The human animal
a personal view of the human species
by Desmond Morris · first published 1994
75% recommend25% neutral
Where the fuck is the book I just went through signing up for?
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The Human Animal is another fantastic book by the same author. Morris really has a fascinating perspective on human behavior and its biological origins.
on “Ask HN: Great books you read in 2009?” ↗…Reflections on Self & Soul by Douglas R. Hofstadter. Various attempts to reconcile the mind-body dichotomy and build a science of cognition. Human behavior The Naked Ape: A Zoologist's Study of the Human Animal, by Desmond Morris. If you ask people why they act the way they do, they will probably talk about rational, moral, idealistic justifications... but if you were a primatologist, what would you say about…
on “Ask HN: Good books?” ↗"The Naked Ape: A Zoologist's Study of the Human Animal" by Desmond Morris. Some stuff might be outdated but it definitely helped build a healthy dose of skepticism towards fellow humans - and towards myself. You definitely need that kind of skepticism and…
on “Ask HN: Which book helped you understand the world?” ↗Your discussion of "Tribe Signalling" is interesting. It reminds me of all the stuff that Desmond Morris was talking about in "the Human Animal" (and more recently http://www.exactitudes.com/). By wearing certain clothes you're sending a signal to others about political POV, likes dislikes, interests etc... It helps you find other like minded…