Book Description
A gorgeous gift and a landmark work that is an essential addition to everyone's personal library.
Never before have the four great works of Charles Darwin—Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle (1845), The Origin of Species (1859), The Descent of Man (1871), and The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals (1872)—been collected under one cover. Undertaking this challenging endeavor 123 years after Darwin's death, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Edward O. Wilson has written an introductory essay for the occasion, while providing new, insightful introductions to each of the four volumes and an afterword that examines the fate of evolutionary theory in an era of religious resistance. In addition, Wilson has crafted a creative new index to accompany these four texts, which links the nineteenth-century, Darwinian evolutionary concepts to contemporary biological thought. Beautifully slipcased, and including restored versions of the original illustrations, From So Simple a Beginning turns our attention to the astounding power of the natural creative process and the magnificence of its products. Slipcased hardcover; 101 illustrations, map.
Customer Reviews:
Can't Beat It.......2007-04-03
I bought this book knowing very little about Darwin or his theories. From So Simple a Beginning was an easy read about a very interesting man. I would hope that not just supporters of evolution would read this book there is more to the man then just one theory.
Four classics.......2007-01-12
Excellent in every particular. Five stars in delivery time, condition, quality of the experience.
Wonderful writing wrong package.......2007-01-10
There is no gainsaying the writings of Darwin or the thinking of my favorite living scientist, E.O.Wilson. But the package is wrong.
Four books in one. Too heavy, too cumbersome. Discouraging.
Too big.......2007-01-05
This book is way too big to hold to read, so it is not useful. From the picture I thought I was ordering 4 different books in a book holder, not one giant book. I recommend buying them separately unless you have very strong arms and wrists.
From So Simple a Beginning: Darwin's Four Great Books (Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle, The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man, T.......2006-07-02
Good
Book Description
"Deftly written . . . Patterson's book must now be considered the definitive Tsavo lion study... one of the world's leading experts on lions as well as an important conservationist."--Publishers Weekly
Through field research and forensic evidence, a scientist reveals his theory on why two Kenyan lions killed humans and then ate their prey
In March 1898, the British began building a bridge over the Tsavo River in East Africa. In nine months, two male lions killed and ate nearly 135 workers, halting construction.
After a long hunt Colonel J. H. Patterson killed the lions, which are now on display at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago.
As codirector of the Tsavo Research Project, Bruce Patterson has conducted extensive fieldwork throughout the region on these lions. In The Lions of Tsavo, Patterson retells the harrowing story of those bloody nights in Kenya. He presents new forensic evidence on these maneless lions and argues that the man-eating behavior exhibited in 1898 came from the encroachment of human populations on wild habitats.
Patterson continues this theory by exploring man's interaction with the changing Kenyan environment, creating a complete, up-to-date, and scientific look behind this intriguing murder mystery.
Customer Reviews:
Well Done.......2006-08-19
The author does an excellent job of making the subject matter readable for the layman. This is based on a series of scientific studies which are often laborius reading for most but it is presented in an easily understood form.
No definite conclusions are drawn but anyone with an interest in the big cats will find this a valuable source of information.
Very Interesting.......2005-09-21
It is not the complete history of the how Col. Patterson killed the Tsavo Lions, but a very good and more recent report of a sciencific investigation trying to explain those animal's behavior and the causes that lead them to kill so many people.
I found it very interesting.
Informative and a shade biased.......2004-12-24
The book is filled with informative scientific hypothesis' about the man eaters. I found it to be very good reading until the the chapter when the author started bashing the hunters he had quoted through out the book. Throughout the world hunters are usually amoung the first to call for conservation of a species, not the enemy of conservation. Over all I would say the book is educational and worth reading just skip chapter 9 if you are a hunter.
A passion for the big African cats..........2004-04-14
For all of us with a passion for the big African cats, this book is a must read. The author, B.D.Patterson, combines his years of field research with an obvious love of the African continent to produce a scientific yet readable and ultimately fascinating review of lion behavior, biology, and evolution.
Starting with an historical review of `man-eater lion' stories Dr. Patterson clarifies facts and debunks myths. He provides a comprehensive review of related factors - from dentition to drought - from game scarcity to human burial practices. No stone is left unturned as he investigates aggressive behavior where the territories of human and lion overlap (and there is aggressive behavior on both sides of this equation!!). He continues his analysis with a succinct review of the latest biological and evolutionary information of the Panthera genus, covering the latest findings in DNA studies, historical range analysis, behavioral studies, and much more. Finally, he concludes the book with a review of conservation efforts in the Tsavo region and plea for continued assistance for this increasingly endangered species.
Readers who are tired of the dumbed-down approach many authors follow in order to cater to the broadest audience possible will be presently surprised by this book. It is thoughtful and intelligent throughout - readable and enjoyable - give it a try.
A Fascinating Study.......2004-02-11
Bruce Patterson's brilliant new book shines a much-needed scientific light on the lions of Tsavo. First made infamous by Colonel John Patterson (no relation to the author of this book), after he wrote "The Man-eaters of Tsavo" almost a century ago, and then re-introduced to modern audiences when the movie "The Ghost and the Darkness" came out in 1996, the lions of the barren East African region have been much speculated on. Their unusual physical characteristics and habits, including a reputed inclination to prey on men with greater frequency than other lions, have added to the interest about them.
Unfortunately, and somewhat surprisingly, little is known about the Tsavo lions. Are they a separate species from the lions found elsewhere in Africa or a subspecies? How does their social behavior differ from that of other lions? Why are the male lions of Tsavo typically maneless? Was the trait selected by evolution for some reason or determined by the tough physical environment of Tsavo?
