Holy Horrors: An Illustrated History of Religious Murder and Madness

Book Description

In 1583 in Vienna, a 16-year-old girl suffered stomach cramps. A team of Jesuits exorcized her for eight weeks. The priests announced that they had expelled 12,652 demons from her, demons that her grandmother had kept as flies in glass jars. The grandmother was tortured into confessing that she was a witch who had engaged in sex with Satan. She was then burned at the stake. This was one of perhaps one million such executions during three centuries of witch-hunts.

In 1989 in Moradabad, India, a pig caused hundreds of people to kill one another when the animal walked through a Muslim holy ground. Muslims, who think pigs are an embodiment of Satan, accused Hindus of driving the pig into the sacred spot. Members of both faiths went on a rampage, stabbing and clubbing. The pig riot spread to a dozen cities and left two hundred dead.

A squad of armed Islamic zealots raided a Christian church at Behawalpur, Pakistan, on October 28, 2001, killing the minister, fourteen worshipers, and the church's police guard.

It is said that there is never enough religion in the world to make people love one another--just enough to make them hate one another. Incendiary blends of fundamentalist religion, politics, nationalism, and ethnic zealotry engender countless examples of atrocity in the name of faith and orthodoxy. If anything, religious persecution is more savage now than ever before in the history of mankind.

HOLY HORRORS chronicles the grim spectrum of religious persecution from ancient times to the present. Fully illustrated with drawings, woodcuts, and photographs, the book recounts such historic religious persecution as the Crusades, the Islamic jihads, the Catholic wars against heretics, the Inquisition, witch-hunts, and the Reformation. It also chronicles modern-day atrocities, including the Holocaust, the seemingly insoluble Catholic-Protestant schism in Northern Ireland, religious tribalism in Lebanon, and the barbaric cruelty of the theocracy in Iran.

Customer Reviews:

Very interesting, but could have been much better.......2005-12-22

I wasn't a religious man before I read Holy Horrors.

I never became religious reading it.

And one thing's for sure; I'm definitely not religious after having finished it.

Because I doubt that I've ever - despite having a degree in religious studies - read a book which made the entire phenomenon of religion, no matter during what era, in what culture, and what particular faith, look worse than this. Author James A. Haught writes in a way that makes him look like a militant atheist (and even if he's not then I doubt he'll ever be welcome in a church), and it's not a very happy reading.

On page after page, paragraph after paragraph, numerous examples are given where the most horrible of crimes, murder, torture, hatred and more have been carried out in the name of religion. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism; most faiths out there are made to look like the most vicious of philosophies. Mankind's ability to simply annihilate his fellow man apparently has no limits whatsoever, and worst of all: it's all true.

The human race have a tendency to show its very worst sides whenever a religious conflict appear, and to all of you who happen to believe that contemporary man has learned his lesson by now, Haught has a simple answer: Wrong. Religiously inspired murder, torture, and public executions still happen all the time all over the world.

However, Holy Horrors isn't a brilliant book, unfortunately. Because since its focus is exclusively on all the murder, blood, and gore, it simplifies what's really quite complex issues. Reality isn't as black and white as Haught makes it out to be, and even though it's both well-written and very interesting with its many illustrations, the end result still comes out as somewhat sloppy. Due to its many illustrations and large print, the total amount of text isn't very large, and obviously things like the Reformation and the witch-hunts of Europe cannot be dealt with in just a few pages.

Sure, all the blood and gore are truly awful, and all of you who see religion as something good and beautiful will have to think again, but since Holy Horrors never really dig deep into the topic the reader will remain unsatisfied.

I know I did, despite the fact that I liked what Haught had to say and how he said it.

I was not impressed.......2005-11-01

First off, let me say that I am an atheist and feel that religion is the most destructive human invention ever devised. Therefore, I was looking forward to reading this book. But for me it was rather disappointing.

As I was reading the book, I felt as though I was reading a student's term paper. The author covers numerous religious groups or time periods but in a very superficial manner. As a couple of reviewers already mentioned, the book is only 234 pages (243 with the biblio), 24 of those are full page illustrations (I know, the cover states "An Illustrated History") and the pages have unusually wide margins. In fact, the size of the margins was the first thing I noticed when I started to read the book. It's almost as though Haught didn't have enough material to fill enough pages to warrant publication. But even from what material is in the book, it is obvious that this book could have much longer and more detailed, giving it a more scholarly presentation.

