The Naked Ape: A Zoologist’s Study of the Human Animal PDF
Preview The Naked Ape: A Zoologist’s Study of the Human Animal
You will read The Naked Ape with a curi¬ ous sense of involvement, for this most sophisticated book reveals the human race through the unemotional eyes of a zoolo¬ gist, exposing it in a completely new light. Since he first became intellectually aware, man has examined his higher mo¬ tives but has tended to ignore those he con¬ sidered base. Reason and imagination, however, have not erased the basic pat¬ terns of behavior established early in evo¬ lution. Beneath the skin, the traits we ex¬ hibit—sexually, at play, and at war—are striking evidence of our close relationship with the animal world. The revelations of this book are startling and sobering, controversial and thought- provoking. Our cherished institution of mar¬ riage is seen as evolving from the classic pair-formation of hunting animals whose males must insure the fidelity of their fe¬ males while they are away searching for food. The overcrowding of our cities is shown as a threat to our welfare as a species. Desmond Morris’ research leads him into intriguing byways and speculations. Smiling appears to be a tool by which the human infant reassures his mother, and is in turn reassured by her, that her aggres¬ siveness toward him is harmless. The bold speculation of The Naked Ape will stir controversy among scientists and will stimulate and delight the general read¬ er. In this intensely technological age, Desmond Morris appeals to all readers to (continued on back flap) Book Club Edition Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from Kahle/Austin Foundation https://archive.org/details/nakedape0000morr DESMOND MORRIS THE NAKED APE A Zoologist’s Study of the Human Animal McGRAW-HILL BOOK COMPANY NEW YORK Copyright © 1967 by Desmond Morris. All Rights Re¬ served. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sys¬ tem, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, elec¬ tronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION, 9 ORIGINS, 13 SEX, 50 REARING, 103 EXPLORATION, 129 FIGHTING, I47 FEEDING, 189 COMFORT, 201 ANIMALS, 219 APPENDIX: LITERATURE, BIBLIOGRAPHY, 250
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