Sapiens : A Brief History of Human Kind

Book Review: Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind By Yuval Noah Harari

1. Introduction:
Yuval Noah Harari’s book, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind published in 2011, is a must-read for all humans, regardless of their discipline, whether biologists, physicists, or historians. In today’s world, We, Homo sapiens, are often ready to harm other sapiens because we don’t see ourselves as the same. Instead, we define ourselves by our religion, nationality, and identity, and dismiss those who are ‘different’. We convince ourselves that their problems and suffering are not ours, and in times of conflict, we feel justified in causing harm, as they are not us. In such a situation, this book becomes highly relevant, as it narrates the evolution of Homo sapiens and explains how only Homo sapiens, the modern humans survived among at least six species of humans, So, we are all the same; we have only Earth to survive, so we must unite.
2. Summary of the Book:
The first chapter of this book begins with the Cognitive Revolution. Harari explains how environmental and biological changes led to the Cognitive Revolution in Homo sapiens around 70,000 years ago. He describes how the development of a sophisticated language allowed for the creation of fictional stories, which helped form larger human groups. This ability to cooperate in large groups made Homo sapiens exceptionally powerful, marking the first significant step from animals to humans.
In the second chapter, Harari discusses the Agricultural Revolution, which occurred around 12,000 years ago. This revolution led to the domestication of plants and animals and resulted in a significant loss of biodiversity. Interestingly, Harari argues that humans did not domesticate plants and animals; instead, plants and animals domesticated humans. Early humans, who once consumed a wide variety of foods, became dependent on just a few crops and livestock. These species, which would have struggled to survive in the wild, thrived as humans provided them with shelter, protection, and sustenance. Additionally, farming created social hierarchies, increased inequality, and led to the exploitation of both humans and the environment. Despite its drawbacks, the Agricultural Revolution set the stage for the rise of civilizations and the world as we know it today.
In the third chapter, Harari introduces the roles of money, empire, and religion in shaping human societies. He argues that shared myths and narratives helped form common beliefs and moral frameworks, leading to the emergence of religion. These larger shared beliefs laid the foundation for the innovation of money, which enabled economic cooperation among diverse communities. The combination of shared beliefs, money, morals, and laws facilitated collaboration and sometime conflict with neighboring societies, ultimately leading to the formation of empires.
Harari emphasizes that these systems—money, religion, and empires—became pillars of human civilization but also created hierarchies. Some groups gained power and privilege, while others were relegated to inferior positions. This marked the beginning of exploitation and the early roots of capitalism.
In the fourth chapter, Harari explains how humans transitioned from being mere animals to assuming God-like powers through the Scientific Revolution, which began 500 years ago. He argues that capitalism and the desire for expanding empires fueled this revolution. At its onset, the Scientific Revolution broke down barriers created by traditional fictional stories and paved the way for groundbreaking discoveries.
This revolution brought significant benefits to humanity, such as increased life expectancy through medical innovations and liberation from generational exploitation perpetuated by myths and fictional narratives. However, scientific progress did not stop at improving human life and creating a better society. It continued to push boundaries, aiming to conquer death and even threatening the world with destruction through the creation of nuclear weapons.
Humans have gone beyond Earth, reaching the Moon and Mars, and have even created cloned copies of themselves in the form of robots and artificial intelligence. Harari provocatively suggests that this relentless pursuit of advancement marks the potential end of Homo sapiens, as artificial intelligence may emerge as the new dominant “species.
3. Critical Analysis:
Although Harari’s Sapiens is a thought-provoking book, it overlooks the contributions of the East to scientific advancements that predate the Scientific Revolution in the West. Many ideas and arguments in the book are oversimplified and lack sufficient factual backing, such as the assertion that plants domesticated humans. Additionally, while Harari acknowledges the usefulness of artificial intelligence, his critical stance on its potential to destroy human civilization comes across as speculative and lacks concrete evidence to support such a sweeping claim.
4. Conclusion
This is a remarkable book with the power to change the way you see the world. The arguments Harari presents are factual, logical, and thought-provoking, compelling readers to deeply reflect on them. His approach reminds us that Homo sapiens are the only surviving species of the genus and that all divisions beyond biology are mere fiction. Harari’s message urges us to unite, work together to eliminate suffering, and protect our only home-our “Mother Earth”.

5. Rating: I would rate 5/5, As it is a wonderful must-read book for all.