

Edward Slingerland is the Distinguished University Scholar and Professor of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia. His newest book, “Drunk”, is available now.

Topics and Timestamps

• 01Edward Slingerland discusses his book 'Drunk' which explores alcohol's role in human civilization and evolution
• 02Alcohol may have played a crucial role in social bonding, religious rituals, and the development of human culture
• 03The concept of 'flow states' and how alcohol can facilitate creative thinking and social cohesion in ways evolution may have favored
• 04Discussion of how alcohol affects the prefrontal cortex and allows access to different cognitive modes that may be evolutionarily valuable
• 05Historical evidence that alcohol consumption predates agriculture and may have actually driven settlement and civilization
• 06The tension between alcohol's benefits for social bonding versus its modern health and addiction risks
• ▶Slingerland introduces the thesis that alcohol may have been evolutionary advantageous0:05:00
• ▶Discussion of alcohol's role in social bonding and religious rituals throughout history0:15:30
• ▶Archaeological evidence that alcohol fermentation may have preceded agriculture0:35:45
• ▶Deep dive into how alcohol affects the prefrontal cortex and enables flow states0:50:20
• ▶Exploration of the modern paradox between alcohol's benefits and contemporary harms1:10:00

The Show

Joe Rogan sits down with Edward Slingerland, a philosophy professor from University of British Columbia, to discuss his fascinating book 'Drunk' which challenges conventional wisdom about alcohol's place in human society. Rather than treating alcohol purely as a modern vice or recreational drug, Slingerland presents evidence that intoxication has been deeply woven into human culture for thousands of years and may have actually played a functional role in our evolution and the development of civilization itself.

The conversation centers on the idea that alcohol's ability to shut down the prefrontal cortex and shift us into different cognitive and emotional states might actually be evolutionarily advantageous in specific contexts. Slingerland explains how getting drunk facilitates social bonding, reduces social anxiety, and creates the kind of uninhibited connection that helped early human groups cooperate and function together. Joe and Edward explore how this connects to religious rituals, communal celebrations, and the role alcohol played in establishing trust among strangers who needed to work together.

One of the most mind-bending aspects they discuss is that alcohol consumption may have actually preceded agriculture rather than being a byproduct of it. Slingerland presents archaeological and anthropological evidence suggesting that humans may have settled in certain areas specifically to grow grains for fermentation, turning the traditional narrative on its head. This challenges the idea that alcohol is just a consequence of civilization when it might actually be one of the drivers of it.

The discussion gets into the neuroscience of how alcohol affects different brain functions, allowing access to more intuitive, creative modes of thinking while temporarily disabling the analytical executive function. Slingerland connects this to flow states and how altered consciousness might help us access mental capabilities that are otherwise locked behind our rational brain's gatekeeping. Joe finds this compelling, drawing parallels to other consciousness-altering experiences and how they can provide genuine value despite their risks.

They also tackle the modern paradox: if alcohol genuinely offered evolutionary advantages for social bonding and cognitive flexibility, why is it so destructive in contemporary society? The conversation acknowledges that context matters enormously. Moderate alcohol in a social setting might activate beneficial mechanisms that are completely hijacked by addiction and abuse patterns in a different cultural and environmental context. Slingerland argues we need a more nuanced understanding of alcohol that acknowledges both its genuine historical and ongoing social functions while not ignoring the very real harms it causes.

Best Quotes

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