Rating: 
Summary: An quality, informative read!
Review: This book is a study in the potential for cooperation between author and reader...In addition to finding "Monkeys & Bees" an informative, and at times, entertaining read, I enjoyed Lee Alan Dugatkin's writing style, he avoids standard textbook rhythms that can make learning tedious, and injects enough of his personality that I felt engaged, not lectured. The questions are posed, the research presented, but I feel that ultimately the conclusions are up to me.
Rating:
Summary: An quality, informative read!
Review: This book is a study in the potential for cooperation between author and reader...In addition to finding "Monkeys & Bees" an informative, and at times, entertaining read, I enjoyed Lee Alan Dugatkin's writing style, he avoids standard textbook rhythms that can make learning tedious, and injects enough of his personality that I felt engaged, not lectured. The questions are posed, the research presented, but I feel that ultimately the conclusions are up to me.
Rating: 
Summary: Sadly confused
Review: This book tries to do two things: summarize the findings of evoltionary thinking on the development of co-operation, and relate these to making humans more co-operative.On the first goal this book isn't too bad. it has a lot less meat than Ridley's book on co-operation, or anything by Dawkins. But as an intor for those new to this stuff it isn't too bad. When he tries to tie it to humans, and drags in his religion too, he makes a muddle of it. Some of what he suggests is just embarrassing. He is evidently confused on what is and is not group selection too. Read Axelrod, The Evolution of Cooperation or Ridley, The Origins of Virtue instead.
Rating:
Summary: Worse than Dawkins-lite, it's Dawkins-weak
Review: This strikes me as just a watered down Reader's Digest version of Dawkins. As a scientist, I'm truly surprised that Sir Robert May endorsed this work. I thought he was more disconcerting than that. I found the final chapter of speculative religion totally out of place in an otherwise ho-hum redeaux. I particularly didn't appreciate having the book conclude with an argument from authority, even if it was from Einstein.
Rating:
Summary: Good summary of research results on animal cooperation
Review: Well-written review of what is known about cooperation among animals. The author limits himself to the straightforward thesis that the study of cooperation among animals is a base that can help us understand and potentially improve human cooperation. He carefully recognizes that cooperation among humans is more complex and also includes effects from human culture and morality. This is a good book for a first read by a layman in the subject; the selection of material is not biased to support a controversial thesis. Somebody already acquainted with the literature will already know most of the research results covered here. And for those interested in human culture and morality, this book provides only the background to begin thinking about their effect on cooperation. The second half of the book is better than the first half.
Rating:
Summary: Good summary of research results on animal cooperation
Review: Well-written review of what is known about cooperation among animals. The author limits himself to the straightforward thesis that the study of cooperation among animals is a base that can help us understand and potentially improve human cooperation. He carefully recognizes that cooperation among humans is more complex and also includes effects from human culture and morality. This is a good book for a first read by a layman in the subject; the selection of material is not biased to support a controversial thesis. Somebody already acquainted with the literature will already know most of the research results covered here. And for those interested in human culture and morality, this book provides only the background to begin thinking about their effect on cooperation. The second half of the book is better than the first half.
| 
