1st Edition

The Genetics of Political Behavior How Evolutionary Psychology Explains Ideology

By Michael Ryan Copyright 2021
204 Pages 6 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

204 Pages 6 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

204 Pages 6 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

In this unique amalgam of neuroscience, genetics, and evolutionary psychology, Ryan argues that leftists and rightists are biologically distinct versions of the human species that came into being at different moments in human evolution. The book argues that the varying requirements of survival at different points in history explain why leftists and rightists have anatomically different brains... Read more

Preface

1. Political Adaptations

2. Evolutionary Models

3. Traits, Brains, Genes

4. Art and the Origin of Civilization

5. The Genetic Geography of Conservatism

6. Religion as Adaptation

7. European History in Light of Evolution

8. Violence Against Others: Torture, Genocide, War

9. The Psychology of Political Correctness

10. Leftist Form and Rightist Substance

11. Dominance and Deception in Economics

12. Is Socialism Adaptive? The Future of H. sapiens

Conclusion

Future Work

Notes

Biography

Michael Ryan is professor emeritus at Temple University. He has published books in the fields of political philosophy, cultural politics, and literary studies. His web page can be found on Academia.edu.

"Michael Ryan synthesizes an absolutely incredible amount of information to arrive at a provocative conclusion regarding the difference between rightists and leftists." -- John R. Hibbing, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA

"This important book is a sparklingly original natural history of the age-old conflict between left and right." -- Richard Wrangham, Harvard University, USA

"Do liberal forms of cooperation and pacifism and conservative forms of competition and authoritarianism have deep origins in our evolutionary history? In prose that is skilled and accessible, Michael P. Ryan makes a passionate, provocative argument that they do. He has read seemingly everything, and he pulls no punches. His book provides food for thought, worry, and, surprisingly, hope." -- John T. Jost, New York University, USA