Snakes, Sunrises, and Shakespeare
How Evolution Shapes Our Loves and Fears
Gordon H. Orians
- 230 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
Snakes, Sunrises, and Shakespeare
How Evolution Shapes Our Loves and Fears
Gordon H. Orians
About This Book
The eminent zoologist "extends his pioneering work in evolutionary biology" to examine "our preferences, predilections, fears, hopes, and aspirations" (Stephen R. Kellert, author of Birthright ). Why do we jump in fear at the sight of a snake and marvel at the beauty of a sunrise? These impulsive reactions are no accident; in fact, many of our human responses to nature are steeped in our evolutionary pastâwe fear snakes because of the danger of venom, and we welcome the assurances of sun as the predatory dangers of night disappear. According to evolutionary biologist Gordon Orians, many of our aesthetic preferencesâfrom the kinds of gardens we build to the foods we enjoy and the entertainment we seekâare the lingering result of natural selection. In Snakes, Sunrises, and Shakespeare, Orians explores the role of evolution in human responses to the environment, applying biological perspectives ranging from Darwin to current neuroscience. Orians reveals how our emotional lives today are shaped by decisions our ancestors made centuries ago on African savannas as they selected places to live, sought food and safety, and socialized in small hunter-gatherer groups. During this time our likes and dislikes became wired in our brains, as the appropriate responses to the environment meant the difference between survival or death. His rich analysis explains why we mimic the tropical savannas of our ancestors in our parks and gardens, why we are simultaneously attracted to and repelled by danger, and how paying close attention to nature's sounds has made us an unusually musical species.