On Human Nature

Book Description

No one who cares about the human future can afford to ignore Edward O. Wilson's book. On Human Nature begins a new phase in the most important intellectual controversy of this generation: Is human behavior controlled by the species' biological heritage? Does this heritage limit human destiny?

With characteristic pungency and simplicity of style, the author of Sociobiology challenges old prejudices and current misconceptions about the nature-nurture debate. He shows how...evolution has left its traces on the most distinctively human activities, how patterns of generosity, self-sacrifice, and worship, as well as sexuality and aggression, reveal their deep roots in the life histories of primate bands that hunted big game in the last Ice Age. His goal is nothing less than the completion of the Darwinian revolution by bringing biological thought into the center of the social sciences and the humanities.

Wilson presents a philosophy that cuts across the usual categories of conservative, liberal, or radical thought. In systematically applying the modern theory of natural selection to human society, he arrives at conclusions far removed from the social Darwinist legacy of the last century. Sociobiological theory, he shows, is compatible with a broadly humane and egalitarian outlook. Human diversity is to be treasured, not merely tolerated, he argues. Discrimination against ethnic groups, homosexuals, and women is based on a complete misunderstanding of biological fact.

But biological facts can never take the place of ethical choices. Once we understand our human nature, we must choose how "human" in the fullest, biological sense, we wish to remain. We cannot make this choice with the aid of external guides or absolute ethical principles because our very concept of right and wrong is wholly rooted in our own biological past. This paradox is fundamental to the evolution of consciousness in any species; there is no formula for escaping it. To understand its essence is to grasp the full predicament of the human condition.

Customer Reviews:

An important book, if a bit outdated nowadays..........2007-04-24

An oldie but a goodie. Published in 1978, On Human Nature completes Wilson's self-declared "trilogy" (The Insect Societies, 1971, and Sociobiology: The New Synthesis, 1975) that proposes the scientific search for genetic explanations for social behavior in animals, including humans.

Then and now, Wilson has been criticized by both religious and atheistic folks for reducing human behavior to the cold and limiting science of genetics. However, I didn't read it that way at all. Over and Over Wilson emphasizes the complexity, and that these are merely tendencies that are indeed influenced by environment (nurture). Consider that men tend to be faster than women, but that a female Olympic runner will always beat the average man in a race.

Some people in my book club had difficulty with some of the science, but I didn't at all (partially due to a minor in anthropology, and a cultivated layman's interest in science), so I doubt the average skeptic would have difficulty reading and fully understanding this book.

While this book was rather groundbreaking when it first came out, further developments in evolutionary psychology make it look rather dated, as do passages like these:

"There is, I wish to suggest, a strong possibility that homosexuality is normal in a biological sense, that it is a distinctive beneficent behavior that evolved as an important element of early human social organization. Homosexuals may be the genetic carriers of some of mankind's rare altruistic impulses. The support for this radical hypothesis..."

Hmmm, not so radical these days. This one's even better:

"...note that it is already within our reach to build computers with the memory capacity of a human brain. Such an instrument is admittedly not very practical: it would occupy most of the space of the Empire State Building and draw down an amount of energy equal to half the output of the Grand Coulee Dam. In the 1980's, however, when new "bubble memory" elements already in the experimental stage are added, the computer might be shrunk to fill a suite of offices on one floor of the same building."

Tee hee hee.

But most of Wilson's book still have powerful and provacative messages for today's readers. The preface and first four chapters prove to be a bit of a slow setup, but the next four: "Aggression", "Sex", "Altruism", and "Religion" vividly suggest naturalistic explanations for moral and ethical tendencies in each of these areas. Wilson deals with all the juicy issues: racism, male-female roles, good-n-evil, etc. This is great stuff to memorize for debates with absolute moralists. The chapter on "Religion" is sort of a precursor to Daniel Dennet's new book Breaking the Spell. Although Wilson's ultimate conclusion is clear: no amount of naturalistic explaining of religious belief will stop people from believing. Here's a bold statement coming from a scientific humanist:

"The predisposition to religious belief is the most complex and powerful force in the human mind and in all probability an ineradicable part of human nature."

Wilson spends a good amount of time explaining and giving examples of an interesting concept called "hypertrophy" or as it is defined in the Glossary:

"The extreme development of a preexisting structure. The elephant's tusk, for example, represents the hypertophic enlargement and change in shape through evolution of a tooth that originally had an ordinary form. In this book it is suggested that most kinds of human social behavior are hypertrophic forms of original, simpler responses that were of more direct adaptive advantage in hunter-gatherer and primitively agricultural societies."

It is fascinating, to say the least, to read about the enslavement of women compared to an elephant's tusk (hypertrophy via genetic tendency plus extreme cultural exaggeration). Almost as cool as seeing human self-sacrifice compared with that of bees and wasps.

Thought provoking in every page.......2006-08-21

It is rare that I read a book which makes me stop and think at every page. Littered with deep insights and interesting information, and still an easy read. E.O. Wilson projects a briliant mind that knows how to express and communicate his thoughts to any reader. Being a scientist myself (Physics), this book was a great vehicle to learn on sociobiology. Wilson has an incredible ability to provide just enough facts to support his ideas in a clear and economical style. I wish more scientist would know how to write like him. A pleasure from beginning to end.

