Cheating Monkeys and Citizen Bees: The Nature of Cooperation in Animals and Humans

Amazon.com

"Man," Aristotle observes in his treatise The Politics, "is by nature a social creature." In this lively book of popular science, Lee Dugatkin takes a close look at the inescapable fact that humans are indeed social creatures whose instinct, it seems, is to aid one another in times of need. He examines the ways in which thinkers of various stripes have considered this subject. Economists, for instance, conceive of a "rational man" who acts cooperatively when the benefits of doing so outweigh the costs; theologians depict humans as being inherently good and thus inclined to kindness; some biologists take the matter of human cooperation as being a more sophisticated expression of cooperation in animal societies (to which Dugatkin rejoins, "animals show us a stripped-down version of what behavior in a given circumstance would look like without our moral will and freedom"). In the face of such views, Dugatkin proposes no dogma of his own. Instead, he takes up one interesting question after another (Do sparrows help one another locate food out of self-interest? What prompts a soldier to fall on a grenade to save nearby comrades? Is blood thicker than water?), expertly leading his readers through contending scientific and philosophical theories while seeking the answers. --Gregory McNamee

Book Description

Here biologist Lee Dugatkin outlines four paths to cooperation shared by humans and other animals: family dynamics, reciprocal transactions (or "tit for tat"), so-called selfish teamwork, and group altruism. He draws on a wealth of examples--from babysitting among mongooses and food sharing among vampire bats to cooperation in Hutterite communities and on kibbutzim--to show not only that cooperation exists throughout the animal kingdom, but how an understanding of the natural history of altruism might foster our own best instincts toward our fellow humans.

Customer Reviews:

Sadly confused.......2004-03-04

This book tries to do two things: summarize the findings of evoltionary thinking on the development of co-operation, and relate these to making humans more co-operative.

On the first goal this book isn't too bad. it has a lot less meat than Ridley's book on co-operation, or anything by Dawkins. But as an intor for those new to this stuff it isn't too bad.

When he tries to tie it to humans, and drags in his religion too, he makes a muddle of it. Some of what he suggests is just embarrassing.

He is evidently confused on what is and is not group selection too.

Read Axelrod, The Evolution of Cooperation or Ridley, The Origins of Virtue instead.

I learned a lot about cheating.......2001-12-19

I currently am a member of a fantasy basketball league and have been looking for as much information on human psychology to improve my ranking. I received many good pointers from this book on how to undercut the other teams without them even knowing. I think this is a book that must be read by anyone that is interested in undermining any form of *friendly* competition.

Good summary of research results on animal cooperation.......2001-08-12

Well-written review of what is known about cooperation among animals. The author limits himself to the straightforward thesis that the study of cooperation among animals is a base that can help us understand and potentially improve human cooperation. He carefully recognizes that cooperation among humans is more complex and also includes effects from human culture and morality.

This is a good book for a first read by a layman in the subject; the selection of material is not biased to support a controversial thesis. Somebody already acquainted with the literature will already know most of the research results covered here. And for those interested in human culture and morality, this book provides only the background to begin thinking about their effect on cooperation.

The second half of the book is better than the first half.

Cheating Monkeys and Citizen Bees.......2000-03-29

I enjoyed the book, although it took me a while to really get into it. In general it covers the growth of cooperation from a genetic probabilities perspective. It is a sort of "cost accounting" of cooperation to the participants, whether related individuals in a "family" or only very distantly related individuals in a societal group. Since I had not read anything similar and the book was simply and clearly written, I found it interesting and provocative. Someone with a more thorough grounding in the field might find it overly simplistic.

Worse than Dawkins-lite, it's Dawkins-weak.......1999-11-07

This strikes me as just a watered down Reader's Digest version of Dawkins. As a scientist, I'm truly surprised that Sir Robert May endorsed this work. I thought he was more disconcerting than that. I found the final chapter of speculative religion totally out of place in an otherwise ho-hum redeaux. I particularly didn't appreciate having the book conclude with an argument from authority, even if it was from Einstein.

