Book SummaryHomo Deus, by Yuval Noah Harari

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Homo Deus

For millennia, humans struggled with three serious problems: famine, plagues, and war. These issues contributed to the deaths of millions of people and resulted in the rise and fall of global empires.

However, in the modern era, we’ve mostly overcome these three problems through the development of technology and medical knowledge. Consequently, we now look toward new goals: immortality, happiness, and divinity. These will guide us to the next phase of our evolution, from Homo sapiens to Homo deus, or god-like beings.

This book explores the way that technological advancement may lead to the decline of modern political, social, and economic systems, with advanced algorithms, “superhumans,” and data surveillance becoming the new normal.

To understand this perspective, we must first look to human history to see how modern society has developed. From there, we’ll look at technology and how it has already impacted modern systems of religion, economics, and politics. Finally, we’ll look at the future of humanity and the systems that may develop within the next century.

The Past: The Rise of Homo Sapiens

To understand where we’re headed, we must first understand how we became the most dominant species on the planet. Humans have been the single greatest agent of change in the history of the Earth. In just a few thousand years of existence, mankind has changed the ecosystem of the entire planet. We’ve been able to dominate the planet largely through our flexibility and large-scale cooperation—not, as some contend, because we have a soul, consciousness, or self-awareness.

Historically, humans have used their ability to flexibly cooperate to dominate both animals and other humans. For example, in pre-Soviet Russia, 3 million noblemen controlled 180 million commonfolk by ensuring that “lower-class” citizens never learned to cooperate with one another.

The Creation of Meaning

To ensure cooperation, humans have used storytelling to create meaningful narratives that allow them to dominate other species and control one another. About 70,000 years ago, Sapiens gained the power of cognition, allowing them to share stories that only existed in their heads. These stories consisted of tales of divine beings and ancestral spirits. While these tales remained relatively local, they provided Sapiens an advantage over other beings such as Neanderthals by creating a stronger sense of community and purpose.

Over time, the advent of writing and organized religion allowed for centralized powers to ensure large-group cooperation and mass organization. While religions have historically been theistic, or centered around powerful deities, religion doesn’t have to revolve around supernatural or superstitious beliefs. Rather, religion is defined as an all-encompassing story that creates ethics and laws within a human structure.

In this sense, “religion” includes scientific, economic, and socio-political ideologies because they create order, generate ethical perspectives, and allow for large-scale cooperation. In the modern era, we still rely on religion to guide our perspective. While fewer people believe in the grandiose stories of theistic religions, economic and political religions such as capitalism, nationalism, communism, and fascism have taken their place.

The Present: The Rise of Humanism

As theism lost its power, humanity needed a new way to get through the constant stress, tension, and burnout associated with the demand for advancement while maintaining social order and large-group cooperation. To help in their quest for meaning, humans turned to humanism and the belief that humanity has the authority to create meaning within the universe.

Morality and the Impact of Humanism

Meaning creates morality by determining what’s important in life. Historically, people didn’t believe that human beings had the ability to determine morality on their own and turned to a higher power for guidance. Modern humanists, however, believe that human beings can use their personal feelings to define their version of “right” and “wrong.”

As people continue to value their own perspective over that of a divine being, the impact of humanism is seen clearly in the following five areas:

1. Ethics: Historically, theistic religion dictated ethics, regardless of human impact. In the modern era, humanists develop their own ethical judgments and make ethical decisions based on their internal feelings, removing the black-and-white judgments of religious fundamentalism.
2. Politics: Historically, politics were reserved for the noble or the religious elite. In the modern era, most countries now involve the masses through voting and direct representation. People are expected to vote based on their personal perspective and experiences.
3. Aesthetics: Historically, divine beings have been a primary source of artistic and aesthetic inspiration. In the modern era, artists usually create works that center around human emotion. In addition, art isn’t judged based upon whether or not it's pleasing to a higher power, as “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
4. Economics: Historically, many civilizations had a set system to determine quality and pricing of goods. In the modern era, competition and increased productivity have given power to the consumer to determine the quality of goods and the worth of a product.
5. Education: Historically, students relied on the words of divine beings or ancient philosophers to shape their perspective. In the modern era, teachers instruct students to form their own opinions because, according to humanism, every human has the power to create their own meaning and authority. Teachers introduce their students to a wide variety of perspectives, then allow them to decide how they feel about the information.

