The moral animal
by Wright, Robert · first published 1994
79% recommend18% neutral4% critical
Why HN recommends it
Accessible, entertaining introduction to evolutionary psychology for general readers, applying natural selection to monogamy, relationships, and human impulses. Suits those wanting a primer on why we behave as we do.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Every so often the world of ideas is shaken by what the philosopher of science Thomas Kuhn famously dubbed a "paradigm shift." As Robert Wright shows in this pathbreaking book, such a shift is occurring now - one that will change the way people see their lives and the way they choose to live their lives. From the work of evolutionary biologists and of scholars all across the social sciences, a new science called evolutionary psychology is emerging, and with it a radically revised view of human nature and the human mind. In its light, the oldest and most basic questions look different and whol
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You have some odd ideas there. You might want to read The Moral Animal by Robert Wright for a more nuanced view of human nature by an evolutionary psychologist. (A field which is controversial at the best of times- but if you're going to believe something controversial…
on “Why are fewer men in their 20s having sex?” ↗…to evolutionary pressures. What were these pressures and how do they account for the features we see in ourselves, like language, love, laughter, crying, etc?" A good pop-sci book on the subject is The Moral Animal by Robert Wright: http://www.amazon.com/Moral-Animal-Science-Evolutionary-Psyc...
on “Existential Depression in Gifted Individuals” ↗For my primer on this question, I look to The Moral Animal by Robert Wright, one of the first popular science books to introduce evolutionary psychology to a mainstream audience back in the 1990s. To boil down a lot of interesting reading (on a subject, which…
on “Job polarisation and the decline of middle-class workers’ wages” ↗+1 to whoever mentioned Seneca's On the Shortness of Life, or any of the Stoic writings. The Old Man and the Sea. People either love or hate this book, but it had a profound impact on me. The Moral Animal, by Robert Wright. Made me consider how much of human behavior can be explained through evolutionary biology. The Truth, by Neil Strauss. Incredibly vulnerable memoir that will make you reflect on your…
on “Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect?” ↗One of the more entertaining discussions I've read about this is in Robert Wright's "The Moral Animal." There is a great discussion of monogamy, polygamy, and the circumstances that tend to generate both. The thesis (as best as I can recreate it) is that monogamy comes naturally in hunter-gatherer societies,…
on “Abbreviated Parody of Paul Graham's "Boss"” ↗…Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond It varies, but I probably read 2 to 6 books a month (really depends on length). Two of my recent favorites are Godel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadster and The Moral Animal by Robert Wright.
on “Do you read?” ↗The Moral Animal - by Robert Wright It delves into evolutionary psychology to explain human morality. I especially liked the discussion on monogamy (the parental investment theory). A few more recommendations:- Godel,…
on “Ask HN: Good books?” ↗…group selection theories tend to be wrong by default and why you shouldn't really pay attention to them when they come up. For people interested in evolutionary psychology I recommend Robert Wright's The Moral Animal, which does a good job covering the history of the field and offering explanations for a variety of behaviors. http://www.amazon.com/Moral-Animal-Science-Evolutionary-Psyc...
on “The Origins of Altruism - Edward O. Wilson's Alternate Theory” ↗That book is excellent. In the same vein, you can read The Moral Animal by Robert Wright, or if you want to dig deeper, check out the studies cited in those books.
on “How Elon Musk Thinks: Reasoning from First Principles.” ↗…sexuality's impact on human behavior, I recommend reviewing the extant literature. Here are some examples: 1. http://www.amazon.com/Red-Queen-Evolution-Human-Nature/dp/00... 2. http://www.amazon.com/Moral-Animal-Science-Evolutionary-Psyc...
on “Teaching Good Sex” ↗If you are interested I recommend "The Moral Animal" by Robert Wright, book has more details on subject.
on “China to Ease One-Child Policy; Will Also Abolish Re-Education Through Labor” ↗Numerous people have already recommended Hofstadter, so I'll skip to: The Moral Animal, Robert Wright. It looks at how natural selection applies to human cultures. Debt: The First 5,000 Years, David Graeber. History of economic systems. Everything we know about money is one of many…
on “Ask HN: What is the most mind blowing book you've ever read?” ↗…of others: -"Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Khaneman -"The Undoing Project" by Michael Lewis -"Fooled by Randomness" and "The Black Swan" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb -"Pre-suasion" by Cialdini -"The Moral Animal" by Robert Wright -"The Most Important Thing" by Howard Marks -"Everybody Lies" by Seth Stevens-Davidowitz -"How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big" by Scott Adams -The "Freakonomics" Trilogy
on “How Booking.com manipulates users” ↗"The Logic of Failure" by Dietrich Dorner. Sort of an applied "Heuristics and Biases". "The Moral Animal" by Robert Wright. It unlocked the reasons why my impulses and aspirations were at such odds. "The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin". Very practical advice for how to better oneself. Caveat: Reading…
on “Ask HN: Which books do you wish you'd read earlier in life?” ↗“How to get what you want”, by Raymond Hull. (Most effective self help book) “A moral animal”, by Robert Wright. (Evolutionary Psychology overview - will change your view on life)
on “Ask HN: Which books have made you introspect?” ↗