Personally, I think that if an author is going to write about a controversial subject, it needs to be backed up with properly referenced facts. This book does not even come close. There is a section at the end of the book that the author calls a Bibliography but then he writes, "The following is a selected reading list, by topic." So does that mean that the books listed were used by the author as references or are some of these books just recommendations? It is rather difficult to tell because Haught uses no footnote notation. He repeatedly presents statements as fact, including historical information and figures (as in the number of deaths). He also has many direct quotes that have no reference. For example, the cover of the book highlights one corner and states, "Includes the 9-11-01 terrorist attack..." Within the text Haught includes a lengthy quote that is a translation of some of the writings found in the highjackers' notebooks in order to make the point that the 9-11 attackers were able to carry out their mission due to religious zeal - which I happen to agree with. But where did he get these quotes. I don't think he translated the notebooks themselves! Other quotes may state, "So and so said,..." but then there is no reference in the Bibliography to match up with the speaker. In addition, even if a reader was interested in following up with one of the recommended books, a significant number of them are 25 to over 100 years old. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but as some Amamzon customers may know, it's sometimes difficult to obtain a book that's over 10 or 15 years old - let alone the book titles listed as recommendations. Maybe others feel that I'm nitpicking but whenever I'm reading a book of non-fiction (especially a book that is historical, scientific or political) I look at the references to see where the author got his/her information.

I'm giving the book three stars because I feel that this is an important topic and I'm glad that author wrote about it. As he states in the book (p. 235), "As far as can be ascertained, no previous book has surveyed the phenomenon of religious homicide ["homicide" - I like that] in its entirety." I just wish the book was more thorough and that it backed up its information with better references.

Good, but..........2005-04-23

...I was a little disappointed to receive a rather slim book (234 pages), when Amazon described it as being 661 pages. I was expecting a more scholarly work, but this is a good introduction to the subject. Someone needs to write a more in-depth book on this important topic.

not bad.......2004-11-30

if you like, i recommend reading something by c.s. lewis. great stuff to read

The crimes of religion.......2004-01-25

Very well written. Direct and to the point. Shows how religious beliefs are used as acts of violence against others of different faiths. Great read for the beginner or novice.

Holy Horrors: An Illustrated History of Religious Murder and Madness

Average customer rating:

Holy Horrors: An Illustrated History of Religious Murder and Madness
James A. Haught
Manufacturer: Prometheus Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000PGQGIE

Book Description

Are you tired of the "change is good" message? Do you feel out of control when it comes to dealing with change at work? This book provides specific, practical solutions for handling work changes. You will see yourself in the personal stories, quotes from employees going through change, and case examples. The knowledge and strategies provided in this book untie the knots of confusion before you become fit to be tied.

Discover: * the painful truth about change at work * the mystery as to why you naturally resist change * why it is in your personal best interest to change * how to "whine with purpose" to your boss * crucial strategies for lessening the pain and stress that come with change * the simple formula for moving yourself forward in organizational change

Customer Reviews:

A Must Read For Those Undergoing Change.......2002-09-16

After 19 years of working in the corporate world, I have learned that the only constant that I can count on is change. Patti Hathaway's book "Untying the `Nots' of Change Before You're Fit to Be Tied" personally gave me an arsenal of strategies to implement at work in order to handle the many changes that are continually coming my way.

I have been applying the Personal Application Ideas provided in Chapter 9 "All Stressed-Out and No Place to Go" for several months and have found that they really make a difference!

An easy read with loads of humor, you can see that Patti has a sixth sense into what really goes on in the workplace. If you work or live in an environment that is changing, this book is a must read.

A personal survival kit for weathering the storms of change.......2002-09-16

"Untying the 'Nots' of Change" offers practical tools and strategies for weathering the storms of change at work. Patti Hathaway writes as if she is sitting in the room chatting with you. Her liberal use of very personal examples offers the reassurance that even "an expert" can have an off day and grounds her advice in real-life situations to which most everyone can relate.

The book is divided into three sections. The first focuses on increasing readers' self-awareness regarding their own reactions to the forces of change. She helps readers to recognize the stages of resistance, the related emotions that people experience when confronted with change, and how their behavior is effected.

In the second section, the focus shifts to communication and Patti provides a variety of practical strategies on topics such as "Building Trust With Your Boss," dealing with criticism,"Whining With Purpose,"and the power of forgiveness in the workplace.

