The Third Chimpanzee: Amazon.de: Jared Diamond: Englische Bücher

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Taschenbuch: 416 Seiten
Verlag: B&T; Auflage: Reprint (Februar 1993)
Sprache: Englisch
ISBN-10: 0060984031
ISBN-13: 978-0060984038
Gr��e und/oder Gewicht: 20,1 x 13,5 x 2,8 cm

Durchschnittliche Kundenbewertung: 4.4 von 5 Sternen Alle Rezensionen anzeigen (21 Kundenrezensionen)

Amazon Bestseller-Rang: Nr. 265.157 in Englische Bücher (Siehe Top 100 in Englische Bücher)

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Jared Diamond states the theme of his book up-front: "How the human species changed, within a short time, from just another species of big mammal to a world conqueror; and how we acquired the capacity to reverse all that progress overnight." The Third Chimpanzee is, in many ways, a prequel to Diamond's prize-winning Guns, Germs, and Steel. While Guns examines "the fates of human societies," this work surveys the longer sweep of human evolution, from our origin as just another chimpanzee a few million years ago. Diamond writes:

It's obvious that humans are unlike all animals. It's also obvious that we're a species of big mammal down to the minutest details of our anatomy and our molecules. That contradiction is the most fascinating feature of the human species.

The chapters in The Third Chimpanzee on the oddities of human reproductive biology were later expanded in Why Is Sex Fun? Here, they're linked to Diamond's views of human psychology and history.

Diamond is officially a physiologist at UCLA medical school, but he's also one of the best birdwatchers in the world. The current scientific consensus that "primitive" humans created ecological catastrophes in the Pacific islands, Australia, and the New World owes a great deal to his fieldwork and insight. In Diamond's view, the current global ecological crisis isn't due to modern technology per se, but to basic weaknesses in human nature. But, he says, "I'm cautiously optimistic. If we will learn from our past that I have traced, our own future may yet prove brighter than that of the other two chimpanzees." --Mary Ellen Curtin

From Kirkus Reviews

Plenty of provocative ideas in this grand sweep of evolutionary biology and anthropology: not surprising for this MacArthur ``genius'' Award-winner, Natural History columnist, and UCLA Medical School physiology professor. With only 1.6 percent difference between the human genome and the genomes of two species of chimps, Diamond declares that we should call ourselves ``the third chimpanzee.'' (Curiously, he fails to mention neoteny as making a world of genetic difference.) Diamond first reviews human evolution, ending with the great leap forward that he attributes to language. New in this area is a discussion of animal art and communication (e.g., bowerbird constructions, vervet-monkey talk) and creolization (the development of sophisticated human languages from pidgin forms). With respect to other human features, Diamond reprises all the theories you've ever heard about sexual behavior, selection, menstruation, menopause, etc. Ditto for aging. He steers a common- sense course between extremes, opting for the games-theory approach of optimizing one's genes and of group survival. Old-but-not- fertile elders are essential imparters of knowledge for the group. A chapter on self-destructive behaviors (smoking, drinking, drug abuse) offers the peculiar theory that we do it to advertise that we are really superior because we can flaunt handicaps! No mention is made of the fit of the chemicals to receptors in the brain and to circuits evoking pleasure. Later, drawing on his special knowledge of New Guinea, Australia, and Polynesia, and his research on birds, Diamond provides a fascinating if overwhelmingly pessimistic view of human predation through genocide, species and resource destruction, and potential nuclear disaster. Conclusions of continued human, species, and planetary destruction are inescapable, in spite of Diamond's optimism that we can learn from the past and some modest success he has had with conservation programs. Quirky arguments at times, yes, but generally Diamond is as sharp as his name. (Twenty-five line drawings and halftones.) -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. -- Dieser Text bezieht sich auf eine vergriffene oder nicht verf�gbare Ausgabe dieses Titels.

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IT'S OBVIOUS THAT humans are unlike all animals. Lesen Sie die erste Seite

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A "new " and important perspective on our nature 28. November 2003

Von Sheridan

Format:Taschenbuch

This book is excellent in describing the evolution of mankind and all its "unique" characteristics. It highlights the animal precursors of human speech, culture, sexual behavior, warfare etc. This presents a new perspective to me which is neglected in school or in education in general, e.g. the chapter about sexual behavior offers telling insights in the evolutionary mechanisms underlying it. Its especially noteworthy that Diamond does not pass over the evil aspects of human nature like warfare and genocide. He does away with the myth of benign and peaceful nature. Knowing ourselves and accepting our weaknesses is prerequisite for establishing a better future - this book helped me understand better.
The only catch is that some of the ideas repeat itself in Diamonds other book: Guns, germs, and steel.

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An Exemplary Look at Humanities Relationship to the Primates 17. M�rz 2000

Von "australopithecus_diasporas"

Diamond carefully carves through the history that has separated humans from their non-human relatives. Diamond examines the physical and psychological traits of man and primate that appear to evovle from a common source. This thought provoking analysis will leave you forever contemplating man's relationship with the natural world.

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Nice try, but I'd like Gould to comment. 29. Oktober 1998

Von AlexanderBanning

I must first applaud Jarod Diamond for bringing to public conversation the subject of human evolution. The easy reading and interesting subject matter (part two is mostly about sex) keeps the reader's attention.

However, his main argument, that complexity makes us unique as a species, takes up too many pages, and, in some instances, he tells us what to think instead of allowing us to come to our own conclusions.

One of my teachers made an interesting point: when people outside of the profession tackle anthropology, their thinking tends to be linear. (One example is the works of Ed O. Wilson, who is a biologist.) This book tends to be that way in its arguments; Diamond (who is a professor of physiology) is very selective in his examples by including only certain human cultures or animals to make his points.

Some of the points Diamond makes are just simply absurd. He writes, "If the seeds of self-destruction have been so closely linked with the rise of advanced civilizations in other solar systems as well, it becomes easy to understand why we have not been visited by any flying saucers." He's trying to tie human genocide to possible alien cultures!

Lastly, some of his thoughts on environmental issues tend to (I think) promote his own political ideas. But you can decide that for yourself.

If you're looking for an interesting contrast, pick up one of Gould's books (like Full House.) This contrast can indeed be glaring at times, but Diamond does a good job, in the respect of making the subject matter interesting and readable to the general public.