Biology and freedom : an essay on the implications of human ethology
Biology and Freedom, first published in 1989, is an essay on human nature: an attempt to make a just assessment of a species often presented as predominantly and unavoidably violent, grasping, selfish and stupid. Combining the findings of biology with logic and humour, Professor Barnett gives a lucid alternative portrait of humanity.
xiv, 376 pages : illustrations ; 26 cm
9780521353168, 0521353165
17261470
Part I. An Introduction: Four portraits ; The pessimistic tradition ; Animals and analogy
Part II. Homo pugnax: the violent species: Communication and instinct ; The aggression labyrinth
Part III. Homo egoisticus: the selfish species: Evolution and natural selection ; Environment and heredity ; Stories of human evolution ; Darwinism, genetics and politics
Part IV. Homo operans: the greedy species: Conditioning and improvisation ; Work and play
Part V. Homo sapiens: the human species: The reductionist imperative ; Human communication ; Teaching and tradition ; The question
Includes indexes