Thinking about how we think........2006-03-29

Since the discovery of DNA by Watson and Crick, a whole slew of fields have arisen in the life sciences that relate various aspects of life, its meaning, history and its manifestations, to genetics. Correspondingly, there has been a growth of related literature. This classic by E. O. Wilson is one such work. Probably one of the more widely read authors in the life sciences, this is one of the more influential and widely read books by him. In short, this book provides explanations for various human behaviors by examining how they help to advance the gene pool of both the individual manifesting the behavior, and the species itself. As such, culture, religion, language, government, and free will itself are all brought under the domain and hence pressures of human evolution. The book is itself quite easy to read for both scientists and non-scientists. Yet it is difficult to read in that at times the book mixes commentary with opinion with fact. Not a standard textbook this is. It reads more like an introduction to a new way of thinking... about how humans think! In all a recommended book for anyone who ever pondered the meaning of it all.

Thought-provoking, enduringly valuable, & highly recommended.......2005-03-07

If Edward O. Wilson's On Human Nature sounds familiar, it's because this printing represents the 25th anniversary of the original classic that gave birth to the field of evolutionary psychology. Adding a new preface to this edition, Wilson reflects on how he came to write the book which would led to a political, religious and scientific uproar. A seminal, groundbreaking, informative, thought-provoking, enduringly valuable, and highly recommended read.

About "On Human Nature" by Edward O. Wilson.......2004-08-29

About "On Human Nature" by Edward O. Wilson.

Wilson considers "On Human Nature" (1978) to be part of a trilogy that began with "Insect Societies" (1971) and includes his "Sociobiology - The New Syntheses" (1975). He describes the inception of this third book of the trilogy as follows:
"The aftermath of the publication of Sociobiology led me to read more widely on human behavior and drew me to many seminars and written exchanges with social scientists. I became more persuaded than ever that the time has come to close that famous gap between the two cultures, and that general sociobiology, which is simply the extension of population biology and evolutionary theory, is the appropriate instrument for the effort. On Human Nature is an exploration of that thesis."
About the book itself he says:
"To address human behavior systematically is to make a potential topic of every corridor in the labyrinth of the human mind, and hence to consider not just the social sciences but the humanities, including philosophy and the process of scientific discovery itself. Consequently, 'On Human Nature' is not a work of science; it is a work about science, and about how far natural sciences can penetrate into human behavior before they will be transformed into something new."
This is a theme he was later to pursue also in his "Consilience - The Unity of Knowledge" (1998). Discussing the great branches of knowledge in it he says: "The greatest enterprse of the mind has always been and always will be the attempted linkage of the sciences and the humanities. The ongoing fragmentation of knowledge and resulting chaos in philosophy are not reflections of the real world but artifacts of scholarsip." I find myself in total agreement with that. "Consilience" subsequently inspired the New York Academy of Sciences to organize a three day conference entitled "Unity of Knowledge - The Convergence of Natural and Human Science" in June 2000. Wilson was the keynote speaker and when it came time for questions, the first question out of the box was about his support for eugenics. Marxists have always been trying to pin that label on him ever since "Sociobiology" came out. This is part of the ongoing Marxist attack on Wilson and sociobiology which he himself referred to as "The aftermath of the publication of Sociobiology..." The full account of that attack which has lasted more than a quarter century and is still going strong is found in "Defenders of the Truth - The Battle for Science in the Sociobiology Debate and Beyond" by Ullica Segerstråle. She was originally against him, even attended meetings of the Sociobiology Study Group as an observer, but has come to feel that Wilson has been vindicated.

"On Human Nature" covers aggressioin, sex, altruism and religion as well as heredity, development and emergent behavior brilliantly. He is extremely persuasive and has a very humane approach to these topics. To find out about him as a person you can read his memoir "Naturalist." And for those who truly desire a more in-depth analysis I recommend that they also take in Wilson's "Consilience" and Segerstråle's "Defenders of the Truth."

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From the Oxford University Press Editor
clear and interesting, but...
The Meme Machine
An aid to understanding thought contagion
Really Fun!

The Meme Machine
Susan Blackmore
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 019286212X

Amazon.com

In The Selfish Gene, Richard Dawkins proposed the concept of the meme as a unit of culture, spread by imitation. Now Dawkins himself says of Susan Blackmore:

Showing greater courage and intellectual chutzpah than I have ever aspired to, she deploys her memetic forces in a brave--do not think foolhardy until you have read it--assault on the deepest questions of all: What is a self? What am I? Where am I? ... Any theory deserves to be given its best shot, and that is what Susan Blackmore has given the theory of the meme.

Blackmore is a parapsychologist who rejects the paranormal, a skeptical investigator of near-death experiences, and a practitioner of Zen. Her explanation of the science of the meme (memetics) is rigorously Darwinian. Because she is a careful thinker (though by no means dull or conventional), the reader ends up with a good idea of what memetics explains well and what it doesn't, and with many ideas about how it can be tested--the very hallmark of an excellent science book. Blackmore's discussion of the "memeplexes" of religion and of the self are sure to be controversial, but she is (as Dawkins says) enormously honest and brave to make a connection between scientific ideas and how one should live one's life. --Mary Ellen Curtin

Book Description

'Any theory deserves to be given its best shot, and that is what Susan Blackmore has given the theory of the meme I am delighted to recommend her book.' Richard Dawkins Humans are extraordinary creatures, with the unique ability among animals to imitate and so copy from one another ideas, habits, skills, behaviours, inventions, songs, and stories. These are all memes, a term first coined by Richard Dawkins in 1976 in his book The Selfish Gene. Memes, like genes, are replicators, and this enthralling book is an investigation of whether this link between genes and memes can lead to important discoveries about the nature of the inner self. Confronting the deepest questions about our inner selves, with all our emotions, memories, beliefs, and decisions, Susan Blackmore makes a compelling case for the theory that the inner self is merely an illusion created by the memes for the sake of replication. 'Anyone who hopesDSor fearsDS that memetics will become a science of culture will find this surefooted exploration of the prospects a major eye-opener.' Daniel Dennett

Customer Reviews:

From the Oxford University Press Editor.......2007-05-18

The following elucidation of her text, copied from the back cover- does much to reveal the content of Dr. Blackmore's insightful and often controversial insights into the perspective of life from the view of memes. What it fails to portray are Dr. Blackmore's total reversal of every aspect of human life, viewed not from the everyday perspective, but from that of the self-replicating selfish "mental" gene, the Meme.