Bruce Patterson, a naturalist with extensive experience studying these beasts, informs the debate on them to such a degree that even where he does not provide definitive answers to these questions about the lions - and he sometimes does -- he provides the definitive framework for understanding them. He approaches the creature from every angle. He has studied them in the field. He has worked on them in the laboratory. And he has extensively read both the scientific and popular literature on the lions.
Despite his impressive scholarship, Patterson is not afraid to tell the reader when he doesn't know something. He often writes that some area on the lions needs further study. I also appreciated how he took seriously what any source (white hunters, local tribesmen, etc.) had to say about the lions. Patterson does not snobbishly discount what a source says just because it was not written by a fellow scientist. He makes note of it in his ledger and considers it in the context of other information on the subject.
This is a delightful book. If you have any interest in lions in particular or big cats in general, you will find it fascinating and informative.
Book Description
Published to acclaim and controversy a decade ago, Sperm Wars is a revolutionary thesis about sex that turned centuries-old biological assumptions on their head.
Evolution has programmed men to conquer and monopolize women while women, without ever knowing they are doing it, seek the best genetic input on offer from potential sexual partners.
In this book, best-selling author Robin Baker reveals these new facts of life: ten percent of children are not fathered by their "fathers;" less than one percent of a man’s sperm is capable of fertilizing anything (the rest is there to fight off all other men’s sperm); "smart" vaginal mucus encourages some sperm but blocks others; and a woman is far more likely to conceive through a casual fling than through sex with her regular partner.
It’s no wonder that Sperm Wars is a classic of popular science writing that will surprise, entertain, and even shock.
Customer Reviews:
A little disappointing, but worthwhile.......2007-07-10
I had high hopes for this book after hearing so many of my friends rave about it. However, I was a little let down. First of all, there are no foot-notes or citations for any of the claims/statistics that Baker writes about. I understand that the book reads easier without them, but it takes a lot of the credibility away from the message. Also, the constant referral to previous/future "scenes" (37 small stories) throughout the book really made it difficult to follow.
I read in a couple other reviews for this book that a lot of the "science" Baker writes about has been proved wrong. One of the reviewers actually posted a link to a scientific article which conducted some experiments contradictory to Baker's research, so if you feel inclined it's on this website somewhere.
Anyway, the book did have a couple (valid) discoveries that were new to me, so all was not lost. Just wish Baker had done a better job of backing up his research!
Probing the mysteries of female sexuality.......2007-05-13
We all marvel at the unpredictable nature of female sexuality, and often wonder why women do the things that they do, and are equaly shocked at the things they DON'T do. Why are women so crazy about teenaged boys that they will risk life and limb to be with them sexualy ( i.e-the current huge runaway phenominon of female teachers having illicit relationships with their male teen students ), while they all but totaly ignore men over 20? Why do women suffer such sexual attention span deficit one day and are at least as sexual as any man the next? Are women truly less attracted to men than men are to women? Why is the realm of female sexuality such a matrix of insanity and seemingly bizzare behaviour? Why can't women explain what they really want?
The answers to these questions will shock you....and are contained within the brilliant, extensively researched pages of this book. It will not only give you more insight into the dynamics of female sexuality, but will give you more understanding of your own male sexual physiology as well. Reproduction is truly EVERYTHING !!!! Sex is life itself, and the importance of this transference of life from one generation to the next is a staggering existence we take totaly for granted. Not after you read this book!!! You will never view reproduction the same again.
Nice theory, but..........2007-01-11
It all makes for a nice sensationalist read, but apart from the author and his colleagues' own research, other research on this subject have proven it to be totally false in regards to human sperm. The "fun" of this book is all the eyebrows it raises by suggesting that women are unfaithful by nature, but really beyond that there are no other selling points. Makes for a good read if you're into that kind of fantasy junk...as for real science, throw this one in the pile with phrenology and whatever else.
Humans as just another animal.......2006-06-26
Among animals, humans seem unusually obsessed with sex and thus a bit separated from the rest of the animal biology, which seems to feature a preponderance of 10-second sex acts. Robin Baker uses a lifetime of university study to try to explain human behavior objectively through case studies and discussions at at rate of one per chapter. It is a mixture of illumination, rationalization and sadly some repetition as the explanations seem to cycle through in the ~33 chapters. Most of the time, he hits his points, but sometimes he seems to miss obvious ones; for instance in the "rough sex" chapter, the woman's reproductive advantage in marrying a mate is discussed but the male perspective in such mate exploration is not. Mate selection by physical endowment is essentially entirely neglected, yet in human societies it is the norm that most people have multiple partners over a lifetime. In fact, in this book sperm wars really alludes to instances in which multiple matings occur in a short enough time span that sperm of different mates are selected in the woman's reproductive tract--a topic of a number of chapters. Practically every sexual combination is presented and explained, even when it is a bit stretched, as for instance the explanation as to why homo- or bisexuality, lesbian or gay behavior may contribute to reproductive success. In his role, the author is largely amoral--an observing biologist trying to explain a role for behavior in reproductive success rather than judging its societal context--though sometimes outcome of the occasional case study seem to bear moral shadings. For those who want to learn about the biology underlying human sexual behavior, this book has some interesting ideas. As a biologist, I found the absence of direct citation of experimental evidence was distracting, as I would prefer seeing whether conjectures withstand scientific analysis, but that is not what this book is about. The current book looks and feels a lot like a second edition of his best-selling book "Sperm Wars" of a decade before, but I do not know that to be the case; I am looking forward to seeing what readers of both volumes say on that point.