In the third section, readers are challenged to examine their need for control and the impact this need has on their ability to deal with change. Patti encourages us to exercise control over the things we can, and to "let go" of what we cannot. She shows how the role we choose to play influences how much personal power we have in the face of change. The third section also focuses on stress management and encourages the reader to take an active role in mitigating the effects of stress through proactive lifestyle choices and a healthy dose of humour.

The part of the book that I most enjoyed concerned self-talk and personal use of language. Patti has learned that the language we use, both inside our heads and with those around us, has a profound impact on our state of mind and how others perceive us. The good news is that it is within our power to change, and when we do, we not only feel better, but can positively influence those around us.

In short, this book offers practical wisdom that will benefit anyone facing the storms of change. Two thumbs up!

Employee Centered View.......2002-07-19

Change is a critical factor in today's business world. When thinking of change we often have our punch list for the technical, procedural changes such as software, SOP, job aids and references, but we neglect those that are directly impacted, our ambassadors of change, the people. This book is straight forward approach and an easy read. It is an excellent tool for those struggling to rally the troops around change. I will definitely keep this book in my collection for change implementation.

Hats off to Patti Hathaway!.......2002-05-27

There are many books available on managing change but very few approach the subject with sensitivity and openness as this book does. Although described as a "toolkit . . . for change at work" I soon realised that that is only half of the story. Perhaps a more accurate description would be "a toolkit . . . for change in life". Patti successfully blends personal experience with comment and stories from a wide variety of people in different circumstances, seasons the mix with practical techniques and presents the whole in a very readable format.

"Untying the `Nots" of Change" is divided into three sections that deal with the three major problems associated with change; understanding change and its effects on us, dealing with the external effects of change on us and how to overcome our tendency to resist change. From realising that the way you behave during the day at work will be the way you behave at night at home to forgiving those that have wronged or hurt you (in reality or perceived). Dealing with stress to developing a positive attitude, Patti has covered each aspect with the same practical approach that makes this a reference book that should be in everybody's home and office library.

This is definitely not a book to be read only when you need help with a reorganisation at work. Rather it should be read regularly to sharpen the skills that make coping with life on a day-to-day basis more enjoyable and rewarding.

After all . . . one of the few things that we can be certain of in this life, is that things will change and not all change is good.

Practical - Definitely a toolkit for dealing with change........2002-05-20

I personally read Patti Hathaway's book "Untying the `nots' of Change" because my organization is going through a growth and changing time, including relocating our entire office to a new facility. I have a lot of employees feeling stressed about all of this change. I found her approach to be geared towards our line employees, those that are certainly affected by change, but may not directly be involved in suggesting or creating change.

This book helps to address the fears and stages that people go through when they are faced with change in the workplace and in life. We choose to either resist change and complain like an `Armchair Quarterback', or we choose to get in the game by learning how to take action on those things that we can control and put on our `Game Face' to make the best of the situation. I especially liked Chapter 7 that presented this concept and more in the `Winner's Grid' and explained how we can take control, make influence or make a graceful exit in change situations that we did not initiate. In the end, it all comes down to choice - which path an employee chooses to take to deal with change. If they are on the wrong path, then this book can help them to see change in a different light and help them gain some control over change in their workplace and their life.

I would recommend this book for your employees and managers that feel helpless and seem to be the whiners when change happens. The book provides a number of examples, plans of action, and suggestions to help deal with change.

Book Description

This book encompasses features of genetic processes in the complex population systems of salmonids, one of the most commercially valuable families of fish.The book covers such important concepts as optimal gene diversity and the unfavourable influence of fishery and hatchery reproduction on the genetic structure of salmon populations.

Salmonid Fishes: Population Biology Genetics and Management

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Salmonid Fishes: Population Biology Genetics and Management
Altukhov Salmenkova Omelchenko
Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing (UK)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000N5CCV2

Amazon.com

Scientists tend to be a bit insecure about their position in society. Nowhere is this more evident than in the decades-old sociobiology debate, and behavioral scientist John Alcock tries to shore up his side against the sometimes hysterical opposition in The Triumph of Sociobiology. Inevitably, the book is somewhat defensive and apologetic, but the author explains himself and his field well and will convince most readers that studying the evolution of behavior is no more controversial than any other aspect of evolution. Between charming, engaging tales of field study and intriguing analyses of the chief arguments against sociobiology, Alcock disarms the reader's natural discomfort with the topic and makes his case clearly.