Humans are extraordinary creatures, with the uniques ability to imitate, and so to copy from one another ideas, habitats, skills, behaviours, inventions, songs, and stories. These are all memes, a term first coined by Richard Dawkins in his 1976 book "The Selfish Gene." Memes, like genes, are replicators, competing to find space in our minds and cultures, and this enthralling book investigates the consequences. Confronting the deepest questions, from why humans have such a big brains and language, to altruism, sex and the Internet. Susan Blackmore makes a compelling case for the theory that even our inner conscious self and our sense of free will are illusions created by the memes for the sake of their own replication.

Copied from the text by: Bryan McGilly

clear and interesting, but... .......2007-05-16

I just finished the book and think it is a clear and interesting introduction on the subject. On the other hand I felt it was rushing into too many generalizations and the arguments on science vs. religion sounded quite empty.

The Meme Machine.......2007-05-08

This book was just plain fun to read and has given me new insights into why people push there points of view even when you wish they would not bother you with them. Reading this book has brought an increased sense of humor to my experience in relationships with people where discussion about religion are concerned. My tolerance for meme campaingns has increased, and I feel better able to accept my own "meme" infections. While this is a relatively serious topic, it is also a fun one. After reading the book, I am aware that I too am pushing my own meme preferences in sublties, and am able to laugh about it when I catch me doing it. better, I am doing it less and less. My daughter is a mom with a little daughter, and we laugh and play with the memes we are passing along to her. Some "memeing" is useful enough, and supports having a quality life experience. Reading this book has opened my eyes to why I got caught up in certain beliefs that were without practical applicatons in my life. It explained to me why belief agenda's get promoted and why I bought into some of them unwittingly. I jokingly refer to replicators, and meme fountains in causual converstaions now with others who have read the material. I feel better able to choose my loyalty to certain meme complexes now. I can stop the insanity of participating with the subtle control that can happen in a society where people don't ask why. And, I am having a lot more fun dealing with the meme fountains in life experience now~ including dealing with those who push their invasive and distructive memes unmercifully onto others who are innocent and unaware of the affects it will have on them to remain passive. If you want to wake up and smell the roses on purpose, read this book~

An aid to understanding thought contagion.......2007-01-13

Blakemore's book endeavors towards two goals:

1) A recapping of the origins of meme theory...which she does exceedingly well and

2) Humble suggestions on the place of memes in consciousness...where she seems to stumble.

In relation to her first goal, Blakemore admirably retraces the work of the likes of Richard Dawkins and Dan Dennett. For his part, Dawkins coined the term "meme" in his 1976 book "The Selfish Gene" wherein he described meme as a process or idea subject to replication. The song "Happy Birthday" for example would be a meme. Dennett built on Dawkins work by saying in his 1991 book "Consciousness Explained" that consciousness is a combination of in built human cognitive systems (like our innate understanding of physics or our ability to acquire language) along with memes.

Blakemore also recapped Dennett's later book "Darwin's Dangerous Idea" for his tower of states of consciousness, viz. a first level occupied by Darwinian creatures who have to produce a new generation in order to acquire new abilities, a second and higher level occupied by Skinnerian creatures that can acquire new abilities inter vivos but only through operant conditioning, a third and still higher level occupied by Popperian creatures -- for Karl Popper -- capable of abstract reasoning to acquire new abilities and a final highest level occupied by Gregorian creatures that can pick up additional abilities by means of culture or memes.

Building on these earlier thinkers Blakemore asserts that meme theory in and of itself can explain everything from temporary fads like the tulip craze bemoaned by Charles Mackey in his 1841 book on the Madness of Crowds to religion itself.

The mechanism by which Blakemore posits the transmission of memes is one of virture wherein superiorly altruistic memes will oust those previously occupied by more selfish memes. Her thinking is that the vehicles of meme transmission, us, will be more favorably disposed to ideas disseminated by people who have been nice to us than by those who haven't.

To the extent Blakemore ventures out on her own, I would part company with her.

Understanding any aspect, let alone persuasion of others, of human behavior is tricky business. And while Blakemore would posit a subtle arithematic to human behavior the truth probably lies closer to a delicate calculus.

As she herself indicated in her book, understanding consciousness is probably best begun with an understanding of first principles, namely that that subset of evolution relating to human behavior is but a special case for the general rules bearing on behvaioral evolution generally.

In other words, human consciousness is not different in kind but rather merely in degree from animal consciousness generally.

As shown by evolution, animals with motility will have to have both the ability to differentiate between themselves and their environment as well as discriminate the ingredients of their environment between potential areas of sustance and potential areas of threat. And so, the seemingly nettlesome questions of consciousness kind of answer themselves.

A sense of "I" exists because it evolutionary has to and the likes and dislikes of "I" (the so called "qualia" question) really amount to a running tally of emotionally encoded learned experiences.

