The Ant and the Peacock

By Helena Cronin,

Book cover of The Ant and the Peacock: Altruism and Sexual Selection from Darwin to Today

Book description

This book is a success story. It explains two long-running puzzles of the theory of natural selection. How can natural selection favour those, like the ant, that renounce tooth and claw in favour of the public-spirited ways of the commune? How can it explain the peacock's tail, flamboyant and a…

When you buy books, we may earn a commission that helps keep our lights on (or join the rebellion as a member).

Why read it?

1 author picked The Ant and the Peacock as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

The gene’s-eye view of evolution emerged in the 1960s and 1970s. Arguing that biologists are better off thinking about evolution in terms of genes rather than organisms was controversial, but still quickly gained popularity. An important reason for this was that it helped make sense of old, long-standing problems in the field. Two of those were sexual selection (how extravagant traits like the peacocks tail can evolve) and altruism (like the sterile worker ant devoting its life to the queen). In The Ant and the Peacock, Helena Cronin shows how the gene’s-eye view provides a powerful way to solve…

From J.'s list on selfish genes.

Want books like The Ant and the Peacock?

Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 95 books like The Ant and the Peacock.

Browse books like The Ant and the Peacock

Book cover of The Extended Phenotype: The Long Reach of the Gene
Book cover of Defenders of the Truth: The Sociobiology Debate
Book cover of Evolution and the Levels of Selection

Share your top 3 reads of 2024!

And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.

1,209

readers submitted
so far, will you?

5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in ants, altruism, and natural selection?

Ants 28 books
Altruism 21 books