Customer Reviews:

indispensible.......2002-03-09

When I was planning for a wine trip to the Rhone a few years back, this was one of the many references I used. And it turned out to be the best. For travellers who want to visit the most interesting vineyards, stay at comfortable hotels, eat in excellent hotels, without robbing a bank, don't leave home without checking out this book first!

Since then, I have used books Hugh Johnson and Hubrecht Duijker for other forays to different appellations around the world. And I am still having a whale of a time ...

Customer Reviews:

Cuauhtemoc Sanchez, preciso, diferente........2007-03-31

A diferencia de lo que otras personas puedan opinar, yo si creo que Cuauhtemoc Sanchez es un buen escritor, yo tengo sus libros y los he leido todos y en ellos pude encontrar lecciones de vida que son dificiles de encontrar en otros libros sobre todo en esta epoca, si un escritor es capaz de reflejar la realidad en un libro y es capaz de dar respuesta y soluciones a problemas de la vida real, para mi una persona que pueda lograr esto es grandiosa. Este libro como todos los demas es perfecto para cualquier persona pues los libros de Cuauhtemoc son faciles de leer y de enterder y te aseguro que te van a servir de ayuda si la estas buscando y si no, al menos te van a dejar una buena sensacion despues de haber leido sus libros, ojala tengamos Cuauhtemoc por mucho tiempo mas.

It's ok for what I want..........2007-03-15

I ordered this book to use teaching HS Spanish. It has accessible vocab and structures, so it serves my needs well enough. However, although Cuauhtemoc Sanches is an enormously popular writer in Mexico, he's not a very good one. So if it is literature you're looking for, this aint it!

OK as science fiction, but is really a Christian message.......2006-11-22

My 12 year old son read this book for a Spanish language book report (7th grade Spanish immersion student). It is hard to find books that are interesting for him yet still accessible in terms of the Spanish vocabulary. He found this book about a world taken over by evil beings who extract a vital substance from the air to be pretty exciting and readable. However, the author makes it clear that the hero is actually a representation of Jesus Christ who saves the world by dying in a detailed and horrific way. The description of the hero's torture was too graphic for me; I know there are Christians who revel in the details of Christ's passion but I think this book's description was too much for a child's book.

Book Description

Whereas several areas of biocatalysis - in particular the use of easy-to-use hydrolases such as proteases, esterases and lipases - are sufficiently well researched to be applied in every standard laboratory, other types of enzymes are still waiting to be discovered with respect to their applicability in organic-chemistry transformations on a preparative scale. This latter point is stressed in this volume, which concentrates on the 'newcomer-enzymes' which show great synthetic potential.

Biotransformations and Bioprocesses (Biotechnology and Bioprocessing Series)

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Biotransformations and Bioprocesses (Biotechnology and Bioprocessing Series)

Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Biochemistry | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

Biotechnology | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Engineering | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Pharmacology | Medicine | Subjects | Books

Biotechnology | Special Topics | Medicine | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0824747755

Book Description

From the laboratory to full-scale commercial production, this reference provides a clear and in-depth analysis of bioreactor design and operation and encompasses critical aspects of the biocatalytic manufacturing process. It clarifies principles in reaction and biochemical engineering, synthetic and biotransformation chemistry, and biocell and enzyme kinetics for successful applications of biocatalysis and bioprocess technologies in the food, chiral drug, vitamin, pharmaceutical, and animal feed industries. Studying reactions from small to supramolecules, this reference provides an abundant display of end-of-chapter problems to sharpen understanding of key concepts presented in the text.

