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Sense and Nonsense: Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Behaviour
 
 
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Sense and Nonsense: Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Behaviour (Hardcover)

by Kevin N Laland (Author), Gillian R Brown (Author) "The human species is unique ..." (more)
4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
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Product details

  • Hardcover: 384 pages
  • Publisher: OUP Oxford (25 April 2002)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 0198508840
  • ISBN-13: 978-0198508847
  • Product Dimensions: 21.8 x 14 x 2.8 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 405,380 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #44 in  Books > Science & Nature > Biological Sciences > Genetics > Animal
    #55 in  Books > Scientific, Technical & Medical > Biology > Genetics > Human Genetics
    #58 in  Books > Science & Nature > Biological Sciences > Genetics > Human

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  • See Complete Table of Contents

Product Description

Human Nature Review

"A welcome and incisive corrective to the disarray within evolutionary social theory."


Review

Laland and Brown succeed in parsing sense from nonsense. And they show that while each approach discussed has its strength and weaknesses, taken together they form a well-developed science of evolutionary explanations of human behaviour. (Heredity )

... the book is immensely accessible and well organised. (Heredity )

A useful read for students embarking on the study of evolution and human behaviour. (Primate Eye )

A methodical, fair and thoughtful treatment of the big sociobiological questions ... Laland and Brown write clearly and calmly. Their analysis should dispel the nonsense surrounding this subject. On these grounds alone, I recommend everyone with some influence or interest in popular culture read this book. (New Scientist )

A welcome and incisive corrective to the disarray within evolutionary social theory. (Human Nature Review )

This is a very lucid, clearly written summary of the hard research that surrounds the controversial field of evolutionary psychology - the study of how and why genes influence human behaviour, and if and how culture influences genes. (Focus )

This is a superb book that I can recommend to anyone interested in these issues. It is a vehicle for a set of memes that I hope will invade the brains of many students of behaviour, ecology and evolution, and of their teachers too, for that matter. (Trends in Ecology and Evolution )

Sense and Nonsense gives those interested in the use of evolutionary reasoning to explain human behaviour and culture a cogent, evenhanded and lucid survey of five disparate fields utilizing that apprach. More importantly, it provides substantive critical analysis of each ... Throughout the authors deserve applause for their consistent clarity and fair-mindedness ... a valuable book for many audiences. It should be useful even to those at the cutting edge of research ... At the same time, it is not so technical that it couldn't be of value to students and educated laypersons. (Biology and Philosophy )

This is a remarkable book: succinct, informative and very sensible. It strips away the polemic to map a way forward, and it is worth reading by anybody interested in how best to analyse human behaviour. (Times Higher Education Supplement )
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Customer Reviews

7 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (7 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Must-read for anyone interested in human behaviour, 7 May 2002
By A Customer
Finally, a clear account of the ways evolutionary theory has been used and abused to study human behaviour. This book will be especially welcomed by zoology, psychology and anthropology students struggling to come to terms with the claims of protagonists and critics of the various schools of thought on the study of human behaviour. By providing a balanced overview of each of these schools, Laland and Brown enable the reader to make informed decisions about issues that have been the subject of heated debate for many years. Highly recommended.
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading!, 6 May 2002
By A Customer
Sense & Nonsense in fact makes complete sense and is a 'must read' for anyone looking for a clear, intelligent and often entertaining discussion of the different evolutionary perspectives taken to study human behaviour.

Laland & Brown successfully introduce the salient characteristics of the major schools of thought (covering human sociobiology, behavioural ecology, evolutionary psychology, memetics and gene-culture coevolution), managing to give a balanced account of each. I especially enjoyed learning how the different schools of thought themselves evolved, often from common roots to represent very juxtaposed ideas. Despite these differences, Laland & Brown do an admirable job of picking their way through the historical and political debris that have too often been the outcome of clashes between these camps, to pick out the biological sense from the nonsense of each tradition.

It is refreshing to read an apolitical review of a subject that concerns us all and becomes increasingly relevant as communication makes the world a smaller place where we are forced to face up to and appreciate our behavioural and cultural similarities and differences.

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12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars More praise for Sense & Nonsense, 11 Nov 2002
I had to read this book as I'd agreed to write a review for the journal Animal Behaviour. I'm very glad that I did so, or I may not have got round to reading what turned out to be an excellent clear account of evolutionary approaches to human behaviour. Five are considered in all, each clearly described and assessed in terms of strengths and weaknesses. There's also a good historical section, and a chapter synthesising all the material. The book is well-written, well-structured and flows along nicely. I'd recommend it to anyone who reads popular science books, to students, and to my colleagues, whom I've been e-mailing with recommendations.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Hmmmm
Personally, I was a little dissappointed by this book. I bought it because I wanted to get a general grasp of evolutionary aspects of human behaviour and am not mad keen on... Read more
Published on 26 Sep 2003 by Dr. John P. Yardley

5.0 out of 5 stars NOT BAD AT ALL
Well, waht can I say but, not a bad read, try it for yourself - you might even like it!
Published on 8 Jul 2003 by kasandra

5.0 out of 5 stars Sense and Nonsense
A fascinating review of the current debate in the behavioural sciences emanating from classical sociobiology. Read more
Published on 21 May 2003 by Charles Darwin, Jr.

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful review of a tangled bank
This book provides an absolutely brilliant overview of many of the attempts of recent decades of biologists to advance the understanding of our own species: our weird psyche, our... Read more
Published on 21 Dec 2002 by Charles Darwin, Jr.

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