Books about Altruistic from Amazon.com

"It's the animal in us," we often hear when we've been bad. But why not when we're good? Primates and Philosophers tackles this question by exploring the biological foundations of one of humanity's most valued traits: morality

In this provocative book, primatologist Frans de Waal argues that modern-day evolutionary biology takes far too dim a view of the natural world, emphasizing our "selfish" genes. Science has thus exacerbated our reciprocal habits of blaming nature when we act badly and labeling the good things we do as "humane." Seeking the origin of human morality not in evolution but in human culture, science insists that we are moral by choice, not by nature.

Citing remarkable evidence based on his extensive research of primate behavior, de Waal attacks "Veneer Theory," which posits morality as a thin overlay on an otherwise nasty nature. He explains how we evolved from a long line of animals that care for the weak and build cooperation with reciprocal transactions. Drawing on both Darwin and recent scientific advances, de Waal demonstrates a strong continuity between human and animal behavior. In the process, he also probes issues such as anthropomorphism and human responsibilities toward animals.

Based on the Tanner Lectures de Waal delivered at Princeton University's Center for Human Values in 2004, Primates and Philosophers includes responses by the philosophers Peter Singer, Christine M. Korsgaard, and Philip Kitcher and the science writer Robert Wright. They press de Waal to clarify the differences between humans and other animals, yielding a lively debate that will fascinate all those who wonder about the origins and reach of human goodness.

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Why, during the Holocaust, did some ordinary people risk their lives and the lives of their families to help others--even total strangers--while others stood passively by? Samuel Oliner, a Holocaust survivor who has interviewed more than 700 European rescuers and nonrescuers, provides some surprising answers in this compelling work..
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In a world supposedly governed by ruthless survival of the fittest, why do we see acts of goodness in both animals and humans? This problem plagued Charles Darwin in the 1850s as he developed his theory of evolution through natural selection. Indeed, Darwin worried that the goodness he observed in nature could be the Achilles heel of his theory. Ever since then, scientists and other thinkers have engaged in a fierce debate about the origins of goodness that has dragged politics, philosophy, and religion into what remains a major question for evolutionary biology.

The Altruism Equation traces the history of this debate from Darwin to the present through an extraordinary cast of characters-from the Russian prince Petr Kropotkin, who wanted to base society on altruism, to the brilliant biologist George Price, who fell into poverty and succumbed to suicide as he obsessed over the problem. In a final surprising turn, William Hamilton, the scientist who came up with the equation that reduced altruism to the cold language of natural selection, desperately hoped that his theory did not apply to humans.

Hamilton's Rule, which states that relatives are worth helping in direct proportion to their blood relatedness, is as fundamental to evolutionary biology as Newton's laws of motion are to physics. But even today, decades after its formulation, Hamilton's Rule is still hotly debated among those who cannot accept that goodness can be explained by a simple mathematical formula. For the first time, Lee Alan Dugatkin brings to life the people, the issues, and the passions that have surrounded the altruism debate. Readers will be swept along by this fast-paced tale of history, biography, and scientific discovery.

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Do Animals Have Feelings?
According to Kristin von Kreisler, the answer is an undeniable yes. Here, she shares dozens of absorbing, true stories of animals who've risked their lives to keep the human they love out of danger. You'll read of incredibly heroic acts—from the dog who swallows a firecracker to protect a toddler, to the horse who runs through traffic to save an injured woman. You'll come away from this profoundly moving book with a deeper appreciation for the indispensable role animals play in our daily lives.
"Remember some of the feelings you had as a child for the animals to whom you were closest . . . That is what this book is all about."
—Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, from the foreword
"An inspiring collection of animal loyalty, love, and bravery. No one can deny the emotional impact of this anecdotal book."
—Publishers Weekly
"An extraordinary combination of incredible research and deep feeling."
—Cleveland Amory, author of Ranch of Dreams and The Cat Who Came for Christmas
"Through dozens of inspiring true stories, Kristin von Kreisler makes a strong case for a 'controversial premise'—that animals demonstrate genuine acts of compassion toward others every day. This book will remove the 'controversial' from the premise!"
— Paul G. Irwin, president of The Humane Society of the United States
"Ms. von Kreisler is fearless, intriguing, and herself compassionate. Highly recommended."
— Roger A. Caras, president of the ASPCA.
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With Comeuppance, William Flesch delivers the freshest, most generous thinking about the novel since Walter Benjamin wrote on the storyteller and Wayne C. Booth on the rhetoric of fiction. In clear and engaging prose, Flesch integrates evolutionary psychology into literary studies, creating a new theory of fiction in which form and content flawlessly intermesh.