Book Description

The mathematical description of complex spatiotemporal behaviour observed in dissipative continuous systems is a major challenge for modern research in applied mathematics. While the behaviour of low-dimensional systems, governed by the dynamics of a finite number of modes is well understood, systems with large or unbounded spatial domains show intrinsic infinite-dimensional behaviour --not a priori accessible to the methods of finite dimensionaldynamical systems. The purpose of the four contributions in this book is to present some recent and active lines of research in evolution equations posed in large or unbounded domains. One of the most prominent features of these systems is the propagation of various types of patterns in the form of waves, such as travelling and standing waves and pulses and fronts. Different approaches to studying these kinds of phenomena are discussed in the book. A major theme is the reduction of an original evolution equation in the form of a partial differential equation system to a simpler system of equations, either a system of ordinary differential equation or a canonical system of PDEs. The study of the reduced equations provides insight into the bifurcations from simple to more complicated solutions and their stabilities. .

Book Description

Features 10 of the best stories by a pioneer in the development of African-American fiction: "The Goophered Grapevine," "Po' Sandy," "Sis' Becky's Pickaninny," "The Wife of His Youth," "Dave's Neckliss," "The Passing of Grandison," "A Matter of Principle," more. Witty, charming, and insightful. Edited and with an Introduction by Joan Sherman.

Customer Reviews:

The Stories of Charles Chessnutt.......2002-08-15

Charles Chestnutt (1858-1932)was a pioneering African-American short story writer, novelist and essayist. He wrote about the life of blacks during the reconstruction era and during slavery. He also wrote about turn-of-the century relationships between black people and white people and about the emerging black urban middle-class and its relationship to both poor rural black people and to educated white people.

Chestnutt wrote two volumes of stories, "The Conjure Woman" (1899) and "The Wife of his Youth and other Stories of the Color Line" (1899). This short, inexpensive book from the Dover Thrift series includes stories from each volume together with a useful introduction to Chestnutt by Joan Sherman.

There are five "Conjure Woman" stories in the brief volume. These stories take place in North Carolina just after the Civil War and they relate back to events and characters in the pre-Civil War period. The stories are told in a heavy dialect which takes some getting used to. The characters are a white Northern couple, John and Annie, who have moved to North Carolina, an aging black storyteller and former slave named Uncle Julius, and a "conjure woman" named Aunt Peggy. At critical moments during their stay in North Carolina, Uncle Julius tells John and Annie stories about the conjure woman which illuminate life in the slave South and which have a way of returning back to John and Annie as well. The stories are fun, creative, and outrageous.

The second group of five stories explore white black relationships subsequent to the Civil War as well as relationships between different types of black people. There are three stories which deal with highly educated black people and the ambivalence they feel towards the rural blacks in the post-Reconstruction south. These stories also show the difficulties faced by urban black people in the North at the turn-of-the century in gaining acceptance from their neighboors. (Chestnutt had first-hand experience of this situation.) There is also a story centering upon a lynching in a Sourthern town.

This is a short, inexpensive book which will introduce the reader to an early African-American writer who deserves to be better known.

Book Description

Alex Madsen brings to life Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, the queen of fashion who revolutionized women's styles forever.

Customer Reviews:

Chanel Bio is everything it should be........2006-09-21

I found it strange that some readers gave negative or highly critical reviews of this biography. Someone even commented on the difficulty in reading the French names! It's a little late to change Chanel's nationality and thank God! This biography is successful on a number of levels but primarily two: it recounts the fascinating life, in great detail, of the late Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel and it puts her professional contribution to the world in context. On a personal level, her life-story reads as a Dickens novel. Her's is a truly "rags-to-riches" story. Chanel was a woman who created a life and a legend against the odds. She was one of those rare and stunning creatures rising from practically nothing to become a household name. Her family was destitute. Her father abandoned her at an orphanage. Her attempts in music and theatre came to nothing. Her sewing skills were atrocious! Only after a young gentleman named Balsan recognized her talent through her unconventional beauty did her true potential begin to emerge. Chanel knew all of the greatest people of her age: Stravinsky, Cocteau, Dali, Misia Sert, and the Duke of Westminster, among others. Many of these people she knew intimately. How tragic that even after these acquaintances and global successes as a designer, Chanel never really found success in love. Professionally, the impact of her designs are still with us today and influencing generations of new designers and artists. From a perspective of fashion, Chanel almost single-handedly pulled the 19th century world into the modern age by pulling women out of corsets and sliding them into pants. The "little black dress" and classic Chanel suit are not only articles of clothing, they are timeless works of art. Madsen has succeeded in writing a biography that does not fall short as other books on Chanel have in the past. His biography begins BEFORE her birth and continues on AFTER her death. He explores her roots and discusses the ongoing impact of her life, while filling in all the opulent details in between. If you want to know who Chanel was and why she is still so important today, pick up this book. Now if they would only do a feature film treatment!