To be sure, that sense of "I" is different for a person than a pidgeon but again, the differences of degree (albeit, in some cases a great degree, rather than kind).

So, to take religion as an example:

1) From pidgeons to humans, it's an aspect of cognitive perception to allow for false connections or superstitions to arise. And so, the difference between a pidgeon dancing around a machine to obtain randomly produced pellets is not that different from a person performing an elablorate ritual prior to gambling.

2) In the case of humans, theory of mind works powerfully to over ascribe personality. And so, the gambler makes his petitions not to chance but to Lady Luck personified.

3) Because, as noted by Dennett, we have in built cognitive systems, those systems can be decieved from time to time in remembering certain types of knowledge in preference to others. And so, while most English verbs use "ed" as past tense, the special case, commonly used verbs have irregular endings to promote their specialized recognition and recall. In the same way, we remember novel creatures over others. And so, Lady Luck is just like any woman but if pleased can grant you unlimited fortune.

4) Humans also respect strategic knowledge. From evolution in an environment where an extended knowledge of strategic relationships was helpful, we are capable of understanding metarepresentational interactions up to the sixth level. What I think that you may know about what someone else believes that somone else said is not a meaningless sentence. This quality fires our mythologies just as certainly as our soap operas. If we could experience an alligator religion or soap opera, I think we'd be bored.

5) Again, as noted by Blakemore, game theory gives us a sense of the outer contours of religious belief. In this regard, the recent Jeffrey Moses book "Oneness" which is a verbatim repetition of religious principles from around the world shows that the similarities in the main statements of religions around the world (e.g. all of them have a "golden rule," advice to respect elders, educate children and the like) shows that all human religions have made basically the same types of prescriptions and prohibitions.

6) And powerfully, finally a sense of group membership. Are you or are you not one of us?

As can be seen, though the exchange of ideas operates in each of the six domains (and there are certainly others in some cases) the interplay of those ideas varies in individual cases. In this way, while why humans religiously ideate is certainly a question of history and society it's also a question of individual psychology.

Like choas theory operates to produce no two snowflakes that look alike so again no two personal histories are the same respecting their religious ideation.

In other words, while Blakemore's provides some helpful aid in understanding memes and their place in thought contagion, the ultimate answer is certainly much more complicated than her impressions would suggest not only on religious ideation but as to the other examples of meme transmission she discussed.

Before closing, it's noteworth that there's a definate Daoist feel to her last chapter wherein she renders her advice for taking the "I" out of your consciousness. Though she didn't intend it, it certainly does provide some interesting food for thought as to why attempts at Daoist living have such a...well...Daoist feel to them.

Really Fun!.......2006-12-13

I won't try to describe the book's content as several excellent reviews below have done. I just want to add that this book is one hell of a read. It's great fun and will stretch your mind (if there's really a "you" in there - see the book for more on this). I could barely put it down. Memes were definitely transferred!

Design for a Life: How Biology and Psychology Shape Human Behavior

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Design for a Life: How Biology and Psychology Shape Human Behavior
Patrick Bateson
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Not by Genes Alone: How Culture Transformed Human Evolution

ASIN: 0684869330

Book Description

Why Every Human Being Is Unique

Where does our behavior come from? Is it true that "genes will out"?
What makes someone a genius, a leader, a psychopath?

Patrick Bateson and Paul Martin take on these difficult questions and offer answers that differ sharply from the views expressed in books on sociobiology and evolutionary psychology, such as those by E. O. Wilson and Steven Pinker. Written for the nonscientist, Design for a Life clearly portrays the dual influence of environment and genetics in the creation of an individual. Examples are taken from research studies, but the scientific concepts are enlivened throughout by stories of real-life figures and quotations from literature.

Book Description

Designed for a one-semester introductory course in Animal Behavior. Animal behavior is a broad discipline with investigators and contributions from diverse perspectives, including anthropology, comparative psychology, ecology, ethology, physiology, and zoology. The authors goal in this textbook is to use evolutionary principles as a unifying theme to provide students exposure to a number of approaches to the field of animal behavior. They also demonstrate that the varied perspectives used to study behavior are complementary and often integrated; they are not mutually exclusive. The subtitle, “Mechanisms, Ecology, and Evolution,” reflects the broad themes that dominate the book.

Customer Reviews:

The best of the current texts available.......1999-09-28

I have used this as a text and have found it to be the best available. It is well written and is easily understood by undergraduate students, without talking down to them. Its incorporation of ecology and evolution is particularly important and useful. The examples work well in giving a complete picture. The practical emphasis on how behaviors are studied and measured helps to interest students in research and equip them to evaluate new information.

Intimate Behavior: A Zoologist's Classic Study of Human Intimacy

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Extraordinary
Intimate Behavior
Another universal classic by Desmond Morris !
Great Read but where did Sigmund Freud come from?
Sweet Science

Intimate Behavior: A Zoologist's Classic Study of Human Intimacy
Desmond Morris
Manufacturer: Kodansha Globe
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1568361637

Book Description

Twenty-five years after it first caused a splash in the scientific and literary worlds, Intimate Behavior is still one of the best chronicles of human intimacy. With a masterful and entertaining eye, Desmond Morris, bestselling author of The Naked Ape and The Human Zoo, analyzes the roots of
human intimacy, from the handshake through the twelve stages that people pass through on their way to the total sexual embrace. Morris contends that the months just before and after birth are when the seeds of intimacy are planted and are critical to development. From the loving attention of the
mother, the child learns and responds with intimate gestures of his or her own. He argues that human adults follow certain patterns of intimate behaviour that are based on these infant experiences for their entire lives. In addition to sexual intimacy, Morris discussed social intimacy, intimacy
substitutes, object intimacy, and self-intimacy. Complete with a new preface by the author, Intimate Behavior is a provocative view of humans need to touch and to be touched, to love and to be loved. At a crucial moment, a gentle embrace can still do more good than a thousand earnest discussions.
Despite all our social and technological advances, the primeval body language of love still remains the most potent force we have for the expression of feelings of comfort and caring. Desmond Morris, from his new Preface

Customer Reviews:

Extraordinary.......2007-06-19

I am new to Morris' general work but I am thourougly impressed. So far I have read this book and The Naked Ape.

