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The Social Instinct
- Author
- Nichola Raihani
- Narrator
- Nichola Raihani
- Publisher
- Random House
- Publish Date
- 3 June 2021
- Run Time
- 9 hours 41 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
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What to expect
Brought to you by Penguin.
Why cooperate? This may be the most important scientific question we have ever, and will ever, face.
The science of cooperation tells us not only how we got here, but also where we might end up. Cooperation explains how strands of DNA gave rise to modern-day nation states. It defines our extraordinary ecological success as well as many of the most surprising features of what make us human: not only why we live in families, why we have grandmothers and why women experience the menopause, but also why we become paranoid and jealous, and why we cheat.
Nichola Raihani also introduces us to other species who, like us, live and work together. From the pied babblers of the Kalahari to the cleaner fish of the Great Barrier Reef, they happen to be some of the most fascinating and extraordinarily successful species on this planet. What do we have in common with these other species, and what is it that sets us apart?
Written at a time of global pandemic, when the challenges and importance of cooperation have never been greater, The Social Instinct is an exhilarating, far-reaching and thought-provoking journey through all life on Earth, with profound insights into what makes us human and how our societies work.
© Nichola Raihani 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021
Critics Review
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A phenomenally important book. The story of why we humans evolved to become such a wonderfully cooperative, social species, and what that means for the world today. Nichola Raihani will change the way we think about ourselves.
Lewis Dartnell, author of Origins: How the Earth Shaped Human History
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This is a superb book about how important cooperation is in biology, from molecules and cells to families and whole societies.
Alice Roberts
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The Social Instinct is surprising, thoughtful and, best of all, endlessly entertaining, examining the puzzle and power of co-operation from the decks of the HMS Bounty to the babbling birds of the Kalahari. Absolutely loved it.
Will Storr, author of The Science of Storytelling
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Excellent and illuminating
Wall Street Journal
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A well-written book, easy to read - a pleasing juxtaposition of insightful scientific theory with illuminating anecdotes
Richard Dawkins
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Cooperation is at the heart of our bodies, our societies and our ecosystem. Nichola Raihani's stunning book flips the selfish gene on its head, showing us not only how to better understand the world, but also how to change it.
Matthew Cobb, author of The Idea of the Brain
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In this captivating book, Nichola Raihani ... provides a compelling argument that cooperation is the secret of human success and yet has never been as crucial as it is now, during a global pandemic and with the threat of the climate crisis. I found this intriguing and beautifully written book hard to put down.
Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, author of Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain
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How did our superpower of cooperation evolve against the odds? This engaging book wears its strong scientific credentials lightly. I could not put it down.
Uta Frith, Professor Emeritus of Cognitive Development, University College London
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This is a glorious book, with an insight on every page. Above all it taught me that while our individual bodies and brains might reward comparison with our primate relatives, in understanding our social relations we would be much better off comparing the meerkat. And the naked mole-rat. And the bower bird. And the cleaner-fish.
Rory Sutherland, author of Alchemy: The Surprising Power of Ideas that Don't Make Sense
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If you've ever wondered why people aren't as cooperative as they ought to be, you'll find the answer right here - mapped out in detail that is full of surprises at every page-turn.
Robin Dunbar, Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Psychology, University of Oxford
User Reviews
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Details
- Author
- Nichola Raihani
- Narrator
- Nichola Raihani
- Duration
- 9 hours 41 minutes
- Release Date
- 3 June 2021
- ISBN
- 9781473593084
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Random House
- Genre
- Popular science, Evolution, Social, group or collective psychology, Political structures: democracy, Nature and the natural world: general interest
Synopsis
Brought to you by Penguin.Why cooperate? This may be the most important scientific question we have ever, and will ever, face. The science of cooperation tells us not only how we got here, but also where we might end up. Cooperation explains how strands of DNA gave rise to modern-day nation states. It defines our extraordinary ecological success as well as many of the most surprising features of what make us human: not only why we live in families, why we have grandmothers and why women experience the menopause, but also why we become paranoid and jealous, and why we cheat. Nichola Raihani also introduces us to other species who, like us, live and work together. From the pied babblers of the Kalahari to the cleaner fish of the Great Barrier Reef, they happen to be some of the most fascinating and extraordinarily successful species on this planet. What do we have in common with these other species, and what is it that sets us apart?Written at a time of global pandemic, when the challenges and importance of cooperation have never been greater, The Social Instinct is an exhilarating, far-reaching and thought-provoking journey through all life on Earth, with profound insights into what makes us human and how our societies work.© Nichola Raihani 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021
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