I Have My Doubts.......2006-04-28
An interesting book, but I have my doubts about the basic premise. If women are always shopping around for men with the very best genes, then why is the world filled with ugly, stupid people? (Let's be honest. It is.) And why is it that something like 13 million Asian men are the descendents of a murderous psychopath like Attila the Hun? According to studies, that many men bear the same Y-chromosome, probably a result of Attila's marauding across the countryside centuries ago. Did the women who had the misfortune to encounter Attila say, "Wow! What great genes! Go ahead and kill my husband/father/brother/son. It's worth it to get those superior genes." I doubt it. My other problem with the book centers around the author's idea that a successful human is one who reproduces abundantly, whose genes are present in the generations to come. We, however, are not worms, or monkeys, or race horses. Perhaps the most successful humans are those whose ideas (memes not genes) are present in future generations - such as Einstein, Newton, Edison, Darwin, Buddha.
Average customer rating:
- Great summary/introduction to "brain size vs. organization" debate
- Good summary of research trends
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Evolutionary Anatomy of the Primate Cerebral Cortex
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Book Description
Studies of brain evolution have moved rapidly in recent years, building on the pioneering research of Harry J. Jerison. This book provides state-of-the-art reviews of primate (including human) brain evolution. The volume is divided into two sections, the first offers new perspectives on the developmental, physiological, dietary, and behavioral correlates of brain enlargement. However, it has long been recognized that brains do not merely enlarge globally as they evolve, but that their cortical and internal organization also changes in a process known as reorganization. Species-specific adaptations therefore have neurological substrates that depend on more than just overall brain size. The second section explores these neurological underpinnings for the senses, adaptations, and cognitive abilities that are important for primates. With a prologue by Stephen J. Gould and an epilogue by Harry J. Jerison, this is an important new reference work for all those working on primate brain evolution.
Customer Reviews:
Great summary/introduction to "brain size vs. organization" debate.......2006-05-01
I'd taken a class called Brain and Evolution at my university and our professor, Dr. Buxhoeveden (himself very influential in the study of minicolumns), required this book for the course. It is a very readable book with 14 chapters devoted to the ontogenetic and phylogenetic findings with minicolumns, axonal connections and brain size between primates. Chapter two, entitled "Neocortical expnasion and elaboration during primate evolution: a view from neuroembryology" is worth the book alone, giving a detailed an much neglected view (compared to the rest of modern neuroscience) on how minicolumns and the neurons/connections within develop in humans and other primates. Great book, though pricey. You can probably find some used copies online.
Good summary of research trends.......2001-12-31
This is a short, very readable book, consisting of a series of brief reviews of various aspects of primate cortical evolution. There are two main sections, "The evolution of brain size," and "Neurological substrates of species-specific adaptations," each with a very helpful introductory/summary essay. A fascinating epilogue is by Harry Jerison, in whose honor this volume was written, showing how the pioneers in a field can still stay on the cutting edge of things. Two of the articles I found most illuminating were by Todd Preuss, who shows how the idea of a canonical mammalian cortical circuit diagram is a gross oversimplification, and Katerina Semendeferi, who contests the received truth that human frontal lobes are greatly expanded; in fact her work shows they are of the expected volume for a primate of our size. Pasko Rakic also presents his view of how cortical expansion could have occurred (by simply expanding the number of cell cycles in the ventricular zone), which he has presented elsewhere, but here with some new data on the role of apoptosis. However, there is not much coverage of recent advances in the understanding of regulatory molecules involved in brain development (e.g. the hox genes). The book is also a priced a bit too high in my opinion. But for those interested in this area, it is a must read, and an enjoyable one.
Book Description
In The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin refused to discuss human evolution, believing the subject too “surrounded with prejudices.” He had been reworking his notes since the 1830s, but only with trepidation did he finally publish The Descent of Man in 1871. The book notoriously put apes in our family tree and made the races one family, diversified by “sexual selection”— Darwin's provocative theory that female choice among competing males leads to diverging racial characteristics. Though less well known than The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man continues to shape the way we think about what it is that makes us uniquely human.
Customer Reviews:
Freed our minds for relativity.......2006-12-12
Just as "Origin of Species is misunderstood, I believe "Descent" to be also, although the latter is a more entertaining read. "Descent" fails to concentrate on man without deviating. It is a book of observations and study. It concentrates on how animal life, has, by sexual selection, brought forth the variety in the species we see today, through millions of years. Darwin covered his beloved pigeons in depth in "Origins" and continues at length on many other bird species in "Descent". I agree with him that all the different types of birds we see today probably came from one ancestor of the pigeon. This is called variation of kind. We see this in just about every living creature and flora. The problem arises when the next step is taken, the rise of one species turning into another (reptile to bird). Throughout the book Darwin does admit to this fact, but he still maintains that it must be, with much difficulty. He does hint to nature having some "power of thought", where does this come from? How does nature make these choices? Why did Darwin focus so on the black tribes: their practices, looks, sexuality, if he did not believe them a lower race? Of course he only hints at this, and his belief of evolving from apes is scant, but obvious. Does not the use of race to distinguish only separate? His theory on idiots as somehow lower is also disturbing. And what of the rudimentary parts and vestigial organs. As we progress in our scientific study we understand more on their uses, and there may be much we will never understand. In the end he gives a poor argument, and a convoluted book.