This book lags in certain parts, but he consistently gives detailed attention to all aspects of human intimacy - the sections Sexual Intimacy, alone (at least) are worth reading as he couragously attends to a very difficult subject of love and sex in very practical ways. His thinking on this front is well stated and offers doorways for the thinking man to manifest new ways forward for the sepcies.

Intimate Behavior.......2005-10-23

I also enjoy reading books by Desmond Morris. This book was very interesting and provided several unexpected insights into animal testing and into child rearing. It is easy to read but a little dry at times. I recommend it.

Another universal classic by Desmond Morris !.......2005-04-15

Dr. Morris has written another marvelous book that clearly elucidates the intimate behavior of the human animal. It is delightful, interesting and informative.
It is definitely a book worth reading.......

Great Read but where did Sigmund Freud come from?.......2001-07-15

Although the book dates back several decades, with only a short updated prologue, the subject ,human intimacy, does not lend itself to change as quickly as technology or medicine therefore the information and opinions are still valid today. Desmond Morris captivated me with his zoological perspective on human behavior, viewing us as we are, animals; but with social restrictions and norms that artificially restrain our natural urge for intimacy.

I found it a fascinating read but found the last few sections not in line with his zoology background but rather from a ridiculous psychoanalytic perspective. This perspective is not based on scientific fact or reason but formulated by Freud from unrecorded observations that he recounted by memory of case studies he had saw. Having Desmond Morris try and convince me that I indulge in the occassional cigar, which represents a "super nipple", as a substitute for intimacy that I recieved as a child made me crack up rather than stop and reflect on his brilliance. This type of opinion seems to me out of Zoology's domain.

I rather enjoyed the sections concerning parental, sexual, and social behaviour as they were told from a zoological perspective, while the later sections had the sour flavour of Sigmond Freud. I do recommend this book to anyone interested in the behavioural sciences particularly in the ways we touch and do not touch each other. So dont be scared to 'touch' this book and become 'intimate' with its pages as you will learn much from it.

Sweet Science.......2000-09-15

If science is regarded as a dry and boring matter Dr. Morris' Intimate Behavior comes to prove it wrong. In this delightful book the scientist states that "man is a social animal and the ordinary healthy human being finds prolonged isolation a severe punishment.

According to Dr. Morris the very beginning of our lives is replete with intimacy in our contact with our mother. After a brief while our quest for independence launches us toward the unknown world. If this urge for independence and exploration is the base for the development of human society it also weights heavily on the individual that loses the so needed intimacy. During puberty when the young couples start to form the intimacy returns and with it there's usually a certain return to infancy. That's when young adults cuddle each other and call each other babies usually using high pitch voices.

Dr. Morris warns us about the crescent overcrowding found on the "Human Zoo", the modern megalopolis. The overcrowding creates a high level of stress that helps to separate people. This creates a positive feedback link: elevated stress level reduces intimate contact that in turn increases the stress.

This 19971 book although covering fast changing subjects like human behavior and human evolution is still surprisingly up to date. As in his other books Dr. Morris presents the topics based in precise scientific propositions backed by his observations, historical analysis and by the painstaking study of over 10,000 magazine and newspaper pictures.

Book Description

W. D. Hamilton (1936-2000) has been described by Richard Dawkins as 'a good candidate for the title of most distinguished Darwinian since Darwin'. His work on evolutionary biology continues to influence scientists working across a wide variety of disciplines, including evolution, population genetics, animal behaviour, genetics, anthropology, and ecology. This third and final volume of Narrow Roads of Gene Land contains Hamilton's key papers published between 1990 and 2000, a period in which he covered a great diversity of topics, often in collaboration with other scientists. Many of the papers in this volume continue his work on sex, and particularly its relation to parasitic disease, but other topics covered include the Gaia theory, the colours of autumn leaves, and the still-controversial hypothesis that the AIDS pandemic accidentally originated in a polio vaccination campaign in Africa. Each of the co-authored papers in this volume is preceded by an introduction written by one of Hamilton's co-authors, following the model of the previous two volumes in this series, which brings the reader closer to Hamilton's extraordinary personality and intellect, providing the intellectual and physical contexts within which each piece of research was developed. Also included are a chapter by Jeremy Leighton John on the Hamilton archive - 'Bill's last great work' - complete with irresistible pictures, and Alan Grafen's biographical memoir, which presents an overview of Bill's life and work. Together, this unique collection of papers with their biographical introductions provides a profound portrait of one of the twentieth century's most innovative scientists.

