The Social Conquest of Earth by Edward O. Wilson

Wilson has spent his life searching for the evolutionary paths by which humans developed and passed along the social behaviors that best promote the survival of our species. “With his probing curiosity, his dazzling research, his elegant prose and his deep commitment to bio-diversity, Pulitzer Prize-winning biologist ( The Ants) and novelist ( The Anthill) Edward O. Jared Diamond, Pulitzer-Prize-winning author of Guns, Germs and Steel

“Once again, Ed Wilson has written a book combining the qualities that have brought his previous books Pulitzer Prizes and millions of readers: a big but simple question, powerful explanations, magisterial knowledge of the sciences and humanities, and beautiful writing understandable to a wide public.” Sandra Upson and Anna Kuchment, Scientific American The book is bound to stir controversy on these and other subjects for years to come.” “Wilson offers a full explanation of his latest thinking on evolution. “I just finished The Social Conquest of Earth, a fabulous book.” His reflections on this subject are varied, original, and thought provoking―as is the rest of his book.” His interdisciplinary approach, his established scholarship, and his willingness to engage hot-button issues are all much in evidence in The Social Conquest of Earth. “Wilson has done an impressive job of pulling all this evidence together and analyzing it. 'synopsis' may belong to another edition of this title. Demonstrating that the sources of morality, religion, and the creative arts are fundamentally biological in nature, the renowned Harvard University biologist presents us with the clearest explanation ever produced as to the origin of the human condition and why it resulted in our domination of the Earth’s biosphere. Watson calls “a monumental exploration of the biological origins of the human condition,” Wilson explains how our innate drive to belong to a group is both a “great blessing and a terrible curse” ( Smithsonian). Refashioning the story of human evolution, Wilson draws on his remarkable knowledge of biology and social behavior to demonstrate that group selection, not kin selection, is the premier driving force of human evolution.

Sparking vigorous debate in the sciences, The Social Conquest of Earth upends “the famous theory that evolution naturally encourages creatures to put family first” ( Discover). Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence (Nonfiction)įrom the most celebrated heir to Darwin comes a groundbreaking book on evolution, the summa work of Edward O. New York Times Bestseller and Notable Book of the YearĪ Kirkus Reviews Book of the Year (Nonfiction)

The Social Conquest of Earth by Edward O. Wilson