There is no doubt there is a tremendous amount of work that went into his book. It is a difficult and painful read, although there are many interesting and detailed observations. One does need to know his enemy. Darwin is not the originator of "evolution." There are many who came before him, since the dawn of time. He was influenced by numerous men of his time, some being more radical. Darwin was nothing new, he just maid it "hip." What he started has turned into the secular humanism the world has adopted. I don't think he meant for this disease to spread like it has. From his writings I understand him as an agnostic, but doubtful. I believed he struggled with the possibly of a deist. It is safe to say it was his only ambition till his dying day to prove "evolution" as proof of our existence. What of the missing fossil record?, he new they would be found. He was a confusing man.
150 years later and there still has been no intermediate fossils found to prove the case. In fact we are discovering more that validates creation.
Why don't we see a scale or a feather erupt occasionally on man? Is it because it is not in our DNA, and never was?
The theory of evolution caused Darwin to loose his faith and his experience has been repeated in countless lives. Evolution is an acid that eats away at the mind, a cancer.
One only needs to open the pages to Michael Behe's book, "Darwin's Black Box", to understand the futility of the evolutionary theory. The engines of life at the molecular level are so complex that there leaves no other possibility than a creator of the universe. There should be no excuse.
Charles Darwin: The English Da Vinci and a Valid Heretic........2006-11-28
The 'Descent of Man' is really the better of his two earth-shattering books.He unleashed 'The Origin of the Species' book for the scientific rebels and christian theologians to chew on and debate.And then came ,'Descent of Man', and the book continues to fire mass debates everyday.The other great thinker of his day,was Karl Marx.And both men had their writings misunderstood and exploited by ruthless montebanks.I read some of the reviews for the 'Species' book.For the record,Hitler was an 'Anglo-phobe' and hated anything that was British.Hitler saw the writings of Darwin as 'English-Jewish Non-sense'.Hitler felt that his Aryan people were the true 'children of God',and uniquely seperate from other human pagan races. Hitler was an uneducted insane Christian,who almost enslaved the world with his 'Kernwaffen' and almost imposed his self-styled christian views on the planet.After 150 years of discussion,this Darwin book has freed the minds and hearts for all rational people. And this book continues to irritate the filthy apes that live in darkness and fear.
How is possible that I am the first to review this important book?.......2006-10-31
This book takes off where "Origin of the Species" leaves off. In Origin, Darwin does not present his hypotheses on the origin of man, but in this book he states categorically that the human race is descended from earlier species of apes, which were descended from much more primitive life forms. The book is the work of a naturalist, and it is surprising how perceptive Darwin was, considering that this book was written in 1871. It faced a storm of rejection and tremendous furor. The book caused a storm of controversy throughout the entire world. Darwin sets out his facts as dispassionately as possible, but that did not stop many nations from banning the work. Darwin also clearly states in this important work that man is continuing to evolve. In this book Darwin states that the two main forms of selection that helped to shape the animals and humans the most through time are the theories of natural selection and sexual selection, and he explains the difference between these two often throughout the book. Even though the book is actually quite readable, I found it not an easy book to read. Even now these theories seem too much to be believed in some spots, but I do not argue at all with Darwin's theory. It is in fact the only way that the human race could have evolved. Definitely a must-read for anyone interested in "ground-breaking" literature.
Book Description
This book presents a comprehensive and updated catalogue of the already large, and rapidly growing number of chromosome aberrations in man. The consistent structure of the text and references provide for rapid orientation. The catalogue is an important help for any clinician treating patients with autosomal chromosome aberrations as well as for physicians and biologists working in cytogenic laboratories and human genetic institutes.
Amazon.com
Michael Ghiglieri studies the roots of male violence from a unique vantage: he's a former combat soldier and longtime primate researcher, a protégé of Jane Goodall. In The Dark Side of Man: Tracing the Origins of Violence, Ghiglieri uses this background, accompanied by copious scientific and statistical evidence, to construct an explanation of male violence that is often at odds with popular preconceptions.
Central to Ghiglieri's argument is that violence is a deeply entrenched behavioral strategy--especially among males--that simply emerges when other strategies fail, a thesis he reinforces convincingly with both anecdotes and hard numbers. And while he recognizes that culture and socialization play important roles in encouraging violence, he maintains that ignoring the powerful biological and evolutionary forces at work is "the single most useless--and dangerous--approach one could take in trying to explain human violence."
With extensive sections on rape, murder, war, and genocide, Ghiglieri methodically details our grim heritage, from wilding New Yorkers to wild gorillas. Some of his conclusions are surprising but persuasive--that the goal of rape is actually copulation, not control, for instance. But Ghiglieri's assessment is ultimately a hopeful one: he believes that by understanding and admitting to the biological origins of violence, we are better prepared to deal with it. --Paul Hughes
Book Description
"This book should be read by anyone concerned about violence-that is, by everyone."
-George B. Schaller, author of The Last Panda, The Serengeti Lion, and The Year of the Gorilla
"Michael Ghiglieri takes on a topic-male aggression-that many researchers try to avoid, and he takes it on with honesty, with grace, and with a real sense of hope. And it's a startlingly good read; Ghiglieri is a natural storyteller in addition to being a fine researcher."
-Deborah Blum, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Sex on the Brain
Customer Reviews:
Mean People evolved to be that way........2007-06-01
Explains a lot of the behaviors that humans repeatedly resort to, all based on the survival pressures of our geologic past. Supports the idea of evolution, but not in a way that would please everyone.
Throwing Light on the Darkness?.......2007-04-19
This is an 'in your face' look at male violence from an author who has clearly had direct experience of human male violence eg in Vietnam and Africa.