The Myth of Monogamy: Fidelity and Infidelity in Animals and People

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Wow
false comparative analysis
Finally The Truth, But We Do Have A Choice
"We are biological creatures . . . "
The Truth Is Revealed, But Choice Is Always Ours

The Myth of Monogamy: Fidelity and Infidelity in Animals and People
David P. Barash Ph.D. , and Judith Eve Lipton M.D.
Manufacturer: W. H. Freeman
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0716740044

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Shattering deeply held beliefs about sexual relationships in humans and other animals, The Myth of Monogamy is a much needed treatment of a sensitive issue. Written by the husband and wife team of behavioral scientist David P. Barash and psychiatrist Judith Eve Lipton, it glows with wit and warmth even as it explores decades of research undermining traditional precepts of mating rituals. Evidence from genetic testing has been devastating to those seeking monogamy in the animal kingdom; even many birds, long prized as examples of fidelity, turn out to have a high incidence of extra-pair couplings. Furthermore, now that researchers have turned their attention to female sexual behavior, they are finding more and more examples of aggressive adultery-seeking in "the fairer sex." Writing about humans in the context of parental involvement, the authors find complexity and humor:

Baby people are more like baby birds than baby mammals. To be sure, newborn cats and dogs are helpless, but this helplessness doesn't last for long. By contrast, infant Homo sapiens remain helpless for months ... and then they become helpless toddlers! Who in turn graduate to being virtually helpless youngsters. (And then? Clueless adolescents.) So there may be some payoff to women in being mated to a monogamous man, after all.

Careful to separate scientific description from moral prescription, Barash and Lipton still poke a little fun at our conceptions of monogamy and other kinds of relationships as "natural" or "unnatural." Shoring themselves up against the inevitable charges that their reporting will weaken the institution of marriage, they make sure to note that monogamy works well for most of those who desire it and that one of our uniquely human traits is our ability to overcome biology in some instances. If, as some claim, monogamy has been a tool used by men to assert property rights over women, then perhaps one day The Myth of Monogamy will be seen as a milestone for women's liberation. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

Monogamy may be the rule, but it's not the practice - not even for animals. Using the same DNA fingerprinting technology used in the courtroom, biologists have now been able to trace parenthood in animals for the first time with certainty. The results have been astonishing: Even among those species previously thought to be monogamous, cheating on your mate is common--for both sexes. In The Myth of Monogamy, David Barash and Judith Eve Lipton describe how this new research shows that there is simply no question whether sexual desire for multiple partners is "natural." It is. Similarly, there is no question of monogamy being "natural." It isn't. Armed with this evidence, scientists have also been able to explain such important questions as why animals (including humans) cheat; why the myth of monogamy was created in the first place; how men and women were sucked into the monogamy hoax; who stands to gain the most by perpetuating the myth of monogamy; and how big of a role procreation plays in the desire to have several sex partners. Finally, The Myth of Monogamy explores the implications of these dramatic new findings for humans, in terms of relationships, parenting, aggression, and more.A provocative new study of an emotionally charged issue, The Myth of Monogamy illuminates a part of our natural make-up that is as fascinating as it is frustrating.

Customer Reviews:

Wow.......2007-05-05

This book explains everything I always wanted to know about our relationship habits and how we are more similar to other animals than we would ever expect. I learned a lot from this book, but also gained a ton of affirmation that my personal life was not as crazy as some people make it out to be.

An excellent choice for anybody that is poly, wondering if they are poly, or just wants to learn the facts.

false comparative analysis.......2006-11-26

I'm sorry but there are some serious flaws with the logic of this book and its comparison between animal behaviour and human. To speak of monogamy in terms of myth simply because animals and humans exibit tendencies toward bed-hopping displays embarrasing ignorance of the tools of human thought. You might as well write "the myth of incest" "the myth of murder" surely there is enough data in the mammal world to verify that killing, cannabalism,etc. are not "unnatural".
Besides a statement like "monogamy is rare" is not very intelligent given the fact that within the majorities' experience monogamy is not only common but cherished. Humans exhibit many tendencies above which it is our honour to rise. This book simply assumes that a human can be summed up in biological terms or that monogamy can be explained as the imposed tenet of a sex-phobic religious scheme. This is simply not true. It doesn't matter how many people practice polygamy since human morality is not a matter of popular vote but a sense of justice(think of incest or murder before you say morality is subjective). The fact that we are the only mammal that requires almost 18+ years to reach maturity would also play a huge role in the choice of monogamy since the needs of human offspring seem to demand it as is amply evident from the sociological problems that plague children in divorce or unstable family situations.
I give it two stars because I see no problem with collecting data on the mating habits of the animal kingdom and it would have received more in this regard had the whole book not been steered toward oversimplifying the complexity of husband/wife interpersonal relationship with the hormone responses of the biological organisms. "Why does monogamy occur at all?" says chapter five... if you want your answer then sit quietly; stare into your spouse's eyes and see your own being and history unfold; see the moments they only have shared; meet a mind that knows your every like, quirk, strength and weakness and loves you by solemn and continually renewed vow till death does part. Monogamy is the crown of civilization and the victory of Equality and Personal dignity. "Why hasn't polygamy occured to me?" Because I AM A MAN.

Finally The Truth, But We Do Have A Choice.......2005-05-14

An excellent book that tells the truth, but we do have a choice. Our animal part of our brain is not very monagamous. However, the cerebral part of our brain can make a choice to build a partnership. That partnership is not based on the fear of being caught, but is based on the joy and delight of building a wonderful team effort in life. LIfe is quite difficult and having this team partnership of two greatly improves the joys that can be achieved in life. It is a case where one plus one doesn't equal two but equals three or more.

