Despotism, Social Evolution, and Differential Reproduction - 9781138522251

Taylor & Francis

Despotism, Social Evolution, and Differential ReproductionAuthor(s): Laura L. Betzig\nFormat: Hardback\nPublisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd, United Kingdom\nImprint: Routledge\nISBN-13: 9781138522251, 978-1138522251\nSynopsis\n\""Much light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history,\"" thus ended Darwin's Origin of Species. For many years, the book provoked a flood of argument, but yielded little evidence. In the first century after the book's publication, virtually no one tested Darwin's theory against the evidence of human history. Now that tide has changed. Laura Betzig challenges the proposition that the evolved end of human life is its reproduction by presenting the literature on conflict resolution from over a hundred societies. The research results presented in Despotism and Differential Reproduction convincingly uphold Darwin's prophecy.\n\nA basic premise behind research has always been that understanding the way things are should contribute to our ability to change .