The Social Conquest of Earth
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3.9 • 78 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
New York Times Bestseller and Notable Book of the Year
A Kirkus Reviews Book of the Year (Nonfiction)
Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence (Nonfiction)
From the most celebrated heir to Darwin comes a groundbreaking book on evolution, the summa work of Edward O. Wilson's legendary career.
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this wide-ranging book, Wilson, the Pulitzer Prize winning Harvard scientist (The Ants), addresses the large question of "why advanced social life exists at all, and has occurred so rarely in the history of life." Wilson, the world's leading expert on ants, compares the evolutionary similarities between the social insects "2 percent of the one million known species of insects" and humans. Much of this material has been recycled from Wilson's previous work. He triggers more interest when he argues that biologists have been seriously mistaken about the way evolution operates. Instead of the current paradigm stressing the importance of individual and kin selection (as kin carry many of the individual's genes), Wilson believes that human evolution is driven by individual and non kinship-based group selection (prehumans living in groups cared for their young and divided labor; groups competed against each other on one level of selection, and within a group, individuals competed to reproduce). Wilson believes that complex patterns of social behavior are the result of selection at both group and individual levels, but he doesn't go into enough depth (which would include mathematical analysis) to be completely persuasive. He does, however, explore the factors leading to the development of morality, religion, and the creative arts in human society. 90 illus.
Customer Reviews
the Social Conquest of Earth
Few scientists can convey the philosophical wisdom as well as Wilson. This is perhaps his most important work. Well worth the read.
Fascinating, thought provoking
This book was absolutely fantastic in that it provided a very thoughtful and insightful look at our past. While I personally disagree with the atheist views that were espoused, I respect the reasoning behind his writing.
Science reader
A brilliant assessment of who we are and how we got here that counters many of his own previous assertions in his heavily challenged, ground breaking opus, Sociobiology.