Risk, Evolution, and Humanity’s Winning Streak: Don Ross on The Gambling Animal

Loading player...
Join David Gorin as he sits down with Don Ross to discuss The Gambling Animal, a compelling exploration of human behaviour and risk-taking. Discover the psychology behind gambling, its societal impacts, and why we’re wired to take chances. Tune in for an insightful conversation.

More about the book:
Evolution is a series of bets, and no animal gambles the way humans do. This has led us to unprecedented ecological dominance, via the steepest odds and unlikeliest of outcomes, but our winning streak cuts both ways: the secret to our success may yet be our downfall.

The Gambling Animal offers a revelatory retelling of the human story. Drawing on
their unique research into the risk psychology of humans and other animals - including our most impressive rivals, elephants - Don Ross and Glenn Harrison reveal the hidden logic of our rise.

Even before the dawn of civilisation, we bet the Earth on our ability to keep doubling down. But with an ecological crisis on the horizon, how long will our winning streak continue?

More about Don and David:
Don Ross is an experimental economist and philosopher of science, based at University College Cork in Ireland since 2016, the University of Cape Town in South Africa since 1997, and Georgia State University in Atlanta, USA since 2010. Born in Winnipeg, Canada, and growing up mostly in Ontario, he earned his PhD at the University of Western Ontario in 1990. Since then he's published many academic articles and books on a range of topics and has done policy consulting for public and corporate clients, including the World Bank, the South African National Roads Agency, the US Department of Commerce, and the Government of Namibia. He currently lives in Cork, Ireland.

Dave Gorin is a former accountant, then an advertising strategist, and now a writer and observer of human nature, with a particular interest in history. As a book lover he has written over 200 reviews for a spectrum of South African publications. 

#TheGamblingAnimal #DonRoss #DavidGorin #HumanBehavior #RiskTaking #Psychology #GamblingInsights #BookInterview #SouthAfrica #Elephants
30 Mar English South Africa Books · Society & Culture

Other recent episodes

OBF 2025: Wamuwi Mbao interviews Foluso Agbaje (The Parlour Wife)

Pagecast was at the 2025 Open Book Festival, where we spoke with authors about their writing journeys and the stories they share with readers. In this first episode, Wamuwi Mbao interviews Foluso Agbaje about her moving novel, The Parlour Wife. Set in Lagos in 1939 during the start of World…
9 Sep 17 min

Behind Prison Walls by Edwin Cameron, Rebecca Gore and Sohela Surajpal

In this episode of Pagecast, Shaun de Waal interviews Justice Edwin Cameron about his book, Behind Prison Walls. More about the book: Since the Zuma presidency weakened crime intelligence, violent crime surged, with murder rates rising over 75%. South Africa faces severe femicide, and most murderers evade justice. Prisons fail…
31 Aug 40 min

The Shadow State by Jeff Wicks

This week on Pagecast, Qaanitah Hunter is in conversation with Jeff Wicks to talk about his new book, The Shadow State. More about the book: On 23 August 2021, a quiet, hardworking single mom was shot down as she drove home. Her name was Babita Deokaran, chief accountant at the…
24 Aug 39 min

These Heavy Black Bones by Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell

In this episode of Pagecast, Keanan Hemmonsbey interviews Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell about her prize-winning memoir, These Heavy Black Bones. More about the book: This is not a story about making history. Rebecca Achieng Ajulu-Bushell was once a double British Champion and the first Black woman ever to swim for Great…
17 Aug 31 min

Rubies and Rain by Busisekile Khumalo

This week we have the incredible Sue Nyathi chatting with Busisekile Khumalo to discuss her novel, "Rubies and Rain." More about the book: Ruby has to deal with the news of her father’s death and her sex scandal simultaneously trending on social media. Vimbai has been captured and Nosihle returns…
27 Jul 32 min