"The Ape That Understood the Universe" by Steve Stewart-Williams is an enthralling introduction to the captivating world of evolutionary psychology. Stewart-Williams skillfully navigates through the intricacies of the human mind and culture, unraveling the mysteries of our cognitive evolution.
This book is a compelling exploration that seamlessly weaves together scientific rigor and accessibility. Stewart-Williams has a remarkable talent for making complex topics engaging and comprehensible, even for those new to the field. The journey into evolutionary psychology is not just educational but also deeply thought-provoking, providing a lens through which to understand the origins of our behaviors and thought patterns.
What sets this book apart is its ability to spark curiosity. It goes beyond presenting facts and theories; it invites readers to contemplate the profound implications of our evolutionary past on the present. The author's enthusiasm for the subject is contagious, making the book a joy to read.
Whether you're a seasoned enthusiast of evolutionary psychology or a newcomer curious about the mysteries of the human mind, "The Ape That Understood the Universe" is a must-read. It not only broadens your intellectual horizons but also leaves you with a newfound appreciation for the intricacies of our evolutionary journey.
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From the Publisher
About the author
Worthy successor to Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene"
This book follows the path charted by Richard Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene" and Robert Wright's "The Moral Animal". The book covers a lot of the same material exploring evolutionary psychology with elaborate examples. Where it primarily differs from the two is in the evolutionary explanation of human behaviors (including differences between the sexes) contrasted with the 'Blank Slate' position taken by by several sociologists - the claim that human behavior including gender differences are purely a function of culture. Stewart-Williams makes a compelling argument for why the 'culture only' theory cannot be a satisfying explanation for many of the most common ubiquitous behaviors and gender differences and where an evolutionary approach is the only reasonable explanation. It's commendable how Stewart-Williams treads on the subject of gender differences - a landmine esp. in the current socio-political environment: he's uncompromising on his passionate advocacy of the evolutionary drivers of differences but balances this with the abundant caution needed to prevent readers from drawing incorrect conclusions and worse, using it as evidence to perpetuate social inequality and nullify hard won gains on that front. The final chapter on Memetics is also new territory (not covered in detail in the other two books), but lacks the readability of the rest of the book. While several reviewers find the "Alien assessment" construct instructive it didn't work for me: I was left bewildered and could not get past the assumption that a super intelligent alien would either not be a product of natural selection itself or unaware of the concept. Overall a worthwhile read - to use an idea from the book, demonstrates sufficient inclusive fitness to survive on my rather small bookshelf at the expense of some other hapless book that will now be donated to the local library.
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2023
- Reviewed in the United States on December 20, 2018
- Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2019
This book follows the path charted by Richard Dawkins' "The Selfish Gene" and Robert Wright's "The Moral Animal". The book covers a lot of the same material exploring evolutionary psychology with elaborate examples. Where it primarily differs from the two is in the evolutionary explanation of human behaviors (including differences between the sexes) contrasted with the 'Blank Slate' position taken by by several sociologists - the claim that human behavior including gender differences are purely a function of culture. Stewart-Williams makes a compelling argument for why the 'culture only' theory cannot be a satisfying explanation for many of the most common ubiquitous behaviors and gender differences and where an evolutionary approach is the only reasonable explanation.
It's commendable how Stewart-Williams treads on the subject of gender differences - a landmine esp. in the current socio-political environment: he's uncompromising on his passionate advocacy of the evolutionary drivers of differences but balances this with the abundant caution needed to prevent readers from drawing incorrect conclusions and worse, using it as evidence to perpetuate social inequality and nullify hard won gains on that front.
The final chapter on Memetics is also new territory (not covered in detail in the other two books), but lacks the readability of the rest of the book.
While several reviewers find the "Alien assessment" construct instructive it didn't work for me: I was left bewildered and could not get past the assumption that a super intelligent alien would either not be a product of natural selection itself or unaware of the concept.
Overall a worthwhile read - to use an idea from the book, demonstrates sufficient inclusive fitness to survive on my rather small bookshelf at the expense of some other hapless book that will now be donated to the local library.
Images in this review
- Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2018
- Reviewed in the United States on March 19, 2019
Top reviews from other countries
- CristoferReviewed in Spain on August 31, 2023
Easy to understand, and a good introduction to evolutionary psychology.
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Amazon CustomerReviewed in France on November 29, 2021
Une introduction brillante à la psychologie évolutionniste
- BooksonthegramReviewed in India on December 19, 2022
This book is a glorious introduction to the world of evolutionary psychology!
I was listening to @chriswillx podcast where he mentions this book multiple times. I’ve always been fascinated with the subject of evolutionary psychology so I decided to read it and it honestly blew my mind. As Chris says, “As far as I’m concerned, evolutionary psychology is the closest you’re ever going to get at peering under the hood of your own behaviour and discovering why you do the things you do.”BooksonthegramThis book is a glorious introduction to the world of evolutionary psychology!
Reviewed in India on December 19, 2022
This book is a glorious introduction to the world of evolutionary psychology. Witty, jaw dropping insights that will make you see the world through a new lens.
Images in this review
- Glen BrumbyReviewed in Australia on November 12, 2020
A most important and interesting topic