The first section is 'Roots' in which he explains how violence is a male reproductive strategy ie it is a trait that can lead to more offspring for males. He discusses sex differences, which he exaggerates a little, but he particularly recognizes the massive significance both of males staying in their birth groups and the unnatural enforcement of female monogamy.
The second section covers rape, murder, war and genocide. Though there is an argument as to whether rape is about power or sex the answer seems to be sex - but with men getting turned on by the humiliation of females in all sexual situations and not only in rape. It seems that domination of females is part and parcel of male sexuality and so, rather than arguing between sex and power as the true motive for rape, we are now faced with the fact that male power, aggression, domination, sadism IS sex. Andrea Dworkin and Co. were right after all though the clue was always there when men talk about their sexploits as 'conquests' or the conquering of countries as rape. Sex/reproduction is the motive but the male sexual emotions are those of domination and power.
As so often happens in these type of books we get a little bit about how women prefer violent men as mates. And as also happens in this argument, the evidence provided for this female preference is a female character in a novel written by a male!!! Ghiglieri is right, though, in recognizing how a woman might need a violent man as a mate to protect her from outside male violence. It's a Hobson's choice for women, though - just like female gorillas and their infanticidal mates.
In the chapter on war the author importantly recognizes how female exogamy and male relatedness is rare in nature and opens up a Pandora's Box of male violence. It 'sets the stage for exotic adaptations in the macho male sexual selection arms race' - male bonding, war, nepotism, sexism, xenophobia, infanticide, murder.....'Instincts are coded in the male psyche that they must win against other males'. The author does point out that many men do avoid killing and avoid many of the extremes but he does not explore this enough in my opinion.
The last section is meant to provide some answers but I found it far from doing so. Punishment seems to be an important answer. Ghigieri also brings in the human moral instincts but again, this has come rather late in the story and is not explored enough. The family gets some of the blame - as if the natural dark side of man turns out to be the fault of single mothers after all!!
Though the author accepts the lack of monogamy, especially in human males, as a major force behind the dark side of man he does not explore how greater equality between males could reduce polygyny (whether literal or in the form of serial monogamy or marriage plus adultery/mistresses). He does not explore how men only accepting their fair share of female fertility could improve all this violent competition, and perhaps men could concentrate more on parenting behavior than mating competition. This requires looking at sex as less positive for males - as it obviously is often very negative for females - rather than again blindly overlooking the obvious if devastating conclusion that sex itself is the root of all evil. Ahhh!!!
Are men ever going to be able to see that sex is not about long-term happiness and see it for what it really is? Or are the genetic puppet-masters just far too powerful? Sexual rejection, as a very real experience for males who therefore potentially face personal genetic extinction, gives sex a very powerful hold over men and driving force behind pretty much everything they do.
We cannot deny that there are some very powerful truths in this book. There are also other sides that have not been explored including the fact that those other humans - ie females - are gradually undermining male domination and may change the picture with time. The natural female had to go undercover when she became men's property and had to concentrate on survival rather than challenging the bonded male kin-groups and the subsequent excesses of male behavior. Who knows what her emergence from the shadow of the human male may bring.
Oh my goodness, say its not so!.......2007-03-24
Many will find this book disturbing, but I loved it. The best thing about this book is that Ghiglieri went right to the core issues and questions about violence -- deals with it all from rape to genocide -- nothing left out. While I do not think he has the full and final word on the subject, anyone who is serious about dealing with violence MUST read this book or they are automatically out of the loop and cannot be taken seriously. This means all anthropologists, sociologists, anyone in public adminstration, crime control (i.e, all justice/police/law enforcement departments), the Department of Defense and ESPECIALLY everyone who works in the State Department. Without exposure to the real roots of human violence, how can anyone deal with it? Note to the PC crowd: you just had your idealistic notions about human nature thoroughly and justifiably trashed. What say you now?
Violence is Man's Original Sin Says the Good Doctor.......2004-10-03
Because it reaches deep inside the dark soul of man, this is a book that has aroused a great deal of controversy. Michael Ghiglieri has tackled a very difficult subject - the origins of male violence. Emerging from the field of anthropology and evolutionary psychology is the argument that male violence is deeply entrenched, that it is part and parcel of being male, not largely due to social factors. This idea makes people uncomfortable because if violence is a largely immutable male characteristic, than utopian social schemes won't be able banish it, to throw it on the dust heap of history. The author is an anthropology professor who toiled as a field biologist in Africa and Asia, where he worked with chimpanzees, the most intelligent of the great apes and man's closest animal relation. This work with the great apes - once thought to be peaceful animals - has contributed to his conviction that violence - while varying by degree from individual to individual - is an immutable human trait as it is among the chimpanzees. Ghiglieri is an advocate of evolutionary psychology and believes that most traits make sense when viewed through the prism of reproduction. He argues that male violence is largely a reproductive strategy.
Ghiglieri begins by citing the ever-larger body of scientific evidence that indicates just how different men and women are and why their reproductive goals fundamentally diverge. Then, he begins to address the spectrum of male violence - warfare, genocide, warfare, murder and rape - and begins each chapter with real world examples before segueing into a recitation of his evidence as to which reproductive and biological imperatives are fulfilled by that behavior.
One of the most controversial chapters of the book is about rape. While campus feminists have repeated the mantra that "rape is about power, not about sex" so many times that it has become part of the conventional wisdom, others have long questioned this certainty from purely logical viewpoint. After all, in a rape, the victim is not simply subjugated and beaten, but sexually violated. Now, Ghiglieri explains rape in the animal world and how it fulfills a mating strategy and then methodically marshals his evidence to prove that it is a disturbing but entrenched human mating strategy as well.
