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There is A LOT of theory in this book. He will typically describe an organisms behavior or behavioral trends and then desrcibe the competing hypothoses for these trends, phenomena or divergance from these typical trends.

Like I said though, this book is technical. Don't attempt reading it unless you have completed 2 courses of undergrad biology and calculus, as well as chemisty (most of the chemicals used by ants and the like involve simple organic compounds I was a chem major myself.)

In other words, this is not like On Human Nature or Journey to the Ants: This is more like a 3rd or 4th year advanced biology course textbook.


Recommended by a dissenter   April 8, 2003
Great read! Well written, well thought out but I disagree strongly with parallels drawn with human societies. Would recommend this wholeheartedly for every thoughtful reader.


a classic!   March 7, 2002
I rated it a 5, so theres not much left to say. Its a classic and if you are involved anywhere in the biological sciences you should have this book on your shelf (especially if you want to understand the new papers coming out on biodiversity such as those that challenge the ideas of island biography).


A foundational work in the natural sciences   May 23, 2001
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

One has to wonder what all the controversy was about, back when this book was first printed. (In fact, there is an excellent book on the subject of that controversy, so I won't get into that.)

But here, and in "Consilience," Wilson was making a very important case which we cannot ignore or dismiss: the ancient Greeks dreamed of all knowledge coming together, and we are in a position to start making this happen. For example, we would regard a chemist proposing a theory which violated the laws of physics with deep suspicion. Physics and chemistry are already conceptually united, and I think mathematics falls into that domain, as does astronomy.

Psychology allegedly lies in an entirely different domain.

What about biology? Is it possible for a biologist to propose a theory which violates the laws of evolution, and remain coherent?

In any case, this is where much of the excitement of the 21st century is going to come from.

A landmark work!


A must for every professional bookshelf, but dated   July 8, 2000
I have felt for years that this is probably the best single reference on behavioural ecology up through 1975 & actively seek out used copies to give my students, so it is nice to see a relatively cheap re-print. SOCIOBIOLOGY has a massive Lit. Cited (up to date of original publication) and contains all the really useful bits of Wilson & Bossert's very useful PRIMER OF POPULATION BIOLOGY. It also has some lovely examples of pioneering studies in behavioural ecology that in some cases have been taken to very exciting "next levels" over the past quarter century & in other cases still lie fallow. Wilson's style is readable and I still feel that this book makes a good foundation block for a personal library, but it is essential that one gets more recent stuff as well, including both the critics and the elaborators. This is the beginning only.