About this title: Sex is as fascinating to scientists as it is to the rest of us. A vast pool of knowledge, therefore, has been gleaned from research into the nature of sex, from the contentious problem of why the wasteful reproductive process exists at all, to how individuals choose their mates and what traits they find attractive. This fascinating book explores ...
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Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Date Published: 4/29/2003
ISBN-13:9780060556570ISBN:0060556579
Description: Fine. 0060556579 NEW/UNREAD! ! ! Text is Clean and Unmarked! --Be Sure to Compare Seller Feedback and Ratings before Purchasing--Has a small black line on bottom/exterior edge of pages. May have light shelf wear to cover from storage, if any. read more
Binding: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Penguin
Date Published: 1994
ISBN-13:9780140245486ISBN:0140245480
Description: Good. 00303. Corners bumped, edgewear, and back cover has a few small creases near top. Binding tight, straight and uncreased. Text is clean. Overall good copy. read more
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Perennial
Date Published: 2003-05-01
ISBN-13:9780060556570ISBN:0060556579
Description: NEW. Softcover. From an inventory that is 100% brand-new, 100% direct from the publishers' distribution channel. We carry NO pre-owned, NO remaindered. We pack in CARDBOARD to ensure the pristine quality is maintained. (Bubble-wrap alone is NOT sufficient to protect from USPS equipment. ) Guaranteed brand-NEW, protected with CARDBOARD, your satisfaction is guaranteed. BKLUVID: 9780060556570. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Date Published: 2003
ISBN-13:9780060556570ISBN:0060556579
Description: New. Brand New! Buy with confidence-your satisfaction is guaranteed at B-Logistics! Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. Please note that Expedited shipping is not available at this time. read more
Description: Good. Ships from the UK. Former Library book. Shows some signs of wear, and may have some markings on the inside. Your purchase also supports literacy charities. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Date Published: 1994
ISBN-13:9780140167726ISBN:0140167722
Description: Good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! read more
Edition: First Separate
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin
Date Published: 1994
ISBN-13:9780140167726ISBN:0140167722
Description: Collectible; Very Good. VG-1994 PENGUIN PB, WITH ORIGINAL COVER AND ILLUSTRATIONS. ENJOYABLE AND ABSORBING ORIGINAL STUDY. LIGHT COVER RUBBING, MINOR FRONT CORNER CREASE ONLY, NEAR VG UNMARKED COPY. Worldwide Shipping IMMEDIATE 1ST CLASS/AIRMAIL DISPATCH. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin Books, London
Date Published: 1994
ISBN-13:9780140167726ISBN:0140167722
Description: Good. 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall. 338pp. Notes. Bibliography. Index. Paperback in good condition, minor crease on front cover, light edgewear. Previous owners name on fep. 'Ridley is not afraid to draw parallels between human behaviour and that of the lower animals.....' read more
"Interesting. If you get passed the belaboured genetics discussion in the first few chapters, and the rehashing of well-known sexual selection theory in the next ones, the conclusion was interesting and well worth the read. (side note: Matt Ridley could not be an anthropologist -- he takes a consistently dismal view on much of anthropologists findings and then proceeds to generalize and misrepresent the findings. Just saying...)"
"Unnecessary book that just forever states the obvious, written by someone without very much credibility and it seems to show. Essentially encapsulates in 350 pages what one could do alone in 20 minutes of just thinking."
"No doubt this book will offend many, and should only be attempted with an open mind. I found it to be a fasnicating glimpse into the world of human nature and evolutionary psychology, focused mainly on sexual selection. This book is quite scientific, and predicated on how human gender differences are biological, and ultimately deals with our views of gender roles in society."
"This is a pretty compressed but well thought out book. It attempts to point out and understand the mechanics in which people and all living creatures are "hard-wired" to through genetics. This gene-centric view of behavior was suggested ever since their discovery but was introduced to pop-science by Richard Dawkins in the "The Selfish Gene (1974)."
Dawkin's argument, along with many, was that creatures DO NOT work for the good of the whole but are rather "vessels" in which our genes are the captains driving evolution through ever changing environmental issues and competition. For example: a male crocodile, even on the steady course toward extinction, will kill babies of another male so that his own genes are selected for the next generation of crocs. The more suitable thing to do in order to sustain their species would be to allow all babies to live and mate as well. If they were thinking for the good of the whole, this would be the case.
Cooperation in certain species is looked at as an evolutionary adaptation in order to establish a system in which common goals within a species are met. Monogomy would be a prime example of this adaptation.
Through all the in depth examinations on how genes operate and why, the main point that Matt Ridley is making is that evolution is a treadmill and not a ladder. He references The Red Queen from "Through the Looking Glass," a sequel to Alice in Wonderland in which Alice encounters a character who must run in order to stay in one place. If she does not run, she falls behind. And of course, to move forward she must run even faster. Evolution to Matt Ridley and most evolutionary biologist is a chess-like stalemate.
After finally reaching the last few chapters of the book, I realized that reading the first half was a waste of time because, while his thesis is claimed throughout these chapters, too many references are used for every single little idea that he presents. It was almost as if he was afraid of not using enough citations but got progressively relaxed as the book moved forward.
As soon as I'm done reading this gem, I will leave a more detailed review about the specific ideas that are laid out. Stay-tuned and buy this book if you are interested in the nature of human relationships and are even wanting to improve the way that you interact with the opposite sex. It is even recommended by Neil Strauss ("The Game"). Don't buy it strictly for this cause as it mainly deals with the evolutionary aspect of human relationships."
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