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Title details for Out of Eden by David P. Barash - Available

Out of Eden

The Surprising Consequences of Polygamy

by David P. Barash
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In this changing world of what is socially and politically "correct," polygamy is perhaps the last great taboo. Over the last thousand years, monogamy - at least in name - has been the default setting for coupledom and procreation in the Western world. And yet, throughout history, there have been inklings that "one-man, one-woman" is an uncomfortable institution for human beings. The consistently high rate of marital "cheating" by both sexes, plus the persistent interest in a variety of sexual partners - on the part of women as well as men - suggest strongly that monogamy isn't easy, and certainly isn't "natural," for either sex. Esteemed writer and evolutionary biologist David P. Barash tackles this uncomfortable finding: that humans are actually biologically and anthropologically inclined toward polygamy. Drawing on decades of research, Barash presents a remarkable array of scientific evidence from evolutionary biology and cross-cultural studies that guide the reader through the hidden impacts of polygamy on such crucial behavior as violence, parenting, sexual preferences, adultery and efforts at monogamy itself, along with mind-bending speculation about the possible role of our polygamous predisposition when it comes to human genius, homosexuality and even monotheism. But take heart, monogamists! Although our species has long been "out of Eden," this fascinating read is ultimately reassuring that "biology is not destiny."

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    February 4, 2016

  • Formats

    • Kindle Book

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780190275525

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780190275525
      • File size: 413 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Library Journal

      February 15, 2016

      Evolutionary biology and anthropology demonstrate that "the default setting for human intimacy" is polygamy. Barash (evolutionary biology & psychology, Univ. of Washington, Seattle; The Myth of Monogamy) discusses the evidence for this and distinguishes between the two variants of polygamy: polygyny (one man, more than one woman) and polyandry (one woman, more than one man; exceedingly rare in human cultures). He relates our tendency toward polygyny to cultural issues including the propensity of young males toward violence; sexual behavior and adultery; parenting; genius, and why far more men than women are recognized as such; and religion, and why the gods of most major religions are interpreted as male. Barash clearly emphasizes that although our polygamous instincts may be natural, they are not necessarily a benefit to society. Our biology does not determine our behavior; we can choose monogamy. However, he also refutes the notion that monogamy is natural, stating that the evidence proves otherwise. Biological evolution has left us with a predilection for polygamy; cultural evolution, which occurs far more quickly, demonstrates the benefits of monogamy. The clash between these can explain much of human behavior. VERDICT Written for the lay reader, this title will be of interest to all who wonder why humans behave as they do.--Rachel Owens, Daytona State Coll. Lib., FL

      Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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