Product Description

In this sure-to-be-controversial book, Randy Thornhill and Craig Palmer use evolutionary biology to explain the cause of rape and to recommend new approaches to its prevention. According to Thornhill and Palmer, evolved adaptation of some sort gives rise to rape; the main evolutionary question is whether rape is an adaptation itself or a by-product of other adaptations. Regardless of the answer, Thornhill and Palmer note, rape circumvents a central feature of women's reproductive strategy: mate choice. This is a primary reason why rape is devastating to its victims, especially young women. Thornhill and Palmer address, and claim to demolish scientifically, many myths about rape bred by social science theory over the past 25 years. The popular contention that rapists are not motivated by sexual desire is, they argue, scientifically inaccurate. Although they argue that rape is biological, Thornhill and Palmer do not view it as inevitable. Their recommendations for rape prevention include teaching young males not to rape, punishing rape more severely, and studying the effectiveness of "chemical castration". They also recommend that young women consider the biological causes of rape when making decisions about dress, appearance and social activities. Rape could cease to exist, they argue, only in a society knowledgeable about its evolutionary causes. The book includes a useful summary of evolutionary theory and a comparison of evolutionary biology's and social science's explanations of human behaviour. The authors argue for the greater explanatory power and practical usefulness of evolutionary biology. The book is sure to stir up discussion both on the specific topic of rape and on the larger issues of how we understand and influence human behaviour.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #408087 in Books
• Published on: 2000-02-14
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 272 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
In the past three decades the notion that rape is a crime of misogynistic violence rather than of misguided lust has gone from being a cutting-edge feminist theory to being an accepted criminological fact. So widespread and pervasive is this view of rape, accepted by politicians, judges and educators alike, to challenge it is to risk academic ostracism.

Now two American biologists, Randy Thornhill and Craig Palmer, have risked precisely that. Their carefully weighed thesis is that rape is not the culturally learned behaviour of conditioned woman-haters, rather it is a Darwinian adaptation, an instinctive behaviourism typical of males (of many species) seeking to mate and propagate with otherwise unavailable fertile young females. In other words, rape IS sexual.

Predictably, this theory has caused outrage. Feminist lawyers says it gives rapists a "genetic excuse"; feminist academics say it ignores male-on-male rape, and rape of non-fertile females. In response to such expected critiques Thornhill and Palmer have adduced a persuasive mass of evidence from fields as diverse as zoology, psychology and haute couture. And the facts are truly curious. Did you know that women dress more skimpily during ovulation?

This is not a flawless text. It is too reductive. The writing is thick with scientific jargon: you should know the meanings of 'morphological' and 'phenotype' before you start. And sometimes the book becomes a bit of a rant against the "closed minds" of its politically correct opponents. But maybe that is to quibble too much: this is still an exhilarating and exciting book; it is also a very courageous attempt to throw some scientific light on a treacherously murky subject. --Sean Thomas

Review
"This is a courageous, intelligent, and eye-opening book with a noble goal--to understand and eliminate a loathsome crime. Armed with logic and copious data, Thornhill and Palmer will force many intellectuals to decide which they value more: established dogma and ideology, or the welfare of real women in the real world." --Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and author of "How the Mind Works" and "Words and Rules"

Customer Reviews

It is not what you think
It is hard to believe that the first reviewer read this rather dry, but nontheless thought-provoking book. The authors are at pains to discredit the 'naturalistic fallacy' --- that a behaviour or trait should be considered 'morally' good just because it may have been increased or augmented through the entirely amoral process of natural selection.

On the contrary, rape is a horrific crime --- and the authors explain why it is so horrific. But trying to prevent or reduce rape whilst we accept --- without rational argument --- the 'social sciences position', that rape is all about power and nothing to do with sex, is doomed to failure.

Any reasonable person can see that this book does not justify rape (Nothing can --- not even the Marquis de Sade). I would say that a man reading this book would if anything, be less likely to use any form of sexual coercion, and more ashamed of having done so. I suspect this book comes closer than any other to suggesting positive action that we could take to reduce the expression of part of our evolved biology in this most hideous form. Texts based on ideology, however, cannot help us: our genes came from natural, not political selection.

If you are looking for a sexual thrill, a justification for unacceptable behaviour, if you cannot stand to have your ideas challenged, or even if you are not interested in reading academic books --- leave this well alone. Otherwise read it.

Evolutionary Biology strikes again.
Being a string believer in Evolutionary Biology, I recommend this book to anyone who are interested in answering the "Why" of things.

The authors go in depth as to describing why evolutionary biology has been used as a approach to describe Rape and compare it other works on the subject (sometimes a bit too ostentatious though).

Dogma downed
If when you finish reading this book you start wondering why you hear the word rape every week but you almost never hear the word cuckold you're on the road to understanding one of the late 20th Century's most malicious deceipts.
This book exposes an important truth. It will be ignored and suppressed. Help prevent that happening by reading it.