The Branches of Humanism

Similar to the religions that came before it, humanism has split into...

Homo Deus Summary Shortform Introduction

Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari spans the whole of human history and looks centuries into the future, covering everything from theistic religion to artificial intelligence. This book explores the way that technological advancement may lead to the decline of modern political, social, and economic systems, with advanced algorithms, “superhumans,” and data surveillance becoming the new normal.

To understand this perspective, we must first look to human history to see how modern society has developed. From...

Homo Deus Summary Chapter 1: The New Goals

To understand how far humanity has come and where it could possibly go, we must first look at the obstacles that have hindered human progress in the past. For millennia, human beings struggled with three serious problems: famine, plagues, and war.

These issues contributed to the deaths of millions of people and resulted in the rise and fall of global empires. However, in the modern era, we’ve mostly overcome these three problems through technological and medical advancement, using information and technology to address life-threatening issues and improve our way of life.

Note: This stance isn’t implying that famine, plague, and war don’t cause death in the 21st century. Instead, it’s claiming that the effects of the three aren’t nearly as deadly as they’ve been in the past.

Famine

Until the 20th century, famine could easily result in 5-10% of a nation’s population starving to death. Resources were scarce, transportation was too slow to rely on imported food, and governments tended to reserve provisions for the elite. This meant natural disasters, stolen livestock, or razed farmland were a death sentence for many people.

For example, famine struck France...

Homo Deus Summary Part 1: Past—The Rise of Homo Sapiens | Chapter 2: Human Dominance

To understand where we’re headed, we must first understand how we became the most dominant species on the planet. Humans have been the single greatest agent of change in the history of the Earth. In just a few thousand years of existence, mankind has completely changed the ecosystem of the entire planet. Where natural selection and environmental phenomena were once the primary catalysts of evolution and development, humans have shaped the world through their actions.

As the dominant species on the planet, we determine what species they want to survive, and how to use them to serve our needs. This isn’t a new development. Even in the earliest years of human history, Neanderthals pushed certain animals to extinction by hunting them for food and clothing. However, they didn’t understand the consequences of their actions. Conversely, in the 21st century, we have a better understanding of how our behaviors can impact the world around us.

For example, where changes in animal population were once the result of natural occurrences, the number of wild and domesticated animals now depends on human behavior. In 1980, 2 billion wild birds lived in Europe. By 2009, that number had...

Homo Deus Summary Chapter 3: The Myths of Human Superiority

People want to believe that they are fundamentally superior to other animals. While there are imbalances between different races, ethnicities, and cultures, people typically believe that human life is more sacred than animal life.

For example, an American citizen may have better access to healthcare, education, and civil liberties than an Afghani citizen, but this doesn’t mean that the American life is more valuable than the Afghani life. However, compare a human’s life to the life of a cow, and most people would argue that the human’s life is more valuable than the cow’s life.

In this chapter, we'll continue to explore the historical justifications for human superiority, examine the modern research that refutes it, and learn the true reason humans dominate the earth. Throughout history, people have pointed to three differentiating reasons for human dominance: our soul, consciousness, and self-awareness.

The Human Soul

Most theistic religions point to a God-given soul as the justification for human superiority, giving people the freedom to abuse and slaughter animals for their own gain. However, despite searching extensively, modern science has found no...

