"Kenrick writes like a dream."--Robert Sapolsky, Professor of
Biology and Neurology, Stanford University; author of "A Primate's
Memoir" and "Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers" What do sex and murder
have to do with the meaning of life? Everything.
In "Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life," social psychologist
Douglas Kenrick exposes the selfish animalistic underside of human
nature, and shows how it is intimately connected to our greatest
and most selfless achievements. Masterfully integrating cognitive
science, evolutionary psychology, and complexity theory, this
intriguing book paints a comprehensive picture of the principles
that govern our lives. As Kenrick divulges, beneath our civilized
veneer, human beings are a lot like howling hyenas and barking
baboons, with heads full of homicidal tendencies and sexual
fantasies. But, in his view, many ingrained, apparently irrational
behaviors--such as inclinations to one-night stands, racial
prejudices, and conspicuous consumption--ultimately manifest what
he calls "Deep Rationality."
Although our heads are full of simple selfish biases that
evolved to help our ancestors survive, modern human beings are
anything but simple and selfish cavemen. Kenrick argues that simple
and selfish mental mechanisms we inherited from our ancestors
ultimately give rise to the multifaceted social lives that we
humans lead today, and to the most positive features of humanity,
including generosity, artistic creativity, love, and familial
bonds. And out of those simple mechanisms emerge all the
complexities of society, including international conflicts and
global economic markets. By exploring the nuance of social
psychology and the surprising results of his own research, Kenrick
offers a detailed picture of what makes us caring, creative, and
complex--that is, fully human.
Illuminated with stories from Kenrick's own colorful
experiences -- from his criminally inclined shantytown Irish
relatives, his own multiple high school expulsions, broken
marriages, and homicidal fantasies, to his eventual success as an
evolutionary psychologist and loving father of two boys separated
by 26 years -- this book is an exploration of our mental biases and
failures, and our mind's great successes. Idiosyncratic,
controversial, and fascinating, "Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of
Life" uncovers the pitfalls and promise of our biological
inheritance.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
(3)
(1)
