He is currently a professor of biology, and professor of neurology and neurological sciences and, by courtesy, neurosurgery, at stanford university. Making a new science, you are the celery of desert. Sapolsky is the author of several works of nonfiction, including a primates memoir, the trouble with testosteron e, and why zebras dont get ulcers. A final important thought everyone needs to be behavioral biologists.
Chaos and reductionism robert sapolsky rocks todays lecture focuses on chaos theory. Sapolsky is a macarthur fellow, a world renowned neurobiologist, and an adept science writer best known for his book. More than a decade in the making, this gamechanging book is robert sapolskys genreshattering attempt to answer that question as fully as perhaps only he could, looking at it from every angle. Sapolsky s storytelling concept is delightful but it also has a powerful intrinsic logic. The chaos book gets into lots of examples and ways in which this is not true or in which the underlying system is both predictable and seemingly random and we dont have a clue how to accurately measure or depict it. From what i understand ofthe book and robert sapolsky in general, it should be pretty good for the layman. Professor robert sapolsky gives what he calls one of the most difficult lectures of the course about chaos and reductionism. This lecture focuses on reduction science and breaking things down to their component parts in order to understand them best. May 21, 2010 professor robert sapolsky gives a lecture on emergence and.
In this fascinating talk, he shares his cutting edge research into the biology that drives our worst and best behaviors. Stanford professor robert sapolsky discusses behavioral evolution ii in detail at stanford. Empathy feeling someones pain is not as likely to lead to useful action as dispassionate sympathy. Robert sapolsky is a professor of biology and neurology at stanford university and has done a great deal of experimental work with primates. A historythat reveals the science behind chaos theory a work of popular science in the tradition of stephen hawking and carl sagan, this 20thanniversary edition of james gleicks groundbreaking bestseller chaos introduces a whole new readership to chaos theory. In this extraordinary survey of the science of human behaviour, the biologist robert sapolsky takes the reader on an epic journey backwards through time, and through different scientific. Insights into the brain, in a book youll wish you had in. Sapolskys autobiography, a primates memoir, on its own a. This includes an introduction to the various buckets. Sapolsky s acclaimed and successful why zebras dont get ulcers features new chapters on how stress affects sleep and addiction, as well as new insights into anxiety and personality disorder and the impact of spirituality on managing stress. In chaos, james gleick, a former science writer for the new york times, shows that he resides in this exclusive category. The intersection of narrative and science in robert sapolskys a.
Sapolsky is professor of biology and neurology at stanford university, a research. Part of whats analyzed is reductive science, which is basically the. It was a finalist for the national book award and the pulitzer prize in 1987, and was shortlisted for the science book prize in 1989. In addition, he is a research associate at the national museums of kenya. He references a book that he assigned to his students. Robert sapolsky said that, chaos is the first book since baby beluga where ive gotten to the last page and immediately started reading it over again from the.
The biology of humans at our best and worst by robert m. Sapolsky s acclaimed and successful why zebras dont get ulcers features new chapters on how stress affects sleep and addiction, as well as new insights into. Both books are good, though the zebras book has more relevant to everyday life information. The millioncopy bestseller by national book award nominee and pulitzer prize finalist james gleickthe author of time travel. A neuroscientists unconventional life among the baboons, and more on. Robert sapolsky said that, chaos is the first book since baby beluga where ive gotten to the last page and immediately started reading it over again from the front. Robert sapolsky is one of the best scientistwriters of our time, able to deal with the weightiest topics both authoritatively and wittily, with so light a tough they become accessible to all. It doesnt take long for robert sapolsky, one of stanfords finest teachers, to pull you right into his course. The biology of humans at our best and worst hardcover may 2, 2017. After im done reading these books and watching more robert sapolsky on youtube, something which always helps buoy my spirits, ill reread chaos.
Few writers distinguish themselves by their ability to write about complicated, even obscure topics clearly and engagingly. In this evolution lecture, he focuses on individual and kin selection, behavioral logic, competitive infanticide, malefemale animal hierarchies, sexratio fluctuation, intersexual competition, imprinted genes, sperm competition, inbredfounder populations, group and multilevel selection, and. Published on feb 1, 2011 may 19, 2010 professor robert sapolsky gives what he calls one of the most difficult lectures of the course about chaos and reductionism. Zero stars unfortunately 1 is minimum honestly, a complete waste of time. Any one of these, on the science of chaos, complexity, or dynamical systems theory.