Homo Deus Summary Chapter 4: The Creation of Meaning

To maintain imagined orders and ensure mass cooperation, humans have used storytelling to create meaningful narratives that allow them to dominate other species and control one another. About 70,000 years ago, Sapiens gained the power of cognition, allowing them to share stories that only existed in their heads. These stories consisted of tales of divine beings and ancestral spirits. While these tales remained relatively local, they provided Sapiens an advantage over other beings such as Neanderthals by giving them a stronger sense of community and purpose.

Following the Agricultural Revolution, larger tribes required more powerful stories. The “gods” now dictated everything from legality to behavior. For example, in Sumeria, the people would work for individual gods. One person might work in the temple of Enki, while another worked on the farm of Inanna. Each god had its own set of rules and requirements that guided the actions of their workers.

Developing Meaning Through Writing

Without a clear, universal text, entities such as the Sumerian gods had limited power over humanity. There were no written laws or practices, so people relied solely on the words of...

Homo Deus Summary Chapter 5: The Search for Power

Historically, humans believed they played a role in a cosmic plan created by a divine being. This plan gave people purpose, but it also restricted their power. For example, if a famine destroyed the crops of hundreds of farmers, it was accepted as “God’s plan.” Rather than working to solve the problems that created the famine, people would rely on prayer and sacrifice to “atone” to their deity.

As theistic religions have lost influence over the last century, people now believe they’re in charge of their own destiny and aren’t beholden to a god. This takes the meaning out of suffering and creates motivation to solve problems. Because plagues, droughts, and wars have no cosmic purpose, humans now have the drive to eradicate them.

For example, if people believed that an omnipotent god created plagues, they’d believe there was no way to stop it, aside from offering that god whatever they wanted. However, if a plague is simply an obstacle that can be overcome by human innovation, then humans may feel inclined to find a solution.

The dismissal of theism also leads to the removal of a traditional afterlife. Because there is no longer a promise of eternal bliss, humanity is...

Homo Deus Summary Part 2: Present—The Rise of Humanism | Chapter 6: The Humanist Perspective

As humanity shifted its focus to constant economic growth and technological advancement, increased demand took its toll on people’s mental, emotional, and physical health. As theism lost its power, people needed a new way to get through the constant stress, tension, and burnout associated with the demand for advancement while maintaining social order and large group cooperation. To help in their quest for meaning, people turned to humanism and the belief that humanity has the authority to create meaning within the universe.

Morality and the Impact of Humanism

Meaning creates morality by determining what’s important in life. Historically, people didn’t believe that humans had the ability to determine morality on their own and turned to a higher power for guidance. Modern humanists, however, believe that people can use their personal feelings to define their version of “right” and “wrong.”

For example, if a woman spoke out against her husband in the 1300s, the local priest may demand that she be brought to the church for guidance and forgiveness. After prayer and a healthy donation to the church, she could be absolved of sin. Conversely, if a woman spoke out against...

Homo Deus Summary Chapter 7: The Branches of Humanism

Similar to the religions that came before it, humanism has split into different branches. Each branch has a different take on humanism and is often at odds with other humanist perspectives. The three primary branches of humanism are liberalism, socialism, and evolutionary humanism (fascism).

Liberalism

Liberals believe that people have distinct internal voices and unique experiences, necessitating the need for personal freedom. Humans possess free will and should be able to express their perspective in everything from art to politics. This form of humanism is considered the “orthodox” version and values individuals over political or religious institutions. According to liberalism, the voter and the customer are always right because their individual experience is what matters most.

Liberals believe that every human perspective matters. Because of this, they run into problems when valid, but differing perspectives clash. For example, when a Palestinian refugee asked German Chancellor Angela Merkel for asylum, Merkel told her that Germany didn’t have the resources to take them in. Both the girl and the chancellor had valid perspectives based upon their...

Homo Deus Summary Chapter 8: Threats to Liberalism in the 21st Century

As discussed earlier, religion relies on ethical judgments supported by “factual” statements. Liberalism contends that freedom is more important than equality (ethical judgment) because human beings possess free will and a unique, singular voice. However, recent scientific studies expose flaws in liberalism’s “factual” statement through research into the liberal concepts of free will and individualism.

