This View of Life

Darwin's theory of evolution provides a single theoretical framework for biology, and all life sciences, today. But among humanities scholars, it is widely assumed that our rich cultural and behavioral development operates outside the rules of evolutionary theory. In fact, Darwin's theory has been considered taboo in the study of the social sciences in light of the inhumane theories of social Darwinism that emerged at the end of the nineteenth century. But, now, David Sloan Wilson expands on what we traditionally consider biological. Informed by decades of research and drawing on a wide range of studies that cover topics from the breeding of hens to the timing of cataract surgeries in infants to the organization of an auto plant, Wilson investigates the development and evolution of human social and cultural institutions. What emerges is an incredibly powerful argument- if we can wisely manage the evolutionary processes that function within our social and cultural institutions, we will have the power to achieve positive social and economic change that has the potential to drastically improve our institutions, our communities, and ourselves.