The Meaning Of Human Existence (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
I think Wilson writes to a popular, non-expert audience. And, while I appreciate his ideas and particularly was struck by the article in changes in theories of fitness in the appendix, I felt as if the book presents itself as simple, so it doesn't need much technical explanation, but it's more complicated than that and so I miss a lot. I wish Wilson would focus on one idea for the book (fitness or why religion is not useful or necessary anymore, or the mind/brain divide, or free will, or how science and humanities can inform one another) with some depth. Also, it seemed like this was a book on how we exist rather than why we exist in any kind of meaningful direction. Chapters focus on how humans have evolved the way we have (in a very general and brief way) but this doesn't offer answers to the question of the meaning of our existence. Wilson emphasizes combining humanities with science so perhaps a longer treatment of that relationship might go further to elucidating meaning, if such a thing is possible. Interesting thought piece about human behavior and destiny by E.O. Wilson, who is the a seminal figure in the field of Sociobiology. Wilson argues for more communications between those who work in the field of science with those who work in the humanities. He also argues against the validity of the concept of inclusive fitness - I'm not a biologist and I'm not familiar with the contours of this discussion. While Wilson had many interesting insights about human behavior ad possibilities on a grand scale, this book didn't give me any thing I could use in my everyday life. I finished this book feeling just a little unsatisfied.
What do You think about The Meaning Of Human Existence (2014)?
Elegantly reasoned and eloquently articulated.
—lia