"We are biological creatures . . . ".......2003-02-26

Keep that notion in mind as you follow the authors on their marvelous tour of sexual behaviour in all nature. Most of us were raised with the notion that humans "must" be monogamous. Often, animals such as swans or foxes were held up as examples to emulate. Barash and Lipton expose the hollow basis of these examples. The notion of human monogamy becomes a fragile ideal - nature, and we are part of nature, is anything but monogamous. In a book combining solid science and entertaining prose, this pair have produced an informal, but information-packed review of new finds in the sexual behaviour of a wealth of species.

One small flaw must be dealt with first - sexual behaviour studies must retreat from overuse of the poor screw-worm fly. The authors cannot resist numerous word plays on the poor creature's name. As the subject of an early attempt at controlling pest populations, the screw-worm fly initiated the host of studies of sexual behaviour among animals. Barash and Lipton describe sterilization of this insect as largely successful, reducing its population significantly. Screw-
worm flies are monogamous, which reinforced the notion as predominant in nature. However, a 1970s groundbreaking paper indicated monogamy might not be universal in animals. From that start a wealth of new studies demonstrated that it was monogamy that was rare, not the reverse. The screw-worm fly turned out to be a rare exception to the rule, and the basis of comparison for the later research.

Bowing to the expected abuse of "anthropomorphising" biology, the authors eschew "adultry" in favour of EPC [Extra Pair Copulation] in describing the common practice in nature. They show the distinction between "social" and "sexual" pairing. Social pairing includes nest building, territorial defence, raising offspring and other "family matters." Copulation itself, they show, has many more factors involved than simply insemination. Mates must be available, attractive or both. Age, health, even "marital status" may be taken into consideration. And these factors are weighed for "adultery" in animals! Males might need a special physiology or the ability to prevent EPC, even while seeking to achieve it on their own.

As they must, the authors arrive at last at humans. Noting how difficult research on human sexual behaviour is to document, they cite, albeit with many reservations, several noteworthy studies. If nothing else, the work proclaims that monogamy among humans is not the "norm." In relating the studies, they present anthropological data, surveys of modern societies and clinical studies. The authors grind no axes and are quick to criticise studies they feel are suspect. The dearth of valid data, however, leads them to present any plausible suggestion that seems either supportable or capable of further investigation. Throughout the narrative they insist that no predictable pattern can be applied to humans any more than with the other animals. Even our closest relatives all retain individuality among their members.

A running theme in the book is the authors' call for more research. How do female blue tits judge the ability of some males to resist winter cold more than others. "No one knows. [Yet]" and similar statements permeate the book. Anyone fearing there is little in biology left to investigate should read this. The sparseness of their references certainly supports this plea. While much work has been done, particularly in recent years, an immense range of study topics remains to be investigated. Younger readers should seriously consider the number of topics requiring clarification. A valuable book for these and many reasons.

The Truth Is Revealed, But Choice Is Always Ours.......2003-02-13

What I mean by "Truth is revealed, the choice is ours", is the theme of this review. It is also the message in the book, although many readers have misinterpreted the entire theme, believing the co-authors, David P. Barash and Judith E. Lipton, are simply feeding us hard reality and crushing dreams of blissful and faithful marriage. David and Judith are experienced, older scientists, specializing in the observation of birds and apes, with a profound understanding of logic, human emotions, sociobiology and biology in general. They both hold high degrees- Judith has an M.D. and David holds a Ph.D. It is noteworthy, also, that they are a happily married couple and have been so for many years. Their real message and theme from this outstanding book is that although by nature, humans are generally not faithful to their long-term mate (spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend), we have evolved so much that we can chose to be faithful and monogamous to our partner and truly be satisfied, fulfilled and completely happy. Monogamy is not extinct, it is rare. Half of all marriages end in divorce. When a couple has been together for many years, it's world news. It is the greatest partnership, relationship, union, and the most peaceful, happiest and fullest feeling. But it is always the individual's choice. If a partner cannot remain faithful, we now have a reason and explanation for it.

The reason why so many find it difficult to be faithful to their partner for a long time, is biological. Originally, before an evolved society with its ground rules grew from primitive communism, the homo sapien men were polygamous, especially because genetically, nature demanded variety from their offspring. Incest, of course, was formerly practiced to keep a family bloodline, true even to the highest societies, royal dynasties of ancient Egypt, etc. There was a time when free will seemed to bother no one, and men had many wives, shared partners and even shared land. But eventually, power and property was established, much like class systems, and it came to be a violation when someone "outside" the group took one of the wives from another male. Feeling of jealousy and ownership were established and so, when religion began to take over people's consciousness, they labeled this "taking", "adultery". The biological needs of women are important in the scene, as well, in fact, perhaps the most important link. Women's sex cells contain life-giving ovum, enabling them to bear children, and because they are so few and rare in them, they are selective about their sexual/romantic/etc partners. They are far more choosy because it is going to reflect on the ensuing progeny, their children. Men's sperm is abundant and cheap, and they are less selective. It's all down to our biological make-up. This book is very casual about the whole matter and contains not only very scientifically accurate truth, but very genuine humor and witty lines, making reading this book very enjoyable.

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E.O. Wilson defines sociobiology as "the systematic study of the biological basis of all social behavior," the central theoretical problem of which is the question of how behaviors that seemingly contradict the principles of natural selection, such as altruism, can develop. Sociobiology: A New Synthesis, Wilson's first attempt to outline the new field of study, was first published in 1975 and called for a fairly revolutionary update to the so-called Modern Synthesis of evolutionary biology. Sociobiology as a new field of study demanded the active inclusion of sociology, the social sciences, and the humanities in evolutionary theory. Often criticized for its apparent message of "biological destiny," Sociobiology set the stage for such controversial works as Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene and Wilson's own Consilience.