In a bold move, the author has a number of prescriptions - strategies - that he advocates in order to minimize the effects of male violence. In addition to our violent traits, he cites mankind's attributes, his ability to cooperate, to channel behavior, which will allow us to cope with man's innate aggression. Ghiglieri wants us to be appropriately tough on criminals, to eliminate those who are most violent, to encourage self-defense and advocates a criminal justice system that is almost biblical in its sense of retribution. According to him, these actions would reduce the damage done my male violence as they channel the protective strategies that are innate to me.
So, to Ghiglieri, there is no font of primitive happiness, no ideal society that so many anthropologists have sought. Man simply has a dark, aggressive side that is programmed into his DNA and so while it may be challenged, it can never be eliminated. With its disturbing anecdotal examples of male violence and its conviction that male aggression is an immutable reality, "The Dark Side of Man" is a disturbing book, but instead of looking away from some dark questions, it addresses them head-on. While the outlook for the world will forever be grim if man's baser instincts are hard-wired into us, it is probably better to be realistic about them so that we can develop effective countermeasures.
not a nice way to hundle evolutionary biology........2004-04-07
I
This book says that biology is solid science.Really?
Social biology ,ebolutionary biology,evolutionary psychology are very fragile science and have been abused for sexism,racism biological determinism,etc
And if one theory has the ring of the truth,it is possible to assert that that is truth,by using every fragile logic,biased indirect evidence .and the atmosphere(I myself have done so).
And considering such facts ,Scientists have to be humble.
But History repeats itself.
I'm not surprised that his theory sounds plausible to people who don't know the field well.I myself feel so about guns.
His tactic goes like this
When there are good data,he uses them perfectly and says a is --%,b is --% etc.And he doesnft note what unbiased people usually note.And maybe he doesnft know the field he looked down.
When there are controversial data or theories,he uses the part of data what are convenient for him( if he wants 'crime is not casused by the poor environment,'he sites only criminal's son tend to be a criminal ,and ignores the fact that criminal's son became criminal much less frequently when brought up by normal family.or goes like 'most authority agree with that'.or something like that.
And when there are obvious unconvinient facts ,data,construals or whatever ,he ignores that ,masks that.and instead uses ,illogical thinkings,personal quotations,and rare cases.and atmosphere.
For example,men kill men for pride and women love such dangerous,with low intelligence,and wanton vilonent guys.And it is an adoptation.according to him.
If men kill men, he earns the reputation that he is violent and he robs the resource easily when in need.And as an evidence he cites Yanomamo tribe's case or mafia and a woman who was attracted by the mafia.He uses this logic again and again,some rich men also do rape ,so most men...some rich men also do kill ,so most men...Yanomamo tribe and mafia are so,so most men...
But with evolutionary logic anyone can conclude opposite theory.
As he says , ,in evolutionary history,men act in union and if he breaks the harmony,he gets the penalty(this holds true to most societies.).Or maybe gets the revenge.violent?so what ? human got the equalizer(the authority also says eequalizerf put the leader in different position) .Or maybe he was excluded from the community.
And so how about women? according to the social psychology's experiment,when men are picked a fight by another man,this kind of violent reaction was very unpopular to women.
and if you teachs women that one man is criminal his appearance appeal became lower.And criminal type face was unpopular to women.
And what kind of men ,do women hate most?according to Bass's reserch all over the world he also quoted,typical killer type men ,violent ,low inteligence and can't constrain him,is one of the worst types.You're surprised? but not so surprised if you think well.
And the time that physical power counts much ends before the age of 10 in our world.
So typical killing was not adopted action ,or say worst action .So ?what happened ?human evolves the frontal cortex and among many of the human's brains high noble abilities (which are all very pppular to women,men,human and as a result are chosen),'brake is included .and no matter men became angry ,normal men don't kill and in a well contorolled society ,to meet a killer is hundreds times more difficult than many obviously unadopted actions.
And as a whole Killers have problems in frontal cortex and mineral balance.Which indicate they just couldn't express the abilities they have in themselves and not completely non problem guys as he try to indicate.
And to solve the problem ,we have to fully blossom our noble abilities,not eeye for eyef.
Ob course this is also very biased.
But this is evolutionary biology.I can fabricate another theories if his tactic is allowed.
He said one friend pointed out 1000 places to correct.. But still there were another 1000 to improve.Itfs not an exaggeration.I was tired to read this because of this.
And I reccomend to all the readers that they don't swallow all the stories written in this book.Though some of them are interesting ,They may be just his personal briefs,or ideologies..What kind of ideology he has ,I donft have to say..
Though I canft say his theories(or maybe any other theories) were definitely wrong.The fact that he has to use assertive ways again and again indicats his were in many cases unlikely.
Average customer rating:
- Extraordinary projection on future zoology
- Highly recommended for bringing an otherwise dry subject to life.
- I already wrote a review on this book, but I wanted to say......
- Evolution About 50 Million Years From Now
- When we were all evolving brains, what was Dixon doing???
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After Man: A Zoology of the Future
Dougal Dixon
Manufacturer: St Martins Pr
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Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 0312011636 |
Customer Reviews:
Extraordinary projection on future zoology.......2007-04-02
Is a shame we are the only species in the rational process of extincting ourselves, but this projection is call for hope for life in the planet, with a rational thread of thought, perfect drawings and wording.
