The Social Conquest of Earth - Couverture souple

Wilson, Edward O.

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0871403633 ISBN 13 : 9780871403636

Editeur : Liveright Publishing Corporation, 2013

Synopsis

Sparking vigorous debate in the sciences, The Social Conquest of Earth upends "the famous theory that evolution naturally encourages creatures to put family first" (Discover). Refashioning the story of human evolution, Wilson draws on his remarkable knowledge of biology and social behavior to demonstrate that group selection, not kin selection, is the premier driving force of human evolution. In a work that James D. Watson calls "a monumental exploration of the biological origins of the human condition," Wilson explains how our innate drive to belong to a group is both a "great blessing and a terrible curse" (Smithsonian). Demonstrating that the sources of morality, religion, and the creative arts are fundamentally biological in nature, the renowned Harvard University biologist presents us with the clearest explanation ever produced as to the origin of the human condition and why it resulted in our domination of the Earth's biosphere.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

"A clear analysis of the factors that give rise to altruism..." Clive Cookson, Summer Books, The Financial Times

In asking where we came from, what we are and where we are going, Edward O. Wilson directly addresses three fundamental questions of religion, philosophy and science. Refashioning the story of human evolution, he draws on his remarkable knowledge of biology and social behaviour to show that group selection, not kin selection, is the primary driving force of human evolution. He proves that history makes no sense without prehistory and prehistory makes no sense without biology. Demonstrating that the sources of morality, religion and the creative arts are fundamentally biological in nature, Wilson presents us with the clearest explanation ever produced as to the origin of the human condition and why it resulted in our domination of the Earth's biosphere.

Revue de presse

"The Social Conquest of Earth is one of the supreme examples of evolutionist writing."

--Literary Review

"The father of sociobiology sums up 60 distinguished years of research into evolution and social behaviour."

--Clive Cookson, Christmas Books 2012, Financial Times

"Biologist E.O. Wilson's brilliant new volume...Drawing on his deep understanding of entomology and his extraordinarily broad knowledge of the natural and social sciences, Wilson makes a strong case for the synthesis of knowledge across disciplines." --Nature

"A huge, deep, thrilling work, presenting a radically new but cautiously hopeful view of human evolution, human nature, and human society. No one but E. O. Wilson could bring together such a brilliant synthesis of biology and the humanities, to shed light on the origins of language, religion, art, and all of human culture." --Oliver Sacks

À propos de cette édition

• Éditeur: Liveright Publishing Corporation
• Date d'édition: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0871403633
• ISBN 13: 9780871403636
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 352