Chanel book review.......2005-09-23

I agree with the other 2 reviewers. This book is very difficult to follow and the author jumps from character to character and topic to topic too frequently. The pictures are nice, but I feel the author could have done a better job at creating more excitement and interest for the reader.

Not Captivating!.......2005-01-03

I did not enjoy this book and wished I did my own research on a better author to portray Coco Chanel. It was lengthy in boring details and never developed a true feeling for the subject matter. Coco lead an extremely captivating life - so I find it difficult to believe that someone could write such a book lacking in depth!

tough read.......2002-03-02

I'm still reading but wanted to mention that if you have never taken a French class, it is very hard to pronounce most of the names in the book.

Although very insightful finding it a hard read.

Fascinating book, full of details and historically correct........1999-06-28

This book was extremely interesting to read. Considering Chanel's habbit of often lying about her past, many biographers had given up on trying to tell her story. That's probably why the book lacks reasoning behind certain facts of her life, although the author did the best he could to provide his own viewpoint about some of the unenswered questions. The book is wonderful and it leaves the reader with plenty of room to use his/her own imagination to reveal some of the mysteries behind Chanel's great genious.

Average customer rating:

Chanel A Woman of Her Own
Axel Madsen
Manufacturer: Henry Holt Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J0LA8W

Average customer rating:

CHANEL: A WOMAN OF HER OWN

Manufacturer: Henry Holt
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000HF8E7E

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Chanel A Woman of Her Own
Axel Madsen
Manufacturer: Henry Holt Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J0L6K4

Book Description

Viewing the subject from the side of the Allies, the author reviews four major achievements in World War II which had unexpected and even more dramatic consequences not discovered until much after the event. He also deals with the evaluation of some weapons, tactics and statistics in ways that are at odds with much of the conventional wisdom as well as with statements of fact that in retrospect are much different than the facts themselves. Finally, he describes some items that, if they are considered at all, are not discussed with the seriousness they deserve.

Customer Reviews:

world in conflict.......2003-07-15

Very interesting slant on imnportant factors during World War II
that I had not heard of up till now. This is not an attempt to rewrite history, but does reveal that many important considerations were not appreciated at the time. For example, we were not outnumbered during the the early stages of the war, but out generaled. Then as now, the "spin" put on events became history. All in all a well written easy read for any history buff.

Book Description

A running tally of the folly of the 80's, the decade known for men of "huge brains, small necks, weak muscles and fat wallets.." - NYT Book Review

Customer Reviews:

The more things change, the more they stay the same.......2006-05-10

This is another in a series of collections of Hunter's columns. The other compilations are:

The Great Shark Hunt (Gonzo Papers Vol. 1) about the 70's, mostly post Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail,

Better than Sex (Volumen 3) about the 90's, and his final release before his untimely death,

Hey Rube (about the early 00's).

I should mention here that I'm only in my 20's, and the first administration I ever really paid attention to was the second Clinton term.

Reading this book and the other Gonzo Papers books, along with Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail, gives you a perspective on the past 30 years that is hard to find elsewhere in this context. Since these columns were written as critiques on current events, you get a feel for what was going on in the 70's, late 80's and early 90's. You find that for everything that has changed over the past 30 years, that politics is quite static. Corrupt presidents, sex-scandal plagued politicians, and more.

There's not too much to dislike about this book, assuming you enjoy Hunter's writing style. And it is valuable to those who can't get enough of Hunter's style.

