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Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life
A Psychologist Investigates How Evolution, Cognition, and Complexity are Revolutionizing Our View of Human Nature
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Check link for latest rating. ( 668 ratings, 80 reviews)
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Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
"Breezy and engaging...a book that debunks our intuitive justifications for our behaviour.... will not fail to entertain." -New Scientist
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Description
“Kenrick writes like a dream.” - Robert Sapolsky, Professor of Biology and Neurology, Stanford University, author of A Primate's Memoir and Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers
What do sex and murder have to do with the meaning of life? Everything. In Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life, social psychologist Douglas Kenrick exposes the selfish, animalistic underside of human nature, and shows how it is intimately connected to our greatest and most selfless achievements.
Masterfully integrating cognitive science, evolutionary psychology, and complexity theory, this intriguing book paints a comprehensive picture of the principles that govern our lives. As Kenrick divulges, beneath our civilized veneer, human beings are a lot like howling hyenas and barking baboons, with heads full of homicidal tendencies and sexual fantasies. However, many ingrained, apparently irrational behaviours—such as inclinations to one-night stands, racial prejudices, and conspicuous consumption—ultimately manifest what he calls "Deep Rationality."
Although our heads are full of simple selfish biases that evolved to help our ancestors survive, modern human beings are anything but simple and selfish cavemen. Kenrick argues that the simple and selfish mental mechanisms we inherited from our ancestors ultimately give rise to the multifaceted social lives we lead today and to the most positive features of humanity, including generosity, artistic creativity, love, and familial bonds. From those simple mechanisms emerge all the complexities of society, including international conflicts and global economic markets.
By exploring the nuances of social psychology and the surprising results of his own research, Kenrick offers a detailed picture of what makes us caring, creative, and complex—that is, fully human. Illuminated with stories from Kenrick's colourful experiences—from his criminally inclined shantytown Irish relatives, his own multiple high school expulsions, broken marriages, and homicidal fantasies, to his eventual success as an evolutionary psychologist and loving father of two boys separated by 26 years—this book is an exploration of our mental biases and failures, and our mind's great successes.
Idiosyncratic, controversial, and fascinating, Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life uncovers the pitfalls and promise of our biological inheritance.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Several reviewers praise Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life by Douglas Kenrick for its engaging and humorous writing style while highlighting his expertise in evolutionary psychology. They commend his ability to connect complex scientific concepts with relatable examples, making the book both entertaining and thought-provoking. The fusion of Kenrick's personal stories with scientific insights is noted for providing a refreshing perspective on human behaviour and motivation.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780465032341
Publisher: Basic Books
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 08 January 2013
Country: United States
Imprint: Basic Books
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 16.0mm
Width: 234.0mm
Height: 156.0mm
Weight: 380g
Pages: 256
About the Author
Douglas T. Kenrick is a professor of psychology at Arizona State University and the author of Sex, Murder, and the Meaning of Life. He lives in Tempe, Arizona.
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