authors:
- Sapolsky, Robert M
content: 'A grand review of the current state of knowledge concerning Homo sapiens
  and its behavior. Although the neurology chapters were a bit hard to get through,
  the treatment of the genomic, evolutionary, cultural and social context of human
  behavior is extremely informative. Anyone seriously interested in human society
  and behavior should read this book.


  The only issue I have is about the chapter on free will. Its thesis is that free
  will is an illusion and that the criminal justice system therefore is fundamentally
  flawed. I believe this is untenable. Interestingly, Sapolsky seems to acknowledge
  that his view has weird consequences: "If we deny free will when it comes to he
  worst of our behaviors, the same must also apply to the best. [...] I can''t really
  imagine how to live your life as if there is no free will." This undercuts his own
  accusation against free will, namely that it is absurd; his alternative is also,
  apparently, absurd.


  Sapolsky argues from the standpoint of deterministic materialism. In that world
  view, there is no room for logic, knowledge or moral values. And no, one does not
  have to be religious to acknowledge that those things also exist in the universe,
  along with physical entities. Sapolsky does not seem to realize that a universe
  that is purely materialistic implies that the book he has written contains no knowledge,
  arguments, or moral reasoning, just some markings in black paint printed on paper
  which reflects light that just happens to activate certain neurons in the reader''s
  brain. The book, in his universe, does not transmit knowledge, just signals. I wonder
  if he accepts that conclusion.'
date: '2018-09-09'
edition:
  published: '2017'
  publisher: Penguin Press
goodreads: '31170723'
html: '<p>A grand review of the current state of knowledge concerning Homo sapiens
  and its behavior. Although the neurology chapters were a bit hard to get through,
  the treatment of the genomic, evolutionary, cultural and social context of human
  behavior is extremely informative. Anyone seriously interested in human society
  and behavior should read this book.</p>

  <p>The only issue I have is about the chapter on free will. Its thesis is that free
  will is an illusion and that the criminal justice system therefore is fundamentally
  flawed. I believe this is untenable. Interestingly, Sapolsky seems to acknowledge
  that his view has weird consequences: &quot;If we deny free will when it comes to
  he worst of our behaviors, the same must also apply to the best. [...] I can''t
  really imagine how to live your life as if there is no free will.&quot; This undercuts
  his own accusation against free will, namely that it is absurd; his alternative
  is also, apparently, absurd.</p>

  <p>Sapolsky argues from the standpoint of deterministic materialism. In that world
  view, there is no room for logic, knowledge or moral values. And no, one does not
  have to be religious to acknowledge that those things also exist in the universe,
  along with physical entities. Sapolsky does not seem to realize that a universe
  that is purely materialistic implies that the book he has written contains no knowledge,
  arguments, or moral reasoning, just some markings in black paint printed on paper
  which reflects light that just happens to activate certain neurons in the reader''s
  brain. The book, in his universe, does not transmit knowledge, just signals. I wonder
  if he accepts that conclusion.</p>

  '
isbn: '9781594205071'
language: en
lastmod: '2018-09-09'
path: /library/sapolsky-2017.html
published: '2017'
rating: 4
reference: Sapolsky 2017
reviewed: '2018-09-09'
subjects:
- evolution
- human-evolution
- morality
- science
title: 'Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst'
type: book
year: 2017