RC Series Bundle: On Aggression (Routledge Classics) [Paperback]

Konrad Lorenz (Author)

Book Description

Series: Routledge Classics | Publication Date: September 13, 2002

Konrad Lorenz was the author of some of the most popular books ever published about animals, including the best-selling Man Meets Dog and King Solomon's Ring. On Aggression is one of his finest works, as well as the most controversial. Through an insightful and characteristically entertaining survey of animal behaviour, the Nobel Prize winner tracks the evolution of aggression throughout the animal world. He also raises some startling questions when he applies his observations of animal psychology to humankind. His conclusions caused an unprecedented controversy, culminating in a statement adopted by UNESCO in 1989 which appeared to condemn his work. Whether or not Lorenz actually claimed aggression is hard-wired into the human psyche, and that war is an inevitable result, is something readers can decide upon for themselves. However you react, there can be no doubting that in today's violent world this powerful work remains of paramount importance.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Packed with entrancing detail, profound wisdom and deft humor . The book is a masterpiece." -- The Guardian

Language Notes

Text: English, German (translation) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 2 edition (September 13, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415283205
• ISBN-13: 978-0415283205
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #843,675 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On Aggression, February 28, 2005

By 

Richard Cunningham (United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: On Aggression (Harvest Book, Hb 291) (Paperback)

This is the best known book by the Nobel Prize winning researcher Konrad Lorenz. Although some of his ideas may have become superceded by the Richard Dawkin's school of Ethology/SocioBiology (Dawkins wrote the excellent "The Selfish Gene", "The Extended Phenotype", "The Blind Watchmaker", and "River Out Of Eden" among others), they both collaborated with the renowned Nobel Prize winner, Niko(laas) Tinbergen. Essential reading for understanding species behavior and interaction.

Lorenz became active in the Green Party as an environmental advocate. For those interested primarily with his views on human ecology and civilization, a good follow up book to this is "Civilized Man's Eight Deadly Sins"(1974).

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone should read this book., August 5, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: On Aggression (Harvest Book, Hb 291) (Paperback)

Is TV to blame for human violence? Some people believe so. But in the countries with censored violence-free media the crime rate is even worse. According to the author aggression is innate, it evolved because environment made it necessary for the survival of the species. Aggression is also responsible for the development of personal relationships: one has to know whom not to kill. If there was no aggression there would be no biological need for friendship. The author proves his explanation of human behavior using numerous observations on various animal species, including the species that exhibit aggression and the ones that don't.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Still relevant today, June 9, 2007

By 

Matthew Smith "Roger Mexico" (TN USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: RC Series Bundle: On Aggression (Routledge Classics) (Paperback)

Very in depth and detailed book. You can tell two things from reading this.

1. That Konrad Lorenz loved what he did and did it with a passion unlikely to be exceeded by anyone.

2. That he didn't miss much of anything.

This is not my field so keep in mind this review is for the amateur like me. The book bogs down a little in places due to the detail the author emphasizes. This attention to detail is, of course, also what makes the book so good. It is the little details and observing every little movement and action then using the information gathered through those thousands of hours of close scrutiny to form conclusions as to why animals behave the way they do that makes this work a time tested masterpiece. My warning would be to be ready for this level of detail and you will be rewarded with a deeper understanding of the world around you and our own nature. The difficulty of the book is far exceeded by the rewards gained.