History Redux.......2006-03-20

This review was originally used to comment on Hunter Thompson's Songs of the Doomed. Since most of the points I made in my review of that book apply here I will let that review stand in here. Obviously each book is formatted differently but whether Thompson was skewering the Nixon era, the Reagan era or the Bush eras the song is the same. And it aint pretty.

Generally the most the trenchant social criticism, commentary and analysis complete with a prescriptive social program ripe for implementation has been done by thinkers and writers who work outside the realm of bourgeois society, notably socialists and other progressive thinkers. Bourgeois society rarely allows itself, in self defense, to be skewered by trenchant criticism from within. This is particularly true when it comes from a known dope fiend, gun freak and all-around lifestyle addict like the late, lamented Dr. Hunter S. Thompson. Nevertheless, although he was far from any thought of a socialist solution and would reject such a designation we could travel part of the way with him. We saw him as a kindred spirit. He was not one of us- but he was one of us. All honor to him for pushing the envelope of journalism in new directions and for his pinpricks at the hypocrisy of bourgeois society. Such men are dangerous.

I am not sure whether at the end of the day Hunter Thompson saw himself or wanted to been seen as a voice, or the voice, of his generation but in any case he would not be an unworthy candidate. In any case, his was not the voice of the generation of 1968 being just enough older to have been formed by an earlier, less forgiving milieu. His earlier writings show that effect. Nevertheless, only a few, and with time it seems fewer in each generation, allow themselves to search for some kind of truth even if they cannot go the whole distance. This compilation under review is a hodgepodge of articles over the best part of Thompson's career. As with all journalists, as indeed with all writers especially those who are writing under the pressure of timelines and for mass circulation media these works show an uneven quality. However the total effect is to blast old bourgeois society almost to its foundations. Others will have to push on further.

One should note that `gonzo' journalism is quite compatible with socialist materialism. That is, the writer is not precluded from interpreting the events described within himself/herself as an actor in the story. The worst swindle in journalism, fostered by the formal journalism schools, as well as in other disciplines like history and political science is that somehow one must be `objective'. Reality is better served if the writer puts his/her analysis correctly and then gets out of the way. In his best work that was Hunter's way.

As a member of the generation of 1968 I would note that this was a period of particular importance which won Hunter his spurs as a journalist. Hunter, like many of us, cut his political teeth on one Richard Milhous Nixon, at one time President of the United States and all- around political chameleon. Thompson went way out of his way, and with pleasure, skewering that man when he was riding high. Thompson was moreover just as happy to kick him when he was down, just for good measure. Nixon represented the `dark side' of the American spirit- the side that appears today as the bully boy of the world and as craven brute. If for nothing else Brother Thompson deserves a place in the pantheon of journalistic heroes for this exercise in elementary hygiene. Anyone who wants to rehabilitate THAT man before history please consult Thompson's work. Hunter, I hope you find the Brown Buffalo wherever you are. Read this book. Read all his books.

His Worst Collection of Tripe.......2005-08-29

This collection of 100 or so newspaper columns is probably the worst material I have read of Thompson's. First of all, it starts OK, but then turns into a liberal rant for the last half of the book. In almost all cases, Thompson's wild and repeated predictions about the fall of Republicans never come to pass. In fact, not one of them came true.

It is a shame that a man with such insidious ability to write from the gut would allow himself to slide into the dark, slimy Left side of politics, all the while failing to report-much less admit-that the Left was as much if not more corrupt than the Right.

I would pass this tome of incoherent bloviating. His other works are far superior to this wasted cache of paper.

