The Social Instinct
How Cooperation Shaped the World
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- $15.99
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- $15.99
Publisher Description
'A phenomenally important book' Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins
Why do we live in families?
Why do we help complete strangers?
Why do we compare ourselves to others?
Why do we cooperate?
The science of cooperation tells us not only how we got here, but also where we might end up. In The Social Instinct Nichola Raihani introduces us to other species who, like us, live and work together. From the pied babblers of the Kalahari to the cleaner fish of the Great Barrier Reef, they happen to be some of the most fascinating and extraordinarily successful species on this planet. What do we have in common with these animals, and what can we learn from them? The Social Instinct is an exhilarating, far-reaching and thought-provoking journey through all life on Earth, with profound insights into what makes us human and how our societies work.
'A pleasing juxtaposition of insightful scientific theory with illuminating anecdotes' Richard Dawkins
'Surprising, thoughtful and, best of all, endlessly entertaining' Will Storr, author of The Science of Storytelling
'A superb book about how important cooperation is' Alice Roberts, author of Ancestors
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Raihani, a professor of evolution and behavior at University College London, debuts with an upbeat take on why humans help each other. To prove cooperation is "the reason we exist in the first place," Raihani explores such matters as why women tend to invest more time in parenting ("it is often easier for the female to be sure she is the mother"), how mothers-in-law earned a bad reputation (in pre-industrial homes, they often regarded new members as competition for "limited resources"), and whether money really can buy happiness or whether happiness comes from "knowing we have more than people like us." She employs social, economic, and biological theories to argue that living organisms have evolved through teamwork, and she discusses downsides of humans' social instinct—it can lead to conspiracy theories and confirmation bias. Colorful examples—such as how honeybees work to cool hives during the summer and how male burying beetles take on more parental responsibilities because of an "anti-aphrodisiac" secreted by the female—bring things to life. This enriching survey should have broad appeal.