Highly recommended for bringing an otherwise dry subject to life........2006-02-01
This book delighted our daughter with all its unknown monsters. With minimal intervention from us, she was able to grasp the possibilities of the theory of evolution, without even realising she was being educated.
This book is fun and educational. Highly recommended for bringing a dry subject to life.
I already wrote a review on this book, but I wanted to say.............2005-08-16
As I have stated, "After Man: A Zoology of the future is a great book for any one who's interested in future evolution that isn't like "The Future Is Wild". Although the book seems to have more imagination than "The Future Is Wild", nothing looked alien to me and resembled like organisms our own time. Even today we observe waterbirds with more toes or neck bones than others, just like the reedstilt is to other mammals. And there used to be flightless auks swimming in Arctic waters.
The only complain I have is that it seems like a complete zoology of the future, but infact it isn't. It lacked a field guide to the oceans of the future but, as Dixon stated, the results would be boring and only exciting to the specialist. Other than that, it explained nearly all terrestrial ecosystems and that's all that matters.
Evolution About 50 Million Years From Now.......2005-01-11
According to Dougal Dixon in 50 million years man will be extinct. This certainly is a possibility. If this does not happen we certainly hope that man will have evolved away from war and greed. Based upon the life expectancy of our sun, the earth and evolutionary processes will be here for up to another 5000 million years.
Dixon does a masterful job of speculating how life forms will evolve over the next 50 million years. He presents detailed color drawings of the new life forms. His work is visionary and will help the reader form his own vision of the future.
When we were all evolving brains, what was Dixon doing???.......2005-01-02
If you like unimaginative phony crap you'll love this book. The proposed animals within this book are utterly stupid and improbable. An antelope that feels through the snow with its incredibly dumb looking antlers? A DIURNAL and TERRESTRIAL mammal that for some God-forsaken reason lacks eyes of any kind? Primates that don't evolve to fit man's niche, but instead take on the roles of otters and flying squirrels? The thing has got nonsense written all over it. The "future animals" proposed for this book were not well thought out and somebody, please find Mr. Dixon a liguist, and FAST! Some of the names he gives these future animals are so stupidly childish that they actually detract from a creature's plausibility. A vortex? A posset? What jerk scientist of the future is naming these things? Can he please be institutionalized? I admit the pictures were well done and pre-teen children would probably enjoy this immensely. I know I would've when I was 10 or 11, and there's nothing wrong with that, it's just that Dougal Dixon begins the book in a very advanced scientific way discussing food pryramids, chains of evolution, and ecological niches, but then converts to unscientific baloney around page 30. All in all, I just don't think it's cut out for people over the age of 12 or so, unless you are just looking for fun and imaginative creatures. But in that case, why restrict your mind with the laws of evolution? Why not pick up a copy of the Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual or something like that with lots of mythological and imaginary creatures? I find that books intended to showcase the fantastic, do much better outside the realm of (somewhat-boring) science.
Average customer rating:
- Thank You For Writing The Disposable Male
- DARWIN EXPLAINED, MORE OR LESS
- Just one man's opinion
- At Last, Someone's Written it All Down
- Gender stereotypes recast in scientific jargon
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The Disposable Male: Sex, Love, and Money--Your World Through Darwin's Eyes
Michael Gilbert
Manufacturer: The Hunter Press
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ASIN: 0977655237 |
Product Description
In its fast paced, entertaining pages you will learn about the deep-seated forces that shape the behavior of today's men and women, and develop valuable tools for getting the most out of your relationships, your work, and your life. A rollicking ride--from the Big Bang to the day after tomorrow--The Disposable Male delivers a searching examination of what it means to be human in our modern, high-tech wonderland. It will have you looking at your world in a whole new and exciting way.
Customer Reviews:
Thank You For Writing The Disposable Male.......2007-06-19
As a 37 single male living in Hollywood, CA, your book provided me with an insightful and invaluable perspective into "how come" we men are where we are today without being "preachy" or redundant. By means of pragmatic logic, light hearted anecdotes and statistical analysis you paint an uncanny holistic "snapshot" of many sentiments that i too have felt about being "disposable" in modern society. Indeed, it is a relief to have some of these pent-up concerns finally unearthed and validated by someone with legitimate expertise on the subject.
Now that you have firmly established the "how come" part, I'm hoping you next delve further into the "how to's" of attaining, sustaining and mastering the more enticing role of "Indispensable Man". Perhaps a follow up book is in the works? I sincerely hope so...KS
DARWIN EXPLAINED, MORE OR LESS.......2007-02-01
I am an assistant professor teaching in a field related, but not directly applicable, to the book, which was brought to my attention by one of my students. I am, however, familiar with much of the science.
I would give this book an A for effort, with an overall grade of B+ (which I guess means 4 stars). The deductions are for the lack of footnotes (the author says above that they're coming to the book's web site, but there's simply too much here that's controversial to excuse the delay). The book also would have been better if opposing views were featured more often and if the language didn't occasionally sacrifice precision in favor of style.
That said, The Disposable Male is a very bold and highly-readable book. It may succeed where many others have failed and win the prize for conveying the story of evolution to the general public. It's been almost 150 years since Darwin's The Origin of Species was first published, and its implications couldn't be more relevant. The theory of evolution is still wildly controversial, at least in America, just look at some of our faithful school boards. This is where Gilbert shines. The impact of our ancient past, the crucial role our genes and hormones play, not to mention our biological predispositions, count for a whole lot, says the author, even in the way we live our hectic lives today. Near as I can tell, the underlying science is mostly within mainstream thinking and general references are sprinkled throughout the book. Deploying casual language, humor (sometimes side-splitting) and some vivid metaphors in the service of a very ambitious undertaking, Michael Gilbert lays out the Darwinian version of the creation story, educating readers about many crucial aspects of our modern existence. Placing the evolutionary spotlight he develops on contemporary times yields a diagnosis best summed up in his comment that, despite our social progress, "there are cavemen and cavewomen at the keyboards."
