Nicholas a. depicts the evolutionary origins of a wonderful society.
The tradition of Herley's brave new world, Charlotte Perkins Gilman's Herlan and George Orwell's 1984. For a long time, science fiction writers have been imagining another world that either depicts a hopeless dysfunctional society or a world without conflict or competition.
In the blueprint, Christakis presents a well-researched argument for a choice closer to Utopia, providing a strong justification for our friendship and our ability to cooperate --
This conclusion is based on his own and others' research on the real and virtual environment, including the study of social networks and large multiplayer online games.
Christakis's book is full of information and does a great job even if it's not tight.
His view is reflected in his description of the "social suite" of human society --
Eight common features (
Including "Love for partners and future generations" and "preferences for their own group ")
It is determined by his observation of world culture with others.
He wrote: "When you bring together a group of people, if they can build a society, they will build a core, very predictable society.
. . . . . . There is only one kind of society for human beings to be free, it comes from a specific plan.
Evolution provides a blueprint.
The inevitable existence of others
The person we may interact with, cooperate with, or avoid.
He insists that he is as powerful as any predator in shaping our genes.
"Blueprint" believes that the power of the crowd is not only a force that can instill fear, but also a force that can bring great benefits;
With this question, can we broaden our horizons from tribalism and a more general appreciation of heritage.
Finding common ground in the great diversity of human culture seems to be a tricky task, but Christakis believes that the core of all societies is much more ancestral, lacking barbarism, and promoting friendship and
Just as carbon atoms can fall into the structure of diamonds or coal, depending on how they are connected, the evidence is that good people can do bad things, bad people can do some good things, just because they find themselves embedded in the network, regardless of their beliefs. 520 pp.
Little Brown spark$30.
How human beings became the most contradictory creatures of nature, Adam Rutherford Ford described "man" as a tool for how our journey of evolution turned "the original common ape, art, music, science and engineering.
This is an interesting question, and his book opposes the infinite and interesting tactics and antics that describe a series of dazzling animals that manipulate their natural environment as much as we do.
From the countless examples of Rutherfordleaf-
Cutting Ants that produce "pesticides" to protect the leaves on which they nourish food sources;
The Australian "Firehawk", which clears its prey by burning grass;
Orangutan with branches for sex toys
Obviously, we may think it's the only human being, but it's not.
From sea urchins, snails to octopus and mammals, nine animals have a record of using tools, as Rutherford said;
There is no simple answer to the question of how the brain, tools, and intelligence are linked together.
So, what makes us?
Rutherford, a former geneticist who speculates some of the potential genetic traits that make us even different from our closest relatives of the Apes, seems to be obvious in finding answers
But the broader argument in this book goes beyond how "humans" are encoded in our genes.
Instead, it reveals the uniqueness of our ability to spread culture.
At this point, the intrinsic interdependency between biological evolution and cultural evolution is the key.
Rutherford wrote, "biology makes culture possible and culture changes biology. ”240 pp. The Experiment. $25. 95.
Edward O, Genesis.
WilsonWilson's new book Genesis is considered to be an exploration of the origins of human society, a subject that has traditionally been in the fields of philosophy and religion, not biological science.
Although it's tempting to look at our next-of-kin apes-
As Wilson pointed out, he carried out border raids similar to human beings and annexed the enemy's territory, "usually through violent means"
This book draws on observations of a range of animals, a strategy scientists use to reconstruct steps that lead to the formation of many species based on altruistic and cooperative social arrangements.
In addition to humans, 17 animals are now known to be organized in this way, and Wilson paints a complete and concise picture with these different species, it depicts the great evolution "transformation" that shaped our own social world ".
Wilson, one of our most prominent biologists, often cites mathematical models and "multivariate linear regression" to obtain technology.
"But the book suddenly came to life as he looked at nature, from fire ants, social spiders to star birds.
In the suburbs of New England, he wrote, groups of star birds left their habitat, "working like feathers --
The eyes of Argus, "became a huge sentry.
. . . . . . In a few seconds, the entire assembly may take off and rotate high at the same time, and will soon land elsewhere in a different array.
Wilson used these stories to illustrate the hidden knowledge embodied in many animal societies: safety and efficiency in quantity.
More broadly, his narrative suggests a mechanism for advanced social organizations: a fundamental change in genetic code.
Because of these changes, humans have evolved into larger brains, higher intelligence, and-
Good for survival
Trends in more complex alliancesand alliance-
More than our closest ape relatives.
Growing group size and longer social interaction
From "1 hour to 2 hours per day for the earliest human species, 4 to 5 hours per day for modern humans "-
In turn, it strengthens the parallel evolution of the genes we inherit and the culture we inherit.
Wilson's analysis is worthy of attention.
He pointed out that "within the group, selfish individuals will fight to victory over him, but the group of altruistic people will defeat the group of selfish individuals. ”153 pp. Liveright. $23. 95.