A century and a half after the publication of Origin of Species, evolutionary thinking has expanded beyond the field of biology to include virtually all human-related subjects-anthropology, archeology, psychology, economics, religion, morality, politics, culture, and art. Now a distinguished scholar offers the first comprehensive account of the evolutionary origins of art and storytelling. Brian Boyd explains why we tell stories, how our minds are shaped to understand them, and what difference an evolutionary understanding ...
Read More
A century and a half after the publication of Origin of Species, evolutionary thinking has expanded beyond the field of biology to include virtually all human-related subjects-anthropology, archeology, psychology, economics, religion, morality, politics, culture, and art. Now a distinguished scholar offers the first comprehensive account of the evolutionary origins of art and storytelling. Brian Boyd explains why we tell stories, how our minds are shaped to understand them, and what difference an evolutionary understanding of human nature makes to stories we love. Art is a specifically human adaptation, Boyd argues. It offers tangible advantages for human survival, and it derives from play, itself an adaptation widespread among more intelligent animals. More particularly, our fondness for storytelling has sharpened social cognition, encouraged cooperation, and fostered creativity. After considering art as adaptation, Boyd examines Homer's Odyssey and Dr. Seuss's Horton Hears a Who! demonstrating how an evolutionary lens can offer new understanding and appreciation of specific works. What triggers our emotional engagement with these works? What patterns facilitate our responses? The need to hold an audience's attention, Boyd underscores, is the fundamental problem facing all storytellers. Enduring artists arrive at solutions that appeal to cognitive universals: an insight out of step with contemporary criticism, which obscures both the individual and universal. Published for the bicentenary of Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of Origin of Species, Boyd's study embraces a Darwinian view of human nature and art, and offers a credo for a new humanism.
Read Less
Add this copy of On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and to cart. $9.41, good condition, Sold by Websters Bookstore Cafe rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from State College, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Belknap Press: An Imprint of Har.
Add this copy of On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and to cart. $9.44, good condition, Sold by Goodwill Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Hillsboro, OR, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by The Belknap Press.
Add this copy of On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and to cart. $9.44, good condition, Sold by Goodwill of Colorado rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by The Belknap Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
This item is in overall good condition. Covers and dust jackets are intact but may have minor wear including slight curls or bends to corners as well as cosmetic blemishes including stickers. Pages are intact but may have minor highlighting/ writing. Binding is intact; however, spine may have slight wear overall. Digital codes may not be included and have not been tested to be redeemable and/or active. Minor shelf wear overall. Please note that all items are donated goods and are in used condition. Orders shipped Monday through Friday! Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Orders shipped Monday through Friday. Your purchase helps put people to work and learn life skills to reach their full potential. Thank you!
Add this copy of On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and to cart. $9.99, very good condition, Sold by Half Price Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Belknap Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and to cart. $11.66, fair condition, Sold by Goodwill of Orange County rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Ana, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Belknap Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. Book has internal/external wear and/or highlighting and underlining. It may have creases on the cover and some folded pages. This is a USED book. Codes have been used. This is a USED book, it is subject to external and interior wear including, underlining, highlighting, annotations, water damage, minor scuffs and tears. This is a donated book accepted as is. Stickers and sticker residue on the cover should be expected, as well as spine wear from use. There are NO codes or disc(s) included. All items ship Monday-Friday within 2-3 business days. Thank you for supporting Goodwill of OC.
Add this copy of On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and to cart. $13.68, very good condition, Sold by BooksRun rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Philadelphia, PA, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.
Add this copy of On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and to cart. $14.53, fair condition, Sold by Goodwill rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brooklyn Park, MN, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by The Belknap Press.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Fair. There is handwriting and/or underlining and or highlighting in the book Item has stickers or notes attached to cover and/or pages that have not been removed to prevent further damage Corners are bent. Stains on outside cover/inside the book. Writing on first page.
Add this copy of On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and to cart. $16.57, good condition, Sold by HPB-Red rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Belknap Press: An Imprint of Har.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have some wear or writing/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and to cart. $23.00, very good condition, Sold by Bookwitch rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Concord, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2010 by Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2010.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Near Fine. Book Royal octavo, softcover, near fine in white pictorial wraps. Clean and unmarked. Integrating a vast array of findings in the social and biological sciences and in the history of the arts, Boyd makes a compelling case for art as an adaptive human behavior. I can think of no similar work in contemporary literary theory; I have to go back to Northrop Frye's Anatomy of Criticism for a work of comparable imaginative sweep and analytical precision. 540 pp. including index.
Add this copy of On the Origin of Stories: Evolution, Cognition, and to cart. $24.00, very good condition, Sold by Pistil Books Online rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Seattle, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2009 by Belknap / Harvard.