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Principles of Social Evolution
Living things are organized in a hierarchy of levels. Genes group together in cells, cells group together in organisms, and organisms group together in societies. Even different species form mutualistic partnerships. Throughout the history of life, previously independent units have formed groups that, in time, have come to resemble individuals in their own right. Evolutionary biologists term such events "the major transitions". The process common to them all is social evolution. Each transition occurs only if natural selection favors one unit joining with another in a new kind of group.
This book presents a fresh synthesis of the principles of social evolution that underlie the major transitions, explaining how the basic theory underpinning social evolution - inclusive fitness theory - is central to understanding each event. The book defines the key stages in a major transition, then highlights the shared principles operating at each stage across the transitions as a whole. It addresses in new ways the question of how, once they have arisen, organisms and societies become more individualistic.
This book presents a fresh synthesis of the principles of social evolution that underlie the major transitions, explaining how the basic theory underpinning social evolution - inclusive fitness theory - is central to understanding each event. The book defines the key stages in a major transition, then highlights the shared principles operating at each stage across the transitions as a whole. It addresses in new ways the question of how, once they have arisen, organisms and societies become more individualistic.
280 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 8, 2023
Me ha gustado mucho el libro de Bourke y da un enfoque muy claro de las major transitions (con mucho ejemplos que lo hacen muy ilustrativo). No comparto el enfoque de reduccionismo genético propuesto por Dawkins y que sigue Bourke, pero aún así hay propuestas interesantes en el libro y como introducción a las MT Es muy interesante y da pie a mucha reflexión filosófica.
En resumen, no coincidido con algunos postulados reduccionistas del libro pero me parece un libro muy interesante de leer y muy bueno para dar pie a reflexiones sobre la individualidad. Además de que es muy técnico y con gran claridad.
En resumen, no coincidido con algunos postulados reduccionistas del libro pero me parece un libro muy interesante de leer y muy bueno para dar pie a reflexiones sobre la individualidad. Además de que es muy técnico y con gran claridad.
March 29, 2013
Scientifically potent and highly readable. I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in evolution.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews