In this gripping accompaniment to the BBC television series of the
same name, Robert Winston delves into the inconsistencies so
apparent in much of human existence - our irrational decisions,
beliefs, urges and interests - and shows that our genetic baggage
affects our psychology much as our ape ancestors influence our
physical features. The unpredictability of human behaviour is
dissected in terms of many influences - instinctive, physiological,
rational and emotional and, inevitably, the awesomely pervasive
influence of sex. Fertility expert, politician, television
presenter and peer of the realm, the incomparable Professor Winston
needs little introduction. He writes very much in the way he
presents his TV series, so we do get the occasional patronising
'pity about the ladies', and a distinctly conventional medical view
of childbirth, along with some contentious discussions of the
origins of male sexual jealousy and rape. Winston seems to be one
of those media personalities people either love or loathe, but by
and large most readers should find the host of intriguing facts
more than compensates for any irritations. Winston is certainly
game - having his testosterone levels measured during the World
Cup, willingly sniffing T-shirts slept in by young female students
and engaging in rock climbing despite being frozen with terror. His
sound bites are impeccable - 'for modern humans, mating is a bit
like playing chess while your opponent holds a gun to your head' -
and his analyses of various viewpoints on just why humans behave as
they do are generally intelligent and balanced. He discusses, among
much else, our tendency to act first and think second; the genetic
basis of fear; the evolutionary benefits of risk-taking; a
biological basis for violence, and why girls are nicer than boys
and men 'programmed to behave badly'. We learn about co-operation
and altruism, cheating, empathy, fairness and guilt, en route to
conclusions about morality and spirituality. Eminently readable,
completely fascinating and undoubtedly another of Winston's media
triumphs. (Kirkus UK)
From caveman to modern man…
What drives a happily married man to fantasize about pretty, young women seen on a tube train? Why does a seriously injured mountaineer battle against impossible weather conditions to spend three days crawling down to the safety of base camp? What stimulates that urge to press the pedal as hard as possible at traffic lights to make the fastest getaway? And how is it that so many people still hold religious views when the notion of an all-powerful being is irrational? All of these impulses are driven by our human instincts – sexual drive, survival, competition, aggression and our search for knowledge.
Few people have a problem with the idea that humans are descended from the apes. But while people believe that our general shape and structure are derived from other creatures, few consider, let alone accept, the psychological implications. Man not only looks, moves and breathes like an ape, he also thinks like one. It is back in our primeval past that we find the first clues to the understanding of our human instincts.
But how well do instincts equip us for the twenty-first century? Do they help or hinder us as we deal with large anonymous cities and the fracturing of communal life, low-level stress and the battle of the sexes? In this erudite and fascinating book, Robert Winston takes us on a journey deep into the human mind in search of the answers to these questions and many more. Along the way he takes a very personal look at the relationship between science and religion and explores those instincts that make us human.
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