A provocative book by a senior editor of The New Republic, author
of Three Scientists and Their Gods (1988), examining the vibrant
new science of evolutionary psychology. Even though, according to
this science, natural selection has molded human nature into a
deterministic pattern of selfish behavior, says Wright, there is
still hope for developing a common moral outlook as long as we
accept the ramifications of our evolutionary legacy. Natural
selection insures that individuals are subconsciously preoccupied
with the propagation of their genes. Although the cold, underlying
logic of natural selection doesn't care about our happiness, it
fools us into thinking that by pursuing goals that make us happy,
we will maximize our genetic legacy. Lost in this pursuit is any
genuine concern about community welfare. This volume covers much of
the same ground as William Allman's superb overview The Stone Age
Present (p. 893). Wright extends Allman's arguments in much richer
detail and a more authoritative tone, although he explains the
science in a more roundabout manner. He weaves a complex and
fascinating treatise in explaining the paradox of how society can
engender moral and responsible actions when a strict Darwinian
interpretation implies that human behavior is deterministic. Wright
resolves this paradox by arguing that once people understand the
Darwinian paradigm, they will understand their own subconscious
motives, which is the first step towards addressing the bias toward
self that natural selection instills in our minds. Many readers
will feel uneasy reading Wright's dark and cynical portrayal of
human nature, but he does a superb job of anticipating questions
and objections. He points to a growing body of evidence that says
this is the way we are whether we like it or not, and he argues
we're better off if we accept this fact. (Kirkus Reviews)
In this work, Robert Wright examines a science that has emerged
from the work of evolutionary biologists and social scientists.
Taking the life and work of the evolutionist Charles Darwin as his
context, Wright seeks to demonstrate how Darwin's ideas have stood
the test of time and retells - from the perspective of evolutionary
psychology - the stories of Darwin's marriage, family, life and
career. From this paradigm, Wright draws conclusions about the
structure of our most basic preoccupations - sex, ambition,
politics, justice - aiming to throw light on the background of
these fundamental instincts, and to show why they are so important
to us. The work poses questions about not only the biological bases
for morality, but also the biological bases for amorality.
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