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Predictive History, Professor Jiang, No Ads

No advertisements lectures. All credit goes to Jiang Xueqin, aka Professor Jiang. Audio files of Jiang’s lectures.

Latest Episodes:

Civilization #3: The Religious Imagination Apr 08, 2026

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Jiang Xueqin examines two case studies that highlight the power of religion.In his book "The Wayfinders," the Canadian anthropologist Wade Davis looks at the animistic cosmology and the shamanistic rituals of the Barasana people of the Amazon. In his book "The Forest People," the British anthropologist Colin Turnbull observes the religion permeates every aspect of the life of the Pygmies. For religious people, their collective faith is more real than reality itself, and is the source of all that is good in the world. Jiang Xueqin argues that throughout most of human history religion is the fundamental basis of who we are. This idea is illustrated in Paleolithic cave paintings as well as the pillars of Gobekli Tepe.

Civilization #2: Religion and the Dawn of Society Apr 08, 2026

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The great French sociologist Emile Durkheim once wrote: “Religion is above all a system of ideas by which men imagine the society of which they are members and the obscure yet intimate relations they have with it.” In this talk, Jiang Xueqin explores the origin and purpose of Paleolithic cave paintings. He argues that these paintings expressed pre-historic religious beliefs and practices, and they demonstrate that humans have a religious imperative that is just as important as the economic and biological imperatives.

Civilization #1: Explaining Humanity's Transition to Agriculture Apr 08, 2026

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In this first lecture, Jiang Xueqin explains to his Chinese high school students why humans adopted agriculture.We now know that there were many consequences due to the transition to agriculture. Hunter-gatherers had an easier, more healthier, and less disease-prone life. So why did humans make this sacrifice? Though there are many explanations, most scholars believe that it was the religious impulse that drove humans to choose a sedentary life, as evidenced by the archaeological sites of Gobekli Tepe, Jericho, and Catal Hoyuk.