Homicide: Foundations of Human Behavior - Hardcover

Daly, Martin; Welson, Margo

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0202011771 ISBN 13: 9780202011776

Publisher: AldineTransaction, 1988

Synopsis

This book is an exercise in "evolutionary psychology": the attempt to understand normal social motives as products of the process of evolution by natural selection. There is simply no question that this is the process that created the human psyche, and yet psychologists seldom ask what implications this fact might have for their discipline. We think that the implications are many and profound, touching on such matters as parental affection and rejection, sibling rivalry, sex differences in interests and inclinations, social comparisons and achievement motives, our sense of justice, lifespan developmental changes in attitudes, and that phenomenology of the self.

About this title

Review

-The fascination of the subject and the felicity of the writing make this an irresistible book. Without sacrificing scholarship, Daly and Wilson maintain an outspoken, at times quietly humorous, often suspenseful, always lucid prose. Their book is a model of absorbing analysis for the educated layman. . . . many anthropologists might also find it a vehicle by which to explore the Darwinian approach to human behavior.- --American Journal of Physical Anthropology -The authors bring order and clarity to the welter of information about homicide by means of a bold and imaginative application of -selection thinking,- an approach they characterize as -evolutionary psychology- . . . . A brief review cannot do justice to the range and depth of Daly and Wilson's accomplishment. This meticulously researched and elegantly written book is a stunning example of the unique power of selection thinking to illuminate human affairs.- --Donald Symons, The Quarterly Review of Biology -Daly and Wilson's latest book is an attempt to understand the many aspects and varieties of homicide in terms of an -evolutionary psychological- approach founded on Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. . . . Daly and Wilson's attempt to explain homicide in these terms has led them to undertake a wide-ranging and original review of the literature, combined with many statistical tests of various hypotheses along the way. Their study is a valuable contribution to the literature, providing many insights on homicide as well as interesting asides on sociobiology, sexual jealousy, the Oedipus complex, criminal responsibility, Geronimo and revenge murders, the decline of kin right in English law, Middle Easter harems, -May-December- relationships, -biophobia,- and many other topics.- --Anthony R. Mawson, Contemporary Sociology -Homicide is must reading for any anthropologist interested in conflict. . . . Homicide has convinced me that from a fitness perspective killing is rational, from infanticide to capital punishment.- --Keith F. Otterbein, American Anthropologist "The fascination of the subject and the felicity of the writing make this an irresistible book. Without sacrificing scholarship, Daly and Wilson maintain an outspoken, at times quietly humorous, often suspenseful, always lucid prose. Their book is a model of absorbing analysis for the educated layman. . . . many anthropologists might also find it a vehicle by which to explore the Darwinian approach to human behavior." --American Journal of Physical Anthropology "The authors bring order and clarity to the welter of information about homicide by means of a bold and imaginative application of "selection thinking," an approach they characterize as "evolutionary psychology" . . . . A brief review cannot do justice to the range and depth of Daly and Wilson's accomplishment. This meticulously researched and elegantly written book is a stunning example of the unique power of selection thinking to illuminate human affairs." --Donald Symons, The Quarterly Review of Biology "Daly and Wilson's latest book is an attempt to understand the many aspects and varieties of homicide in terms of an "evolutionary psychological" approach founded on Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. . . . Daly and Wilson's attempt to explain homicide in these terms has led them to undertake a wide-ranging and original review of the literature, combined with many statistical tests of various hypotheses along the way. Their study is a valuable contribution to the literature, providing many insights on homicide as well as interesting asides on sociobiology, sexual jealousy, the Oedipus complex, criminal responsibility, Geronimo and revenge murders, the decline of kin right in English law, Middle Easter harems, "May-December" relationships, "biophobia," and many other topics." --Anthony R. Mawson, Contemporary Sociology "Homicide is must reading for any anthropologist interested in conflict. . . . Homicide has convinced me that from a fitness perspective killing is rational, from infanticide to capital punishment." --Keith F. Otterbein, American Anthropologist "The fascination of the subject and the felicity of the writing make this an irresistible book. Without sacrificing scholarship, Daly and Wilson maintain an outspoken, at times quietly humorous, often suspenseful, always lucid prose. Their book is a model of absorbing analysis for the educated layman. . . . many anthropologists might also find it a vehicle by which to explore the Darwinian approach to human behavior." --American Journal of Physical Anthropology "The authors bring order and clarity to the welter of information about homicide by means of a bold and imaginative application of "selection thinking," an approach they characterize as "evolutionary psychology" . . . . A brief review cannot do justice to the range and depth of Daly and Wilson's accomplishment. This meticulously researched and elegantly written book is a stunning example of the unique power of selection thinking to illuminate human affairs." --Donald Symons, The Quarterly Review of Biology "Daly and Wilson's latest book is an attempt to understand the many aspects and varieties of homicide in terms of an "evolutionary psychological" approach founded on Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection. . . . Daly and Wilson's attempt to explain homicide in these terms has led them to undertake a wide-ranging and original review of the literature, combined with many statistical tests of various hypotheses along the way. Their study is a valuable contribution to the literature, providing many insights on homicide as well as interesting asides on sociobiology, sexual jealousy, the Oedipus complex, criminal responsibility, Geronimo and revenge murders, the decline of kin right in English law, Middle Easter harems, "May-December" relationships, "biophobia," and many other topics." --Anthony R. Mawson, Contemporary Sociology "Homicide is must reading for any anthropologist interested in conflict. . . . Homicide has convinced me that from a fitness perspective killing is rational, from infanticide to capital punishment." --Keith F. Otterbein, American Anthropologist "The fascination of the subject and the felicity of the writing make this an irresistible book. Without sacrificing scholarship, Daly and Wilson maintain an outspoken, at times quietly humorous, often suspenseful, always lucid prose. Their book is a model of absorbing analysis for the educated laymanmany anthropologists might also find it a vehicle by which to explore the Darwinian approach to human behavior."-- "American Journal of Physical Anthroplogy"

About the Author

<p> <em>Martin Daly </em>is Professor of Psychology and Biology. He has published results of his research, jointly and separately, in more than 40 scientific journals and edited volumes.</p>||<p> <em>Margo Wilson</em> is Professor of Psychology at McMaster University. She has published results of her research, jointly and separately, in more than 40 scientific journals and edited volumes.</p

Edition details

• Publisher: AldineTransaction
• Publication date: 1988
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0202011771
• ISBN 13: 9780202011776
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 328