To most biologists, sociobiology represents the concept of strict Darwinian individual selection married to an analytical application of ecological principles and brought to bear on social behavior in an unusually exciting and productive way. Joining the biologists are a small number of social scientists. But there are radically divergent views as to how the field should be delimited, and sociobiology is one of the most widely discussed fields in biology and anthropology today. The symposium on which this book is based was arranged by a biologist and an anthropologist. The participants, leaders in their fields, ably present contrasting and responsible views on current issues. This is the first collection of essays on sociobiology in which opposing views are aired. It is an exciting, timely book and an important historical document.

To most biologists, sociobiology represents the concept of strict Darwinian individual selection married to an analytical application of ecological principles and brought to bear on social behavior in an unusually exciting and productive way. Joining the biologists are a small number of social scientists. But there are radically divergent views as to how the field should be delimited, and sociobiology is one of the most widely discussed fields in biology and anthropology today. The symposium on which this book is based was arranged by a biologist and an anthropologist. The participants, leaders in their fields, ably present contrasting and responsible views on current issues. This is the first collection of essays on sociobiology in which opposing views are aired. It is an exciting, timely book and an important historical document.

Originally published in 1983, this volume is a collection of papers by research workers active at the time. It includes reviews of special areas within the field and discussions of interactions with other behavioral sciences such as psychology, ethology, and sociobiology. Applications to medicine, psychiatry, and education are also considered. Contributors were encouraged to integrate history, present knowledge, and projections for the future. Although the book is not divided into sections there is some grouping of related chapters.

First published in 1983. The aim of this book was to get a sense of how scientists viewed their own comparative domain. Using references from a variety of fields including anthropology, ethology, genetics, philosophy, psychology, and zoology. It includes a diversity of approaches for discussion on how to compare behavior.