Sociobiology defines such concepts as society, individual, population, communication, and regulation. It attempts to explain, biologically, why groups of animals behave the way they do when finding food or shelter, confronting enemies, or getting along with one another. Wilson seeks to explain how group selection, altruism, hierarchies, and sexual selection work in populations of animals, and to identify evolutionary trends and sociobiological characteristics of all animal groups, up to and including man. The insect sections of the books are particularly interesting, given Wilson's status as the world's most famous entomologist.

It is fair to say that as an ecological strategy eusociality has been overwhelmingly successful. It is useful to think of an insect colony as a diffuse organism, weighing anywhere from less than a gram to as much as a kilogram and possessing from about a hundred to a million or more tiny mouths.

It's when Wilson starts talking about human beings that the furor starts. Feminists have been among the strongest critics of the work, arguing that humans are not slaves to a biological destiny, forever locked in "primitive" behavior patterns without the ability to reason past our biochemical nature. Like The Origin of Species, Sociobiology has forced many biologists and social scientists to reassess their most cherished notions of how animals work. --Therese Littleton

Book Description

View a video on Professor Wilson entitled "On the Relation of Science and the Humanities"

Customer Reviews:

Impressive.......2002-05-27

Wilson really is one of the "twentieth centuries greatest thinkers." This is a dense and demanding publication requiring a scientifically literate audience. It covers basic concepts from altruism, selfishness, and spite; including communication, aggression, social roles, sex, and parenting from "invertebrates" to vertebrates.

Now, in 2007, this is really more of a 'classic'. For intro students, I'd first recommend getting your footing with "Animal Behavior" by Alcock, and *then progressing into more technically written publications like this one.

must read if intrested in zoology or evolution.......1999-05-12

an excellent book. although alot of parts may be hard to understand it is relatively easier than the unabridged version.

Book Description

Exploring Animal Behavior in Laboratory and Field is designed to provide a variety of exercises that engage students actively in all phases of scientific investigation, from formulating research questions through interpreting and presenting final results. It attempts to share the collective teaching expertise and experience of members of the Animal Behavior Society with all who are willing to benefit from their wisdom. Four types of exercises are presented: (1) traditional exercises in which students follow a pre-determined protocol to test particular hypotheses explicitly stated in the exercise, (2) traditional exercises that can easily be adapted to inquiry-based approaches, (3) combined pedagogy exercises that involve both traditional and inquiry approaches, and (4) inquiry exercises in which students first brainstorm to generate their own hypotheses, then design their own experiements to test their hypotheses.

* Supports a range of pedagogical styles and texts in animal behavior with active learning experiences that engage students
* Students and instructors benefit from knowledge and experience of members of the Animal Behavior Society
* Flexibility of design enables students and instrucotrs to tailor the exercises to their needs
* Can be used to support lab courses that are completely inquiry based as well as independent student research projects in animal behavior
* Consideration of animal care guidelines provides an excellent way to address and discuss concerns about the use of animals in teaching and research
* Emphasizes the hypothetico-deductive approach that students have difficulty understanding and implementing
* Supporting materials make additional required texts unnecessary and link study design considerations with real studies

Customer Reviews:

Excellent resource for those teaching behavior labs.......2003-07-09

This is a fantastic and much-needed book. As a resource for someone setting up a laboratory course in animal behavior, this book is full of excellent ideas, and I would advise anyone to get a copy of this book. The problem with adopting it as a lab book for students is that there are over 30 labs presented here. As many are multiweek projects, the most that could reasonably be done in a semester is 7-10 labs. Anyone who has taught students knows that having them purchase a book ... for which they will only use 1/4 or 1/3 of the chapters is only inviting a tremendous amount of griping. This is my only complaint with this book, which the publisher was pushing as a lab manual for students, instead of a resource for instructors.

An assemblage of studious, college-level essays.......2002-12-08

Collaboratively assembled and edited by Bonnie J. Ploger (Hamline University) and Ken Yasukawa (Beloit College), Exploring Animal Behavior In Laboratory And Field is a scholarly compendium offering a variety of diverse approaches to the development, function, and evolution of animal behavior, with contribution each being grounded in the creation and careful testing of scientific hypotheses. An assemblage of studious, college-level essays on select topics ranging from the response of tree squirrels to different types of alarm calls, to human nonverbal communications, to chemoreception in lizards, and a great deal more, Exploring Animal Behavior In Laboratory And Field would make an especially welcome addition to Zoological Studies reference collections and Wildlife Studies reading lists.

The Domestic Cat: The Biology of its Behaviour

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The Domestic Cat: The Biology of its Behaviour

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521636485

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Humans have lived with cats for thousands of years, and there are now more cats kept in Western households than any other animal. Cherished as companions and valued as rodent catchers, their enigmatic behavior has intrigued and bewildered us for generations. While accepting the comforts of human homes, cats do seem to "walk by themselves." Although loved for their independence and self-reliance, myths and fables surround them, leaving them open to persecution and misunderstanding. Covering all types of cats from pampered pets to feral hunters, this completely revised new edition of The Domestic Cat shows how cats live and behave in a variety of circumstances and surroundings. With new chapters on welfare issues, and cat-cat communication, this volume penetrates the enigma that is Felis catus, sorting fact from fiction, and helping both the general reader and the specialist in animal behavior or veterinary science to understand cats as they really are.

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