Fiction, Flesch contends, gives us our most powerful way of making sense of the social world. Comeuppance begins with an exploration of the appeal of gossip and ends with an account of how we can think about characters and care about them as much as about persons we know to be real. We praise a storyteller who contrives a happy or at least an appropriate ending, and fault the writer who refuses us one. Flesch uses Darwinian theory to show how fiction satisfies our desire to see the good vindicated and the wicked get their comeuppance. He conveys the danger and excitement of reading fiction with nimble intelligence and provides wide reference to stories both familiar and little known.

Flesch has given us a book that is sure to claim a central place in the discussion of literature and the humanities.

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The wondrous, remarkable, and outlandish activities of animals have long captured our curiosity, and no one has better explored or illuminated our fascination than Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, bestselling author of the groundbreaking Dogs Never Lie About Love and When Elephants Weep. Masson’s genuine passion for our two- and four-legged, invertebrate, flippered, and finned friends has turned into his life’s calling–and earned him a reputation as one of our most provocative authorities on animal behavior.

Now Masson shares his vast knowledge in this comprehensive and charming volume featuring one hundred of his favorite animals. Drawing upon this affable expert’s own experience and extensive research, Altruistic Armadillos, Zenlike Zebras offers fascinating facts, colorful anecdotes, and surprising tidbits on familiar creatures (bottlenose dolphins, hummingbirds, kangaroos) as well as lesser-known, yet equally entrancing critters (bonobos, kakapos, and wombats). Inside you’ll discover that

• armadillos are the only mammals who routinely give birth to genetically identical quadruplets
• frogs can mate for months at a time
• koalas have tiny brains, possibly because they sleep for twenty hours a day
• a newborn kangaroo is the size of a small bean
• lobsters, if allowed to, can live for nearly a century
• the manatee is one of the most gentle and inoffensive of animals

No one interprets the inner workings and idiosyncrasies of animal behavior quite like Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, nor does anyone else translate them to the page so engagingly. What’s more, this guide includes gorgeous photographs and links to educational websites. Irresistible and illuminating, Altruistic Armadillos, Zenlike Zebras will forever change the way you view our world’s most amazing creatures..
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"Nigel Barber's KINDNESS IN A CRUEL WORLD provides a well-written, accessible, and much-welcomed discussion of moral beliefs and moral behavior from an evolutionary perspective. The insightful discussion of kindness and cruelty will stimulate debate, and provide an excellent introduction to these issues for the nonspecialist and an excellent review for students of evolutionary thinking. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in human morality." DAVID C. GEARY, Professor and Chair, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia

"Although altruistic and self-sacrificial behavior have been considered puzzling by psychologists and biologists looking for individual benefit in the acts, such behavior is perfectly consistent with current theories of evolution. Nigel Barber's fascinating book KINDNESS IN A CRUEL WORLD takes the reader on a guided tour of current research on the diverse ways in which altruistic motives shape both human and animal behavior. Written in a style that is accessible to the lay public, Barber's book will also be stimulating to professionals for its thoughtful integration of diverse findings and its provocative speculations." MICHAEL R. CUNNINGHAM, Psychologist; Professor of Communication, University of Louisville; Past President, International Network on Personal Relationships

"Nigel Barber provides a most memorable explanation of kindness and its ultimate origins. From birds and bees to bats in trees, this book reviews the classic theories and examples of prosociality in the natural world. Most important, it serves as a primer for human sharing and caring. From nuns and priests to guns and cheats, evolutionary explanations of human sociality provide the best chance for creating a world in which we all thrive at being alive." DAVID P. SCHMITT, Associate Professor of Psychology at Bradley University; Founding Director of the International Sexuality Description Project

"This is a well-written, highly informed discussion of the fundamental problem in evolutionary studies of humans-altruism and the delicate balance between self-interest and the demands of groups. It should attract a wide audience of professional and nonprofessional readers alike." KEVIN MACDONALD, Department of Psychology, California State University, Long Beach..
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Filled with fascinating facts and grounded in scientific evidence, Peaceful Kingdom manages to put the reader in touch with that special communion with the animal kingdom that enhances the lives of so many people. The stories range from the sweetly heartwarming to the often surprising and make a uniquely memorable and inspiring gift to animal lovers around the world..
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