Humans have not always had all the cultural accouterments of Hutus or Englishmen. At one time not so many million years ago, our ancestors could make only rudimentary tools while surely communicating in a far less sophisticated manner than we do currently. The immense increase in brain size over the last million or so years must have had profound consequences for our capacity to learn and acquire our culture. If you accept the less-than-revolutionary assumption that brains are necessary for learned behavior, then past selection on hominids that varied in their capacity for culture is a certainty.

But doesn't sociobiology justify rape, racism, and genocide? Not so fast, says Alcock. Just because behavior has a natural explanation, that doesn't make it moral. It would seem that those who want to prevent this sort of behavior would be keenly interested in understanding why it manifests, but often the opposite case pertains. Through gentle dissection of the differences between scientific and ethical knowledge, Alcock shows that we can use them to complement each other. The Triumph of Sociobiology takes time and care to examine all the claims made against the field, both political and scientific, and ends up making a strong case for deeper research. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

In The Triumph of Sociobiology, John Alcock reviews the controversy that has surrounded evolutionary studies of human social behavior following the 1975 publication of E.O. Wilson's classic, Sociobiology, The New Synthesis. Denounced vehemently as an "ideology" that has justified social evils and inequalities, sociobiology has survived the assault. Twenty-five years after the field was named by Wilson, the approach he championed has successfully demonstrated its value in the study of animal behavior, including the behavior of our own species. Yet, misconceptions remain--to our disadvantage. In this straight-forward, objective approach to the sociobiology debate, noted animal behaviorist John Alcock illuminates how sociobiologists study behavior in all species. He confronts the chief scientific and ideological objections head on, with a compelling analysis of case histories that involve such topics as sexual jealousy, beauty, gender difference, parent-offspring relations, and rape. In so doing, he shows that sociobiology provides the most satisfactory evolutionary analysis of social behavior today. "A clear, evocative, and accurate account of the history and content on the subject, inviting to the student and the general reader alike."--Edward O. Wilson, Harvard University.

Customer Reviews:

A good book, with caveats.......2005-12-19

First let me say that I found this book interesting and convincing; I considered giving it 5 stars.

Second, let me say that if you are looking at this book because you read the highly popular book "Evolution: The Triumph of an Idea" and you are hoping that this similarly named book is similar in presentation and content, beware -- it is not. Carl Zimmer's book on evolution is a beautifully illustrated, highly readable book for the masses; this book is not. If you are not already well-versed on the mechanics of evolution, or for some reason can't accept them, then it seems unlikely that you will truly understand this book.

Third, I consider the title of this book slightly inappropriate for the book's content. Better titles might be
- In Defense of Sociobiology
- Sociobiology: the Maligned Science
A constant theme throughout the book is that detractors of sociobiology have judged the discipline unfairly. Alcock makes an excellent case for this, particularly in the chapter near the end on practical applications of the discipline. Still, this is probably the most defensive book I have ever read -- quite a lot of text is devoted to what opponents of sociobiology say and why they are wrong, so understand what this book is: a defense of the discipline in the face of harsh, even abusive criticism. Of course, Alcock explains a lot about sociobiology in the process of defending it.

If you're OK with that, and you have the appropriate background and interest to read about how natural selection appears to have shaped the behavioral mechanisms of birds and beetles, then you will find this a good read.

The controversy over sociobiology is evident in discussions about why some men rape women. Sociobiology explores, via the scientific method, the possibility that there could be a genetic influence -- i.e. that in our ancient ancestral males, genes that increased the likelihood of rape might have been more likely to be passed on to future generations. The problem many people have with this is that they feel that an argument that there is anything in our genome which would contribute to the likelihood of a man raping a woman is in effect a justification of rape, a declaration that rape is natural and therefore morally excusable. Alcock does an excellent job of dealing with this subject in his chapter on practical applications, and in fact turns the tables by explaining the harm in pretending that there is no such influence if in fact there is.

Alcock makes repeated mention of "blank slate theorists" -- those who believe that the human brain is not genetically predisposed to any behavior, instead being "programmed" by its environment. To me it seems incredible that anyone could think that humans are exempt from genetic influences on behavior.

Take human obesity, for example. In the environment of our ancient (pre-human, no doubt) ancestors, it was a highly useful adaptation to be able to detect the presence of sugars and fats in vegetable matter and to preferentially eat such tissues. It is easy to imagine how individuals with such genes would be more likely to survive to pass on their genes.

