On Human Nature: Biology, Psychology, Ethics, Politics, and Religion covers the present state of knowledge on human diversity and its adaptative significance through a broad and eclectic selection of representative chapters. This transdisciplinary work brings together specialists from various fields who rarely interact, including geneticists, evolutionists, physicians, ethologists, psychoanalysts, anthropologists, sociologists, theologians, historians, linguists, and philosophers.
Genomic diversity is covered in several chapters dealing with biology, including the differences in men and apes and the genetic diversity of mankind. Top specialists, known for their open mind and broad knowledge have been carefully selected to cover each topic. The book is therefore at the crossroads between biology and human sciences, going beyond classical science in the Popperian sense.
The book is accessible not only to specialists, but also to students, professors, and the educated public. Glossaries of specialized terms and general public references help nonspecialists understand complex notions, with contributions avoiding technical jargon.
1. Introduction - p. 125 2. Some Basic Neuroanatomy - p. 128 3. Themes and Theories in Human Brain Evolution - p. 131 4. Evolution of Brain Size and External Morphology - p. 133 5. Internal Changes - p. 135 6. Molecular Specializations Relevant to Human Brain Evolution - p. 140 7. Conclusions - p. 142 8. Chapter 9. How Different Are Humans and “Great Apes”? A Matrix of Comparative Anthropogeny - p. 151 9. Chapter 10. Human Intergroup Variation and Disease Genetics - p. 161 10. Chapter 11. Natural Selection Associated With Infectious Diseases - p. 177 11. Chapter 12. Aging, Somatic Evolution, and Cancer - p. 193 12. Chapter 13. Evolution of the Human Leukocyte Antigen System - p. 211 13. Chapter 14. Human Life History Evolution: New Perspectives on Body and Brain Growth - p. 221 14. Chapter 15. Gorillas in Our Midst? Human Sexual Dimorphism and Contest Competition in Men - p. 235 15. Chapter 16. The Human Family: Evolutionary Origins and Adaptive Significance - p. 251 16. Chapter 17. Biological Future of Humankind: Ongoing Evolution and the Impact of Recognition of Human Biological Variation - p. 263 17. Part II. Psychology, Behavior and Society - p. 275 18. Chapter 18. Gene-Culture Models for the Evolution of Altruistic Teaching - p. 279 19. Introduction - p. 279 20. Basic Haploid Model with Asexual Reproduction and Uniparental Transmission (ARUT) - p. 281 21. Haploid Model with Sexual Reproduction and Biparental Transmission (SRBT) - p. 285 22. Adding Oblique Transmission - p. 288 23. Adding Horizontal Transmission (VTHT) - p. 289 24. Discussion - p. 291 25. Appendices - p. 293 26. Chapter 19. Multiple Origins of Agriculture in Eurasia and Africa - p. 297 27. Introduction - p. 297 28. The Terminology Conundrum - p. 299 29. The Social Contexts of Cultivation and Domestication Emergence - p. 300 30. Animal Domestication - p. 301 31. Pathways to the Domestication of Plants - p. 303 32. Intra and Interregional Connections - p. 305 33. The Centers for Plant Cultivation and Domestication - p. 307 34. The Spread of Agriculture to the “Noncenters” and Its Impacts - p. 314 35. Brief Review of the Americas - p. 319 36. Discussion - p. 321 37. Chapter 20. The Quantum Origin of Life: How the Brain Evolved to Feel Good - p. 333 38. Chapter 21. Empathy, Theory of Mind, Cognition, Morality, and Altruism - p. 355 39. Chapter 22. Cognitive Ethology and Social Attention - p. 365 40. Chapter 23. Human Sociobiology and Group Selection Theory - p. 383 41. Chapter 24. Behavior Analysis, Darwinian Evolutionary Processes, and the Diversity of Human Behavior - p. 397 42. Chapter 25. A Psychoanalyst Views the Self Across Civilizations - p. 417 43. Chapter 26. Biological and Social Causation of Serious Mental Illness - p. 431 44. Chapter 27. The Flexible Psychological Concept of Normality - p. 451 45. Chapter 28. Diversity and Hierarchy in the Evolution of Mental Mechanisms - p. 467 46. Chapter 29. Human Diversity at the Individual and Population Levels, and Societal Hierarchies - p. 475 47. Chapter 30. Homosexuality and Evolution: A Critical Appraisal - p. 495 48. Chapter 31. The Roots and Individual Diversity of Addiction - p. 517 49. Introduction - p. 517 50. Addictive Behavior in Humans Throughout History - p. 518 51. Roots of Reinforcement and Motivation in Addiction - p. 522 52. Dissecting Addictive Behavior: Approaches to Measure Reward and Addictive Phenotypes in Humans and Animals - p. 526 53. The Diversity in Transition to Addiction: Vulnerability Factors - p. 534 54. Concluding Remarks - p. 543 55. Chapter 32. Human Variability and the Origins and Evolution of Language - p. 557 56. Chapter 33. Human Evolution and Progress - p. 565 57. Chapter 34. Culture, Brain, and Behavior: The Implications of Neural Plasticity and Development on Social Contexts and Political Structures - p. 579 58. Part III. Ethics, Politics and Religious Considerations - p. 597 59. Chapter 35. Adaptive Significance of Ethics and Aesthetics - p. 601 60. Chapter 36. The Politics of Human Nature - p. 625 61. Chapter 37. The Race/Ethnic Debate: An Outsider's View - p. 633 62. Chapter 38. Social Darwinism - p. 651 63. Chapter 39. History and Diversity of Religion - p. 661 64. Chapter 40. Religion Viewed From Different Sciences - p. 675 65. Chapter 41. Universal Humanity, Religious Particularity, and Scientific Reductionism - p. 685 66. Chapter 42. Evolution and the Future of Medicine - p. 695 67. Chapter 43. The Impact of Modern Medicine on Human Evolution - p. 707 68. Chapter 44. Science and Technology in Human Societies: From Tool Making to Technology - p. 729 69. Tool Making - p. 729 70. Precultural Uses of Tools - p. 730 71. Taphonomic Indications of Culture - p. 731 72. Mode 1: Oldowan Culture - p. 732 73. The Transition Mode 1 (Oldowan) to Mode 2 (Acheulean) - p. 734 74. The Acheulean Technique - p. 736 75. Culture and Dispersal - p. 737 76. An Ancient Mode 2 in Asia? - p. 740 77. The Transition Mode 2 (Acheulean) to Mode 3 (Mousterian) - p. 740 78. Neandertals and Mousterian Culture - p. 741 79. The Transition Mode 3 (Mousterian) to Mode 4 (Aurignacian) - p. 743 80. The African Middle Stone Age - p. 744 81. The Protagonists of the South African MSA - p. 745 82. The Way Out of Africa for Homo sapiens - p. 746 83. Transitional Industries - p. 748 84. Chapter 45. Biology, Psychology, Ethics, and Politics: An Innate Moral Sense? - p. 757 85. Chapter 46. What HIV Has Taught About the Interactions Between Biology, Culture, and Other Evolving Systems - p. 771 86. Index - p. 777
On Human Nature: Biology, Psychology, Ethics, Politics, and Religion covers the present state of knowledge on human diversity and its adaptative significance through a broad and eclectic selection of representative chapters. This transdisciplinary work brings together specialists from various fields who rarely interact, including geneticists, evolutionists, physicians, ethologists, psychoanalysts, anthropologists, sociologists, theologians, historians, linguists, and philosophers.
Genomic diversity is covered in several chapters dealing with biology, including the differences in men and apes and the genetic diversity of mankind. Top specialists, known for their open mind and broad knowledge have been carefully selected to cover each topic. The book is therefore at the crossroads between biology and human sciences, going beyond classical science in the Popperian sense.
The book is accessible not only to specialists, but also to students, professors, and the educated public. Glossaries of specialized terms and general public references help nonspecialists understand complex notions, with contributions avoiding technical jargon.
1. Introduction - p. 125 2. Some Basic Neuroanatomy - p. 128 3. Themes and Theories in Human Brain Evolution - p. 131 4. Evolution of Brain Size and External Morphology - p. 133 5. Internal Changes - p. 135 6. Molecular Specializations Relevant to Human Brain Evolution - p. 140 7. Conclusions - p. 142 8. Chapter 9. How Different Are Humans and “Great Apes”? A Matrix of Comparative Anthropogeny - p. 151 9. Chapter 10. Human Intergroup Variation and Disease Genetics - p. 161 10. Chapter 11. Natural Selection Associated With Infectious Diseases - p. 177 11. Chapter 12. Aging, Somatic Evolution, and Cancer - p. 193 12. Chapter 13. Evolution of the Human Leukocyte Antigen System - p. 211 13. Chapter 14. Human Life History Evolution: New Perspectives on Body and Brain Growth - p. 221 14. Chapter 15. Gorillas in Our Midst? Human Sexual Dimorphism and Contest Competition in Men - p. 235 15. Chapter 16. The Human Family: Evolutionary Origins and Adaptive Significance - p. 251 16. Chapter 17. Biological Future of Humankind: Ongoing Evolution and the Impact of Recognition of