Free Will

For centuries, humans have been told that they possess free will, or the power to make their own decisions. Before the advent of brain scans and modern psychology, the simplest way to explain why someone would do something was to say, “They chose to.” It gave people authority over their destiny as they maintained total control over the choices they made.

However, researchers have challenged the theory of free will through the use of neuroscience and brain mapping. The electro-chemical processes in the brain are subconscious, meaning humans have no control over the neural system that creates thought or action. When external stimuli cause a reaction in the brain, the human body will naturally respond to the electrical and chemical interactions. For example,...

Homo Deus Summary Chapter 9: Predicting the Future of Liberalism

As the concepts of free will and individualism continue to be challenged, three potential developments could wipe out liberalism in the 21st century:

1. The loss of military and economic usefulness
2. The rise of decision-making algorithms
3. The creation of the “superhuman”

The Loss of Military and Economic Usefulness

The first potential development predicts that technology will make humans unnecessary to the economy and military, leading political and economic systems to devalue the human perspective. Liberalism rose to prominence because the political, economic, and military systems relied on the masses to keep them afloat. If a nation wanted to go to war, they needed foot soldiers. If industrialists wanted to open a factory, they needed floor workers.

Defenders of liberalism point to the effectiveness of soldiers and workers as a selling point for the liberal system, explaining that, when people feel valued, they work harder and more efficiently. In the 20th century, because political and economic systems relied on large numbers of people to operate, it made sense to value the perspectives of all people to boost productivity.

**However, in the 21st...

Homo Deus Summary Part 3: Future—The Rise of Techno-Religion | Chapter 10: Techno-Humanism

If liberalism dies, other religions will emerge to take its place. Because of the increasing impact of technology, these will probably center around technology, creating a new form of belief: techno-religions. Techno-religions promise the guidance and salvation of traditional religions but use technology to generate happiness instead of celestial beings.

Techno-religions can be divided into two categories:

1. Techno-humanism: The belief that Homo sapiens should use technology to create Homo deus, ensuring that humanity maintains superiority on Earth.
2. Dataism: The belief that Homo sapiens have run their course and should pass superiority on to advanced algorithms.

This chapter focuses on techno-humanism, the next on Dataism.

Techno-humanism maintains many traditional humanistic beliefs but accepts that Homo sapiens have no place in the future. Because of the rate of advancement with artificial intelligence, techno-humanists believe that humanity must focus on upgrading the human mind if it wishes to compete with advanced external algorithms.

Over 70,000 years ago, the Cognitive Revolution caused minor shifts in the minds of Homo sapiens,...

Homo Deus Summary Chapter 11: Dataism

While some cling to the ideals of humanism, others have turned to a more extreme version of techno-religion: Dataism. Dataism operates under the belief that the universe is connected by the flow of data and that the value of anything, human or otherwise, can be determined by its ability to process data.

Dataism negates the core values of humanism, valuing raw data over human experience. Rather than lifting humanity over all other beings, Dataism connects all animals and breaks down the barrier between organic and inorganic entities.

By focusing solely on statistical information, Dataists believe they can connect everything from music to economics using data patterns, creating a common language that everyone can relate to . For example, while Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, the DOW-Jones, and the mating patterns of cows seem unrelated, Dataists view them as data flows that can be analyzed using data concepts and tools.

Dataism inverts the traditional system of learning. According to current methods, humans are supposed to transform data into information, information into knowledge, then knowledge into wisdom.** However, Dataists suggest that humans don’t have the capacity...

Shortform Exercise: Homo Deus Reflection

After reading through the research and predictions of Homo Deus, work through the following reflection questions.

Do you believe that human beings are algorithms, or do we possess something (for instance, a soul, consciousness, or self-awareness) beyond data processing? Explain your answer.