Take this in small doses.......2005-08-02

What we have here are over 100 op-ed pieces (about 2 1/2 book pages each) that ran in the San Francisco Examiner over a three-year period, December 1985 thru November 1988 and are now compiled in Gonzo Papers Volume 2 (Volume 1 was The Great Shark Hunt). These were originally meant to be read at the rate of one a week, but of course you can increase your speed on this compilation. However, I read them in a handful of sittings and suffered from severe overload. First of all, at this fast rate you get a good deal of duplication that waters down the overall affect Thompson was trying to create in his weekly column. Thompson reminds me of the famous Groucho Marx line: "Whatever it is, he's against it!" Just picked at random: "Any baboon with a healthy heart and good diction... could do Neil Frank's job (director of the National Hurricane Center). President Reagan: "...seems to be dumber than three mules." Frank Sinatra: "...is said to be smart, but he was fired and cut off from every casino in New Jersey when he tried to play blackjack by rules he learned in Nevada...They chased him out like a wino. It was an ugly thing to see." And these quotes all come from just one article. Pick a name or event from the headlines of these three years and you'll find a bombastic opinion from Thompson aimed directly at it. It is a fun and funny read. You'll find yourself thinking and speaking in the Thompson style. It's addictive. But, too much at one time can put you over the top. For more reasons than one, this would make for good bathroom reading material.

Hunter rants on 80s Sports, Gambling and Politics.......2005-05-01

The 80s must have been a tough decade for Hunter S. Thompson, and the writing shows it. Easy access to drugs, as well as a rising tide of Republicanism and Conservatism to rail again. On the the surface, this would make for great writing. In reality, this is not his strongest work. Great columns, as well as some of his legendary lucid lines, are interspersed with nominally coherent rants against the political powers that be. Perhaps that is to be expected from him in an anthology of his newspaper writings.

This is an important read for those very in tune to his genre. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is a better start if you haven't read anything of his before. It will also provide better context to his mindset in the 80s.

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas: A savage journey to the heart of the American dream ; Generation of swine : tales of shame and degradation in the '80s

Average customer rating:

Fear and loathing in Las Vegas: A savage journey to the heart of the American dream ; Generation of swine : tales of shame and degradation in the '80s
Hunter S Thompson
Manufacturer: Quality Paperback Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006OVKR2

Generation of Swine : Tales of Shame & Degradation in the '80s (Gonzo Papers)

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Generation of Swine : Tales of Shame & Degradation in the '80s (Gonzo Papers)
Hunter S. Thompson
Manufacturer: Vintage Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000ND2EEY

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream / Generation of Swine: Gonzo Papers Vol.2: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80s

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Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream / Generation of Swine: Gonzo Papers Vol.2: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80s
Hunter S. Thompson
Manufacturer: Quality Paperback Book Club
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000WLQYT8

Generation of Swine, Tales of Shame & Degradation in the '80s

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Generation of Swine, Tales of Shame & Degradation in the '80s
Hunter S. Thompson
Manufacturer: New York: Summit Books, 1988
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000LUU8HE

Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80s

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Generation of Swine: Tales of Shame and Degradation in the '80s
Hunter S. Thomson
Manufacturer: Summit Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000RB9094

Customer Reviews:

I recommend this book!.......2006-01-31

As a public official with the planning function, I recommend this book for anyone interested in preserving farm land, open space and rural character. The book focuses on western range lands, while I am located east of the Mississippi river, but I am able to use virtually all of the information. What a wonderful resource!

Unique, intelligent, practical, and handsome.......2005-01-28

Here in New Mexico you can see for 50 miles or more on a clear day-- and most of the days are clear. The views are astounding. But as somebody who has come to love these views in the few months that I have been here from Massachusetts, I am also aware how easily they can be spoiled: a powerline here, a radio tower there, a housing development thoughtlessly splayed out on a hillside can blight the views for hundreds of square miles around. With Edward Ranney's photographs, this book inspires us to protect the West's fabulous landscape and with Annella and Wright's text, it provides a practical step by step prescription for how to go about it. I particularly admire the case studies, where the reader gets to see how the principles have been put into practice and vulnerable western landscapes have been saved.

All the scenes are western, but the principles of land conservancy are the same whereever vacant land is threatened. Saving the Ranch ought to be on the shelf of every environmental activist who has looked at an inspiring rural landscape and asked him or herself, "I wonder how this land could be saved?"

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