This ground has been tread by other writers. Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus actually uses evolutionary principles but it is several leagues beneath this book. Scholars such as Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker, and Matt Ridley (as well as Robert Wright) aim their work above the heads of the ordinary American reader. Gilbert, who has a disarmingly casual way of talking about some very controversial things, gets it just about right, I think, even if he cuts the odd corner.
At its heart, The Disposable Male is a credo, a way of looking at life. The problem comes when you attempt to apply the philosophy to individual lives. There he, and the many thinkers in the field of evolutionary psychology, is on less firm ground. He's almost certainly correct when he argues that we've gotten too far away from nature. He also makes a point of saying that there is a great deal of variation within each gender when nature's laws are viewed in human terms. This can't be said enough and he probably doesn't.
Perusing the reviews here confirms my sense that this is a provocative, informative and entertaining book. It will elicit a wide range of genuinely heartfelt but not always sympathetic responses. To my way of thinking, that makes it a pretty good read. Here's how one thoughtful reviewer puts it below. "If there's a more accessible, broader, and enjoyable presentation of sociobiology/evolutionary insights, I don't know it." Neither do I.
Just one man's opinion.......2007-01-28
Not only was this book homophobic, the whole book was fiction strung together with quotes and studies that are not footnoted. Some of the studies I recognized and have been debunked. This is not to say that the topic is not a worthy one for discussion. However, the book was boring and amaturish. I was expecting the caliber of Jared M. Diamond or Sperm War by Robin Baker
A heterosexual male
At Last, Someone's Written it All Down.......2007-01-25
This book lays out a Darwinian view of life that says just about everything I think and feel about women and men, sex and romance and what family life is all about. In the first half the author takes you literally from the Big Bang to today. He lays out the evolutionary point-of-view in a funny and very interesting way, explaining how the original relationship evolved between the sexes. There are many interesting diversions along the way, about everything from how our brains developed, to the role our genes play in our make-up now, to the meaning of our sexual fantasies.
In the second half of the book Gilbert turns to our modern lives. Thats when he analyzes how our lives look when you look at it from this evolutionary position. How the lives of men and women today are in harmony with the past and how our lives now vary from it. This leads in to a lot of common sense ideas but also some controversial issues. In a way, its a conservative book but the more traditional values he puts forth are based on science, not on religion.
Feminists are going to hate this book but, as a woman, I found it very fair. In fact, he's pretty hard on men and often exalts the feminine values, especially in relationships. The author also makes a point of saying how these classical gender roles based on our natural history do not apply to everyone--that there are big differences among each gender. I highly recommend this book. You may not agree with it as much as I did but you're definitely in for an entertaining read.
Gender stereotypes recast in scientific jargon .......2007-01-24
The message of this book is simple: Women should step aside because the fact that they are doing "everything" nowadays (working and supporting families on their own) is leaving men without any direction or goals in life. This situation is also "unnatural," as men are meant to be the dominant sex and women are meant to devote their life to child rearing. How is this argument any different from that of conservative Christians? It isn't. It simply rephrases morality in pseudo-scientific terms: that which is "immoral" or "goes against God's wishes" is now "unnatural" or "disease-producing" (except for porn).
This book belongs to the bourgeoning genre of "masculinist" literature, a genre that argues that men, and consequently society as a whole, have become the victims of the agenda of radical feminists (I guess that would be me). The author tries to "seduce" women into accepting a passive and submissive role by telling us we have the moral high ground, that we women, with our lofty goals of marriage and motherhood, tame the savage (and very horny) beast called man when we insist on marriage in return for sex. While there may be some truth to this stereotype, it is not universal, nor is it a recipe for strong, lasting and sexually healthy, heterosexual relationships.
I would argue that if men are aimless, goofballs these days (and I don't think this is so), it's their responsibility to turn themselves around. Going back to the fifties: "no sex for you until you get a good job, marry me, and give me babies," is not going to give men a "real purpose" in life. Men, like women, need to find their own purpose in their lives. This is a human (existential) struggle, and for most of us it goes beyond (although for many it does include) the realm of our reproductive drives.
I've decided to give the book three stars this time (first review was not a hit), as as I found it thoroughly entertaining. No book has gotten me this worked up in a long time. I'm going to recommend it to all my "radical feminist" friends.
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Practical Handbook of Human Biologic Age Determination
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ASIN: 0849301297 |
Book Description
This landmark book focuses on the methodology used to measure human biological age. Although functional decline appears to be an inevitable and inescapable consequence of aging, there are often considerable differences between individuals with respect to the rate and extent of this decline. Individuals may be young or old in relation to their number of years. As a result, age-related disease or age-related death may occur at different chronological ages. It follows that the true or practically relevant age of an individual is not adequately defined by the time that has elapsed since birth; rather, it is expressed as "biological age"-a figure reflecting the individual's progressive inability to respond adaptively to an environmental stress that leads to a decreased viability and increased vulnerability to death.This book features contributions from leading investigators in the field and represents a comprehensive worldwide collection of the most recent research on estimating human biological age. Tests described in the book can be used to monitor the effects of any interventional therapy, including drug treatment, behavioral therapy, and lifestyle modification.
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