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{{short description|1999 book by Peter Singer}}
⚫ '''''A Darwinian Left: Politics, Evolution and Cooperation''''' is a book by ] (Yale University Press, ISBN 0-300-08323-8), which argues that the view of human nature provided by evolution (e.g., ]) is compatible with and should be incorporated into the ideological framework of the ]. Evolutionary views of human nature had previously been regarded as supportive of the political Right (], often associated with ideas of ]).
{{Infobox book | <!-- See Misplaced Pages:WikiProject_Books -->
| name = A Darwinian Left: Politics, Evolution and Cooperation
⚫ | image = A Darwinian Left.jpg
| caption = Cover of the first edition
| author = ]
| country = United States
| language = English
| subject = ]
| publisher = ]
| pub_date = 1999
| media_type = Print (])
| pages = 70
| isbn = 0-297-64336-3
}}
⚫ '''''A Darwinian Left: Politics, Evolution and Cooperation''''' is a 1999 book by the philosopher ]. In the book, Singer argues that the view of human nature provided by evolutionary science, particularly by ], is compatible with the ideological framework of the ] and should be incorporated into it.


==Summary==
Singer's argument is that the Left will be better able to achieve its social and economic goals if it incorporates the more accurate view of human nature provided by evolution: "To be blind to the facts about human nature is to risk disaster". For example, Singer argues that the Left's view of human nature as highly malleable, which he identifies with ] and the ], is incorrect. Singer believes that the Left will be better able to achieve its social and economic goals if it incorporates the more accurate view of human nature provided by evolutionary science: "To be blind to the facts about human nature is to risk disaster". For example, Singer argues that the Left's view of human nature as highly malleable, which he identifies with ] and the ], is incorrect.

Singer argues that evolutionary psychology suggests that humans naturally tend to be self-interested. He further argues that the evidence that selfish tendencies are natural must not be taken as evidence that selfishness is right. He concludes that ] (the mathematical study of strategy) and experiments in psychology offer hope that self-interested people will make short-term sacrifices for the good of others, if society provides the right conditions. Essentially, Singer claims that although humans possess selfish, competitive tendencies naturally, they have a substantial capacity for ] that has also been selected for during ].<ref>{{cite journal|title=How the Left Got Darwin Wrong|url=http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-the-left-got-darwin-w|journal=Scientific American|access-date=25 May 2012|author=Leigh Van Valen|date=June 20, 2000|volume = 282|issue = 6|pages = 110–112|doi = 10.1038/scientificamerican0600-110|bibcode = 2000SciAm.282f.110S}}</ref>

==Reception==
The philosopher ] has criticised the book's handling of ], saying that it contains "credulous retailing of sociobiological speculations" while noting that "much of this book is admirable in its clarity, directness, and grasp of central points".<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Kitcher | first1 = P. | title = Peter Singer, A Darwinian Left: Politics, Evolution, and Cooperation | doi = 10.1086/339782 | journal = Ethics | volume = 112 | issue = 4 | pages = 861–863 | year = 2002 | s2cid = 157916755 }}</ref>

The philosopher Peter Amato writes that "Singer's characterizations of the Left unfortunately distort and deny its variety and the complexity of the issues Leftists are concerned with", and that his "Darwinist anti-Marxism is based on an ideological oversimplification of both positions".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Amato|first=Peter|date=2003|title=A Darwinian Left|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.5840/soctheorpract200329325|journal=Social Theory and Practice|volume=29|issue=3|pages=515–522|doi=10.5840/soctheorpract200329325|issn=0037-802X}}</ref>

==See also==
* '']: The Modern Denial of Human Nature''
* '']''


==References== ==References==
{{reflist}}
{{No footnotes|date=December 2009}}

== External links == ==External links==
* Peter Singer Excerpted from ''A Darwinian Left'', pp.&nbsp;60-63.
* . By ]. Scientific American. * Peter Singer Excerpted from ''A Darwinian Left'', pp.&nbsp;60–63.
* . Anonymous reviewer. The Complete Review. * . Anonymous reviewer. The Complete Review.


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Latest revision as of 07:35, 3 January 2025

1999 book by Peter Singer
A Darwinian Left: Politics, Evolution and Cooperation
Cover of the first edition
AuthorPeter Singer
LanguageEnglish
SubjectHuman nature
PublisherWeidenfeld & Nicolson
Publication date1999
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (Hardcover)
Pages70
ISBN0-297-64336-3

A Darwinian Left: Politics, Evolution and Cooperation is a 1999 book by the philosopher Peter Singer. In the book, Singer argues that the view of human nature provided by evolutionary science, particularly by evolutionary psychology, is compatible with the ideological framework of the Left and should be incorporated into it.

Summary

Singer believes that the Left will be better able to achieve its social and economic goals if it incorporates the more accurate view of human nature provided by evolutionary science: "To be blind to the facts about human nature is to risk disaster". For example, Singer argues that the Left's view of human nature as highly malleable, which he identifies with Marxism and the standard social science model, is incorrect.

Singer argues that evolutionary psychology suggests that humans naturally tend to be self-interested. He further argues that the evidence that selfish tendencies are natural must not be taken as evidence that selfishness is right. He concludes that game theory (the mathematical study of strategy) and experiments in psychology offer hope that self-interested people will make short-term sacrifices for the good of others, if society provides the right conditions. Essentially, Singer claims that although humans possess selfish, competitive tendencies naturally, they have a substantial capacity for cooperation that has also been selected for during human evolution.

Reception

The philosopher Philip Kitcher has criticised the book's handling of sociobiology, saying that it contains "credulous retailing of sociobiological speculations" while noting that "much of this book is admirable in its clarity, directness, and grasp of central points".

The philosopher Peter Amato writes that "Singer's characterizations of the Left unfortunately distort and deny its variety and the complexity of the issues Leftists are concerned with", and that his "Darwinist anti-Marxism is based on an ideological oversimplification of both positions".

See also

References

  1. Leigh Van Valen (June 20, 2000). "How the Left Got Darwin Wrong". Scientific American. 282 (6): 110–112. Bibcode:2000SciAm.282f.110S. doi:10.1038/scientificamerican0600-110. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  2. Kitcher, P. (2002). "Peter Singer, A Darwinian Left: Politics, Evolution, and Cooperation". Ethics. 112 (4): 861–863. doi:10.1086/339782. S2CID 157916755.
  3. Amato, Peter (2003). "A Darwinian Left". Social Theory and Practice. 29 (3): 515–522. doi:10.5840/soctheorpract200329325. ISSN 0037-802X.

External links

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