Fast-forward to the 21st century, when we are less active physically but have stores chock full of foods with very high concentrations of fats and sugars. Our taste buds direct us to such foods. The result? -- maladaptive behavior, poor eating habits that lead to obesity, diabetes, and a host of other problems. Isn't it clear...
- that genes influence our behavior?
- that those influences may be maladaptive in the modern environment?
- that genomic influences on our behavior do not imply moral correctness?
If you were trying to combat obesity in the population through education, would you shy away from talking about these genetic contributions for fear that people would consider it natural and good to eat lots of sugars and fats? Or would you help people understand these tendencies in hopes that they would understand that what feels good is not necessarily good for them and ultimately exercise more control in their dietary choices?

And given that human reproductive systems come online at about age 13 but many modern cultures don't condone sex at that age, would acknowledging that there is a genetic basis for sexual desire at that age effectively condone teenage sex and make it more rampant? Should we deny that there is any such genetic foundation, instead treating teenage sexual desire as a cultural artifact -- the "in thing" -- so as not to imply its moral correctness? Would that help?

I'm making up these examples and I'm not a sociobiologist, so take them with a grain of salt, but hopefully they illustrate the point: what would it mean if there were genetic influences that contribute to behaviors that we consider objectionable?

This book, for those with sufficient background, is a good treatment of sociobiology itself and the controversy around it.

Biology, Yes. Social, Triumphant? No.......2005-12-10

First, the good news. Judging from the cases reported in this book biologists have done some good field work that can help frame the study of sociobiology and answer some questions about competition. Mating is a social act because it involves two individuals. Therefore the studies in this book which are mostly about reproduction are, strictly speaking, about a social aspect of biology.

But Alcock has limited his universe of discourse to only the physical acts associated with reproduction. He looks only at the competitive aspects of sociobiology. At one point he declares that 'fitness' is 'reproductive fitness' - i.e. success in reproduction. Fitness is an individual quality, not one of a population. (This is a peculiar view and one that feminists might naturally object to because if one digs deeply one sees that it often assumes implicitly that fitness pertains only to males and that males reproduce without much help from females.) Thus any behaviors that do not increase one's number of offspring are irrellevant in reckoning fitness. (leading me to wonder how many offspring the writing of this book resulted in for the author. And if none, what its use might have been to the author. Or its reading to us?) Alcock's is a limited definition of fitness that can only be made by a person who lives in a country filled with people and livestock who never starve. A country bereft of any other interesting biology. Social behavior in the absence of want reduces exactly to this: copulation and production of offspring.

But all species evolve in an environment with physical limitations. If predation and emigration and disease fail to control population density, then famine will do so. Social behavior of many animals that have escaped predation has evolved to take periodic shortage into consideration. William's thought experiment that Alcock cites to dismiss population-based ideas about fitness seems not to take this idea into account. (One can in a short afternoon prove mathematically that cooperation can arise evolutionarily in species exposed to periodic food scarcity.) Since the whole of Alcock's view of sociobiology is based on the frequently false assumption of plentitude, it manages to illuminate just part of the world of sociobiology. And it happens to be the UNSOCIAL part.

The triumph of sociobiology, presumably, is that it is scientific. But Alcock's defenses against Gould's argument that sociobiology is 'just stories' are not completely persuasive. For example, the single example of social behavior in the book that did not deal with some aspect of mating and competition for mating rites involved some insects that live on the surface of the water. They tend to congregate in groups. Why? The researchers tested the hypothesis that 'the reason' had to do with safety. The researcher did a bunch of experiments with some of these bugs and some predatory fish and discovered that the bigger the group of bugs, the higher the 'strike rate' and plots a straight line over the data which does not fit very well. The conclusion? I forget. The analysis is unconvincing. Here is an alternative analysis:

If one assumed that the bugs assembled in a circle, and that the probability of observation were related to the diameter of the circle, then the strike rate would go up with the square root of the group size. Plot this relationship on the chart and the fit is better. The resulting story is that an individual probability of loss to predation, in this case, is something like inversely proportional to the square root of the number in the group. Good, so it's predation.

Not so fast. As Wilson points out early in his book on Sociobiology, finding an explanatory model does not necessarily prove that it is the right one. He even cites the grouping example as one of these problems. Another explanation is that it makes mating more convenient, for example. In predatory animals it produces opportunities for cooperation and increases the likelihood of success in hunting. How big a role does each mechanism play? How dependent is this upon species? Diet? Animal size? Alcock's writing seems to get not much closer to the answer than Wilson was 25 years earlier, even though it implicitly claims to do so.

There are a lot of interesting observations in this book. And as a book of interesting observations in biology it is pretty good. To the extent that we wish to define all social action as being competitive in nature, the book is about sociobiology.

But the ultimate role of science is to inform those outside its prestigious circles. And sociobiology, if it is to play any role in informing our knowledge of human social interaction must take into account the forces that give rise ot cooperative behavior outside of the direct realm of copulation. If sociobiology as a science can play a helpful role in the world it cannot be only in helping us understand the role of competitive forces, but also the role of cooperative ones. And in denying a biological basis of cooperative forces, Alcock goes much further in undermining the reputation of sociobiology than Wilson ever did. In illuminating the cooperative aspects of sociobiology, "Triumph ..." is a dismal failure. Read Wilson's Sociobiology, and go from there.

proximate and ultimate causes.......2004-12-06

Has sociobiology triumphed? I am afraid yes, in all its forms. Doesn't matter whether you call it sociobiology or evolutionary ecology, animal behavior, evolutionary psychology, etc., the underlying principle, the neo-Darwinian perspective to explain the evolution of organisms, including their social behavior has become paradigm. There is no more debate as it happened in the 70s and 80s. Actually this book doesn't refer much to such debate. This book is basically a review of the state of the art of animal social behavior from the neo-Darwinian perspective. In that sense the book largely succeeds in making you understand what the state of this art is.

Perhaps the best quality of this book is that it helps to clearly distinguish the meaning and differences of proximate and ultimate causes. Once you understand the division it will change the way you see your everyday life. You will be more indulgent with apparently stupid human behaviors, but also stronger to get free of the iron claw of the proximate causes.

Alcock's narrative is clear and comprehensible, and you don't need any strong background in biology to understand the contents. If you happen to have such background you won't find yourself bored with redundancies.

Chapters eight and nine, dedicated to human culture and the practical applications of sociobiology have some wonderful parts. For instance, I was especially delighted reading about the effect of eye-contact-policies by checkout workers in a big supermarket chain and the too-positive response of male clients.

At the end you will find an interesting list of selected references. I find it a really good selection, and I also liked that is a short list, only the most interesting books from the field.

This was a necessary book, and Alcock did it well. I recommend you read it!

Clarity and common sense.......2004-01-29

The main characteristic of this work is the laudable clarity with which Alcock explains some difficult ideas--even this novice achieved a distinct feeling that he had assimilated a valuable method for understanding human behavior. In a field whose rivals such as theology, Marxism, deconstructionism, and such pseudo-sciences as psychoanalysis, which are governed by an unquenchable thirst for obscure jargon and a perverse interest in counter-intuitive concepts, Alcock shows that ordinary language can be used to explicate a powerful scientific theory that can be understood by anyone ready to reject the politically correct dogmas that are so forcefully projected by the mass media and the relics of the past, such as Stephen Jay Gould.

The book is well organized, and gives a clear picture of where the methods and findings of sociobiology stand today. It covers many interesting case studies that are good examples showing how it is a scientific field, with all the trappings of fresh insights, tested hypotheses, voluminous data, clearly stated methods, and all the excitement that comes with a field progressing rapidly through the research of hundreds of honest investigators.

Alcock is perhaps at his strongest when he responds to the attacks on the field in a measured and powerful cadence of common sense. Understanding human behavior is a field that everyone believes himself to be expert in, but is unfortunately filled with a baggage of historical nonsense and politically inspired biases. It is at once "the proper study of man" and the playground of charlatans. Seeing the progress that the science of sociobiology has made in the last thirty years, generates a feeling that must be much like that experienced by the people of the late 18th century, who saw chemistry replace alchemy.

What it is and isn't.......2002-12-11

A short introduction to what sociobiology is (the search for evolved adaptations in behavior) and equally what it is not. A useful antidote to the misrepresentations of sociobiology that abound in some areas (Gould, Angier, most to the popular press). Interesting examples and up to date.

Triumphalism in Science.(John Alcock, 'The Triumph of Sociobiology')(Review): An article from: American Scientist

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Triumphalism in Science.(John Alcock, 'The Triumph of Sociobiology')(Review): An article from: American Scientist

Manufacturer: Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

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ASIN: B0008I8ITO
Release Date: 2005-07-28

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The Triumph of Sociobiology
John Alcock
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKQRGW

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The Triumph of Sociobiology
John Alcock
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OKP4DO

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