Wilson's literary and scientific skills are brought fully to light as he takes us through the universals of human behaviour. He addresses the topics of heredity, aggression, religion, altruism and other aspects of what we are in nature. He isn't constricted to simply delineating where we came from, he sees the entire exercise as providing guideposts for our future existence. As he argues, "The only way forward is to study human nature as part of the natural sciences, in an attempt to integrate the natural sciences with the social sciences and humanities."

At the outset, he acknowledges how formidable his proposed task is for those who will likely be effected by it. Sociology, anthropology, psychology are all well-established disciplines that will be discomforted by what he's proposing. As the concluding book in his trilogy to build a definition of the science of sociobiology, he's already suffered reaction to his ideas. Wilson, however, is seeking construction, not dissolution. A new field of study on human behaviour can only be achieved by a merger of the established research areas. He knows that the study of humans is almost a divine mandate in the eyes of its practitioners. They have already contended that there isn't enough data to build a new science. He acknowledges that existing evidence is scanty, but suggests that our ignorance is the fullest reason to pursue the work. We mustn't be constrained by those who argue against the existence of our natural roots. With admirable foresight he anticipates his later critics. As he puts it, ". . . no intellectual vice is more crippling than defiantly self-indulgent anthropocentrism."

His final chapter, Hope, is his message about the future. Having examined religion as a human universal, he notes its failures through splintering and conflicts. Objects of worship have shifted from the divine to the philosophic. "Visionaries and revolutionaries set out to change the system" which has proven too arbitrary and absolutist. "Human nature," he stresses, is the "potential array" that can be applied by knowledgeable societies to consciously design a better future than appears likely now. The principal task is to measure biological constraints on decision making, to understand them and apply cultural evolution to biological evolution to create a "biology of ethics." The result, Wilson argues, will be a "more deeply understood and enduring code of moral values."

These are challenging concepts, requiring serious, dedicated effort. Wilson recognizes that old mythologies, particularly "self-indulgent anthropocentrism," must be swept away. A new and better mythology, the evolutionary epic, will emerge. It will be forged from the biological and social sciences, thereby forcing honesty and reject dogma. He paints an appealing image for scholars and researchers to consider. Many have done so, but die-hards remain entrenched. Those who will benefit the most from his ideas are those who avoid heeding the "small number of [those] who are committed to the view that human behaviour arises from a very few unstructured drives." In other words, avoid the false spectre of "genetic determinism" raised by Wilson's critics and read him directly. There are many rewards in this book and it deserves careful attention. It deserves a place on your shelf to help you along your path to a valid future, untrammeled by false mythologies or barran reasoning.


Key to Fundamentally Understanding Who We Are   January 22, 2002
 10 out of 10 found this review helpful

It would be difficult to overstate the importance of this book in providing a basis for understanding our very selves, and the world that we have created.

With surgical precision, Wilson dissects the motivations behind those behaviors most troublesome to our evolution: agression, sex, altruism and religion, and plainly shows their value in serving the ultimate purpose of our genetic promotion.

Human behavior has a sound basis in human physiology and its evolution, and the open acknowledgement of this is the first step toward moving the hard sciences and the humanities forward, united. Science can no longer play the aloof wallflower. The Humanities cannot proceed floating on scientific air, without sound biological substantiation. Their futures lie intertwined, converging.

Understanding our sociobiological mental underpinnings does not take away from our humanity, any more than understanding botany takes away the beauty of the flower. To the contrary, we stand all the more awe-struck in our understanding of how we have come to be what we are, and why we behave as we do.

Sociobiology in general, and this masterful work in particular, are nothing less than the key to understanding who we are, and we are greatly enriched in the knowing.


Important Analysis From a Giant Thinker   October 17, 2001
 13 out of 14 found this review helpful

Edward O. Wilson simple thinks bigger than the rest of us. As a scientist who devoted his career to the study of ants, Wilson has blossomed into an intellect capable of shedding light on the most important topics related to the human condition. In his book Sociobiology, Wilson singlehandedly created and defined a new discipline, and structured the context of the debate in that area for the forseeable future. In Consilience, Wilson compelling proposed nothing less than the unification of all branches of knowledge. Wilson simply sees the "big picture" better than anyone else writing today.

On Human Nature is a compelling demonstration of the biological and genetics bases for a wide range of human behavior. Whether considering sex, religion, aggression or altruism, Wilson argues convincingly that there is a Darwinian explanation for our behavior. Many will choose to resist his conclusions, but it is important to consider thoughtfully his arguments before moving to another explanation of the behavior of our species.

In short, essential reading!


Essential science reading   July 11, 2001
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

Whether you agree or not with the major premise of Wilson's work, that human behavior is largely determined by evolutionary adaptation which has enhanced our chances for survival and reproduction, this must be considered as one of the dozen or so "essential works" for those who are interested in getting a broad background of general science education, in spite of its highly controversial subject matter.

Wilson argues with the authority of a man with a supreme background in biology, but more importantly he states his arguments without excessive polemic or sensationalism, perhaps in anticipation of the attacks that he surely knew were to come.

This would surely be excellent follow-up reading to Darwin's Origin of Species - if you are feeling especially ambitious.