Best of
Evolution

1978

On Human Nature


Edward O. Wilson - 1978
    Wilson's book. On Human Nature begins a new phase in the most important intellectual controversy of this generation: Is human behavior controlled by the species' biological heritage? Does this heritage limit human destiny?With characteristic pugency and simplicity of style, the author of Sociobiology challenges old prejudices and current misconceptions about the nature-nurture debate. In his new preface E. O. Wilson reflects on how he came to write this book: how The Insect Societies led him to write Sociobiology, and how the political and religious uproar that engulfed that book persuaded him to write another book that would better explain the relevance of biology to the understanding of human behavior.

Why Big Fierce Animals Are Rare: An Ecologist's Perspective


Paul Colinvaux - 1978
    Paul Colinvaux takes a penetrating look at the science of ecology, bringing to his subject both profound knowledge and an enthusiasm that will encourage a greater understanding of the environment and of the efforts of those who seek to preserve it.

People of the Lake


Richard E. Leakey - 1978
    Leakey is the story of mankind and its beginnings. Mass market paperback has different cover than pictured, same book.

Sadhana Guidelines for Kundalini Yoga Daily Practice: Exercise and Meditation Manual


Kundalini Research Institute - 1978
    Very detailed instructions. Articles. A lot of breathwork. Mudras and mantras. From the wealth of the Teachings of Yogi Bhajan.

Sex, Evolution and Behavior


Martin Daly - 1978
    The relation between ultimate and proximate levels of explanation is the major theme of the book. Two new chapters in this edition incorporate findings from recent research and there is also new material on humans, physiology, and development. Sex and reproductive behaviour are examined from an evolutionary comparative perspective and numerous empirical studies and examples are cited.

Living Systems


James Grier Miller - 1978
    Firmly rooted in current scientific knowledge, Living Systems shows how biological and social systems are organized and operate at each of seven hierarchical levels: cells, organs (composed of cells), organisms (independent life forms), groups (families, committees, working groups, etc.), organizations (communities, cities, corporations, universities, etc.), societies or nations, and supranational systems. Offering a detailed analysis of each of the major aspects and characteristics encountered at all seven levels, Living Systems identifies multiple variables of each of 9 matter-energy and information-processing subsystems, the normal and pathological states of these variables, and practical indicators for measuring changes in them. It also specifies cross-level formal identities among the levels and describes the artifacts, machines, or technologies at each level. Presenting a wide range of examples, the author shows how the interactions of matter-energy and information flow among systems at one level create the next higher level. He also demonstrates the fascinating unity of the world's living and nonliving systems as well as the feasibility of a unified science to study them.