The Naked Ape: A Zoologist’s Study of the Human Animal
By addebook • Jun 26th, 2008 • Category: Biology •
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The Naked Ape: A Zoologist’s Study of the Human Animal
The Naked Ape: A Zoologist’s Study of the Human Animal
By Desmond Morris
Publisher: Delta
Number Of Pages: 256
Publication Date: 1999-04-13
ISBN-10 / ASIN: 0385334303
ISBN-13 / EAN: 9780385334303
Binding: Paperback
Summary: “A Naked Look at Social Convention”
Rating: 5
A stirring look at the primal factors driving man in the art of Love, the doldrums of Work and the visceral depths of War and chronicling our relative similarity to our closest cousins, the primates, Desmond Morris adds soil and soul to the grassroots movement sparked in the Sixties counterculture to reconnect with some bygone artifact of Man’s blind past. There can be no doubt that the embattled Sixties and the embittered youthful revolts influenced Morris to direct his scientific acumen at the internal drive of Man.
Overall, this is a good start for those questioning just how biological many of Man’s drives are.
Summary: Evolution or revolution
Rating: 4
This book is great to read. Whether you believe what’s been written or not, not-so-religious people can’t deny evolution. It’s as simple as 1 1=2 and that’s how this book has been written.
You believe what I just said? Grab a copy of the book now!
Don’t believe me? Good, as I don’t buy into everything that has been said as well. But I do think it’s important that the more views you have, the better your fundamentent for judgement is. This book certainly has some very strong points and may sound familiar to you.
So, just with psychology and Dr. Phil, don’t believe everything that’s being said, but make up your own mind. Maybe this book will be ‘a changing day in your life…’.
Summary: An outdated analysis
Rating: 2
If you are interested in a 1950-60’s view of human evolutionary science, this book may be worthwhile. Otherwise, don’t waste your time. Evolutionary science has advanced dramatically in the last 50 years and has discredited many of the views presented in The Naked Ape. Several are even laughable, such as the explanation of homosexuality in the chapter on sex.
Further, while promoted as a zoological study, the presentation is psychological, focusing on behavioral issues and their explanations rather than biological evolution. It is filled with the “he-man hunter” psychobabel that was preached in 1960’s university Psych courses.
Simply, this book was a waste of my time and money. The reviews that stated the book was dated, but still relevant, were sadly mistaken.
Summary: Not my cup of tea…
Rating: 3
I had to read this for a psychology class. As I am not a psych. major, it wasn’t my idea of fun reading. I found it really difficult to get totally into the book as I usually do when reading. It was slow reading. However, there were many insights that the author made that I found very interesting.
Summary: Classic commentary of evolutional proportions
Rating: 4
The concept of looking at ourselves as an animal in the zoo is a fascinating one. While Desmond Morris takes a look at humans through a zoologist’s goggles, coming to terms with this idea is half the fun while reading this book. The title and introduction of the book help create the detachment so the reader can play along. This 1960’s classic reads more like a commentary of an intellectual with a fertile mind than the thesis of a scientist who has dedicated his life to studying the human species. Read it with that expectation and you will not go dissatisfied. However, if you are expecting another The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin, The Naked Ape will not cut it.
The book characterizes the naked ape’s tedency to procreate, raise children, explore, fight, feed, live and communicate in evolutionary terms. My favorite part is where the act of sexual intercourse is put under the microscope and studied from a zoological perspective. It is like taking notes while watching a porn movie.
As with any stimulating commentary, it has opinions that may force your mind to demand substantiation. For example, throughout the book Morris’ is morbidly fixated upon the problem of population explosion and that it would become the single-most important cause of destruction of our species as well as the planet. It plays such an important role in his mind, that his last words in the book are a warning sign against this phenomenon. His fear and his suggested solutions are radical. In general, he calls for sophistication of “birth control” at least to the same extent as “death control”.
At the time of writing the book, the population was 3 billion growing at the rate of 150,000 per day (1.82%). If this growth continues, which Morris resigns is “highly unlikely”, the book projects 400 billion naked apes in 260 years. Let’s review this projection at the time of reviewing this book 40 years later. We are 6.6 billion growing at the rate of 211,000 per day (1.17%). At this rate, in another 220 years, we would be 80 billion which too, may I add, is “highly unlikely” and highly undesirable.
A commentary of evoluational proportions spans millions of years, and the selection of information to be presented is a task of astronomical proportions. Being mindful of the complexity of this problem, Desmond Morris seems to have done a fine job of selection and generally speaking, the theories are very agreeable. This is certainly one for the shelves.
Free download Links
http://rapidshare.com/files/124805484/0385334303_-_Desmond_Morris_-_The_Naked_Ape.pdf
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