Human Biological Variation - p. 263 17. Part II. Psychology, Behavior and Society - p. 275 18. Chapter 18. Gene-Culture Models for the Evolution of Altruistic Teaching - p. 279 19. Introduction - p. 279 20. Basic Haploid Model with Asexual Reproduction and Uniparental Transmission (ARUT) - p. 281 21. Haploid Model with Sexual Reproduction and Biparental Transmission (SRBT) - p. 285 22. Adding Oblique Transmission - p. 288 23. Adding Horizontal Transmission (VTHT) - p. 289 24. Discussion - p. 291 25. Appendices - p. 293 26. Chapter 19. Multiple Origins of Agriculture in Eurasia and Africa - p. 297 27. Introduction - p. 297 28. The Terminology Conundrum - p. 299 29. The Social Contexts of Cultivation and Domestication Emergence - p. 300 30. Animal Domestication - p. 301 31. Pathways to the Domestication of Plants - p. 303 32. Intra and Interregional Connections - p. 305 33. The Centers for Plant Cultivation and Domestication - p. 307 34. The Spread of Agriculture to the “Noncenters” and Its Impacts - p. 314 35. Brief Review of the Americas - p. 319 36. Discussion - p. 321 37. Chapter 20. The Quantum Origin of Life: How the Brain Evolved to Feel Good - p. 333 38. Chapter 21. Empathy, Theory of Mind, Cognition, Morality, and Altruism - p. 355 39. Chapter 22. Cognitive Ethology and Social Attention - p. 365 40. Chapter 23. Human Sociobiology and Group Selection Theory - p. 383 41. Chapter 24. Behavior Analysis, Darwinian Evolutionary Processes, and the Diversity of Human Behavior - p. 397 42. Chapter 25. A Psychoanalyst Views the Self Across Civilizations - p. 417 43. Chapter 26. Biological and Social Causation of Serious Mental Illness - p. 431 44. Chapter 27. The Flexible Psychological Concept of Normality - p. 451 45. Chapter 28. Diversity and Hierarchy in the Evolution of Mental Mechanisms - p. 467 46. Chapter 29. Human Diversity at the Individual and Population Levels, and Societal Hierarchies - p. 475 47. Chapter 30. Homosexuality and Evolution: A Critical Appraisal - p. 495 48. Chapter 31. The Roots and Individual Diversity of Addiction - p. 517 49. Introduction - p. 517 50. Addictive Behavior in Humans Throughout History - p. 518 51. Roots of Reinforcement and Motivation in Addiction - p. 522 52. Dissecting Addictive Behavior: Approaches to Measure Reward and Addictive Phenotypes in Humans and Animals - p. 526 53. The Diversity in Transition to Addiction: Vulnerability Factors - p. 534 54. Concluding Remarks - p. 543 55. Chapter 32. Human Variability and the Origins and Evolution of Language - p. 557 56. Chapter 33. Human Evolution and Progress - p. 565 57. Chapter 34. Culture, Brain, and Behavior: The Implications of Neural Plasticity and Development on Social Contexts and Political Structures - p. 579 58. Part III. Ethics, Politics and Religious Considerations - p. 597 59. Chapter 35. Adaptive Significance of Ethics and Aesthetics - p. 601 60. Chapter 36. The Politics of Human Nature - p. 625 61. Chapter 37. The Race/Ethnic Debate: An Outsider's View - p. 633 62. Chapter 38. Social Darwinism - p. 651 63. Chapter 39. History and Diversity of Religion - p. 661 64. Chapter 40. Religion Viewed From Different Sciences - p. 675 65. Chapter 41. Universal Humanity, Religious Particularity, and Scientific Reductionism - p. 685 66. Chapter 42. Evolution and the Future of Medicine - p. 695 67. Chapter 43. The Impact of Modern Medicine on Human Evolution - p. 707 68. Chapter 44. Science and Technology in Human Societies: From Tool Making to Technology - p. 729 69. Tool Making - p. 729 70. Precultural Uses of Tools - p. 730 71. Taphonomic Indications of Culture - p. 731 72. Mode 1: Oldowan Culture - p. 732 73. The Transition Mode 1 (Oldowan) to Mode 2 (Acheulean) - p. 734 74. The Acheulean Technique - p. 736 75. Culture and Dispersal - p. 737 76. An Ancient Mode 2 in Asia? - p. 740 77. The Transition Mode 2 (Acheulean) to Mode 3 (Mousterian) - p. 740 78. Neandertals and Mousterian Culture - p. 741 79. The Transition Mode 3 (Mousterian) to Mode 4 (Aurignacian) - p. 743 80. The African Middle Stone Age - p. 744 81. The Protagonists of the South African MSA - p. 745 82. The Way Out of Africa for Homo sapiens - p. 746 83. Transitional Industries - p. 748 84. Chapter 45. Biology, Psychology, Ethics, and Politics: An Innate Moral Sense? - p. 757 85. Chapter 46. What HIV Has Taught About the Interactions Between Biology, Culture, and Other Evolving Systems - p. 771 86. Index - p. 777