Robert morris sapolsky born april 6, 1957 is an american neuroendocrinologist and author. Professor of neurology and neurosurgery, stanford university robert sapolsky holds the john a. Robert sapolsky literal cleanliness and orderliness can. Additionally it discusses patterns where there seem to be no patterns within a reductionist model, such as the manner in which atoms conform to the heisenburg uncertainty principle while somehow being predictable on the whole. Why you should listen we all have some measure of stress, and robert sapolsky explores its causes as well as its effects on our bodies his lab was among the first to document the damage that stress can do to our hippocampus. See more ideas about psychology, brain nervous system and human body systems. Now there is a question worth investing a few hours of your life. Sapolsky, including why zebras dont get ulcers, and a primates memoir. Renowned primatologist robert sapolsky offers a completely revised and updated edition of his most popular work, with over 225,000 copies in print now in a third edition, robert m. Littlewood in forming the foundation of chaos theory. Making a new science by james gleick 1988, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. As sapolsky explains, most of us do not lie awake at night worrying. Over a decade in the making, this gamechanging book is robert sapolsky s genreshattering attempt to answer that question as fully as perhaps only he could, looking at it from every angle. It is useful to be informed about behavioral biology if we are, for example.
Robert sapolsky is one of the leading neuroscientists in the world. Sapolsky is really high on this guy so i have to read it again in light of the video posted above. Professor sapolsky is the author of several books, including stress, the aging brain and the mechanisms of neuron death mit press, 1992. How can humans be so compassionate and altruistic and also so brutal and violent. As much as id like to ask all of you to watch them, i know that few of you will. For the past month, i have been watching robert sapolsky give twenty five lectures about the biology of human behavior. Introduction to human behavioral biology robert sapolsky. Along the way there are many counterintuitive ideas and stern lessons. The trouble with testosterone macmillan library reference, 1997. He is a professor of biology and neurology at stanford university and the recipient of a macarthur foundation genius grant.
Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Making a new science is the bestselling book by james gleick that first introduced the principles and early development of chaos theory to the public. Sapolsky is wellknown around campus for his fascinating lectures in human behavioral biology. Robert sapolskys behave offers hope for the human future. Part of whats analyzed is reductive science, which is basically the concept that we can dig deeper and to ever smaller portions of a thing and ultimately gain knowledge about that thing. Making a new science by james gleick 1988, paperback. Wise, humane, often very funny, behave is a towering achievement, powerfully humanizing, and downright heroic in its own right. Sapolsky is the author of several works of nonfiction, including a primates memoir, the trouble with testosterone, and why zebras dont get ulcers. The book is trying to answer a very basic question. Behave the biology of humans at our best and worst by robert m.
To the public at large, he is best known for three books. Literal cleanliness and orderliness can release us from abstract cognitive and affective distress just consider how, during moments where life seems to be spiraling out of control, it can be calming to organize your clothes, clean the living room, get the car washed. The emphasis in this new science of complexity and chaos is on the emergent properties of complex. Sapolsky has 16 books on goodreads with 163834 ratings. Lectures on chaos theory x science disciplines gwen stoll. He lives in san francisco with his wife, two children and dogs. He mentions the two books for the course, why zebras dont get ulcers by robert sapolsky and chaos by james gleick. Here he takes on the job of depicting the first years of the study of chaos the seemingly random patterns that characterise many natural phenomena. Robert sapolsky is one of the leading neuroscientists in the world, studying stress in primates including humans.
Sapolsky s deep study of human behavior, to steve casners users guide. Havent read it yet, but its on my everincreasing list of books to read. He is currently a professor of biology, and professor of. Theres a world of intriguing ideas in these new nonfiction books from five bay area authors. Robert sapolsky discusses a primates memoir, africa, and the primates he observed and studied in the book you touch on some of the cultural and societal changes you have witnessed in your over twenty years of summers in africa.
Some of the books ive read and found interesting over the years. The millioncopy bestseller by national book award nominee and pulitzer. Oliver sacks one of the finest natural history writers around. To understand why we do what we do, neuroscientist robert sapolsky looks at extreme context, examining actions on timescales from seconds to millions of years before they occurred. Sapolsky builds on this understanding to wrestle with some of our deepest and thorniest questions relating to tribalism and xenophobia, hierarchy and competition, morality and free will, and war and peace. May 19, 2010 professor robert sapolsky gives what he calls one of the most difficult lectures of the course about chaos and reductionism. In the second section topics are examined critically via the buckets.
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