Blueprint : the evolutionary origins of a good society

Resource Information

The work Blueprint : the evolutionary origins of a good society represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Memorial Hall Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Blueprint : the evolutionary origins of a good society

Title remainder

the evolutionary origins of a good society

Statement of responsibility

Nicholas A. Christakis

Creator

• Christakis, Nicholas A

Author

• Christakis, Nicholas A

Subject

• Evolution (Biology) -- Philosophy
• Evolution (Biology) -- Social aspects
• PSYCHOLOGY -- Social Psychology
• Social evolution

Language

eng

Summary

"For too long, scientists have focused on the dark side of our biological heritage: our capacity for aggression, cruelty, prejudice, and self-interest. But natural selection has given us a suite of beneficial social features, including our capacity for love, friendship, cooperation, and learning. Beneath all our inventions--our tools, farms, machines, cities, nations--we carry with us innate proclivities to make a good society. In Blueprint, Nicholas A. Christakis introduces the compelling idea that our genes affect not only our bodies and behaviors, but also the ways in which we make societies, ones that are surprisingly similar worldwide. With many vivid examples--including diverse historical and contemporary cultures, communities formed in the wake of shipwrecks, commune dwellers seeking utopia, online groups thrown together by design or involving artificially intelligent bots, and even the tender and complex social arrangements of elephants and dolphins that so resemble our own--Christakis shows that, despite a human history replete with violence, we cannot escape our social blueprint for goodness. In a world of increasing political and economic polarization, it's tempting to ignore the positive role of our evolutionary past. Drawing on advances in social science, evolutionary biology, genetics, neuroscience, and network science, Blueprint shows how and why evolution has placed us on a humane path--and how we are united by our common humanity."--Jacket

Cataloging source

NYP

Dewey number

576.801

Illustrations

• illustrations
• maps
• plates

Index

index present

LC call number

QH360.5

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography