Question

Based on Jared Diamond chapter on "A Natural Experiment of History" very nicely. It references Diamond's famous statement that the Agricultural Revolution -- the transition from hunter-gatherer to farming society -- was "the worst mistake in human history. The story of human civilization comes at the very end of that long, long story: civilization is something we take for granted, but in this class we will take a longer perspective and ask some questions about it.

The assignment is to read the article and submit a paragraph that addresses the following question:

What are the trade-offs humans have made in order to live in a "civilized" society? Do you think it was worth it?