The field of the biology of morality has expanded substantially in recent decades — and it is still growing. Major books are listed below — with links to brief reviews for biology teachers and general readers. For a synoptic commentary on all the books, see the review essay.
|
See books listed...
by author
by title
|
Highly Recommended
|
![](./ridley.gif) The Origins of Virtue, by Matt Ridley |
![](./katz.jpg) Evolutionary Origins of Morality: Cross- Disciplinary Perspectives, ed. by Leonard Katz |
![](dewaal1.gif) Good Natured: The Origins of Right and Wrong in Humans and Other Animals, by Frans de Waal |
![](boehm.jpg) Hierarchy in the Forest: The Evolution of Egalitarian Behavior, by Christopher Boehm |
Recommended
|
![](./sober-wilson.gif) Unto Others: The Evolution and Psychology of Unselfish Behavior, by Elliott Sober & David Sloan Wilson |
![](axelrod.jpg) The Evolution of Cooperation, by Robert Axelrod |
![](./skyrms.gif) Evolution of the Social Contract, by Brian Skyrms |
![](./richards.gif) Darwin and the Emergence of Evolutionary Theories of Mind and Behavior, by Robert Richards |
![](b-descent1.jpg) ![](b-descent2.jpg) ![](b-emotions.jpg) |
<==
The Descent of Man & The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals,
by Charles Darwin |
![](sinnott-armstrong.jpg) Moral Psychology (3 vols.), ed. by Walter Sinnott-Armstrong |
![](dewaal2.jpg) The Ape and the Sushi Master, by Frans de Waal |
Important Views on the Limits & Cultural Contexts of Science
|
![](./lrk.jpg) Not in Our Genes, by Richard C. Lewontin, Steven Rose & Leon J. Kamin |
![](./lewontin.jpg) Biology as Ideology: The Doctrine of DNA, by Richard C. Lewontin |
![](./rose.jpg) Lifelines: Life Beyond the Gene, by Steven Rose |
|
![](farber.jpg) The Temptations of Evolutionary Ethics, by Paul Farber |
![](bradie.gif) The Secret Chain, by Michael Bradie |
![](./richardson.jpg) Evolutionary Psychology as Maladapted Psychology, by Robert Richardson |
![](macmillan.jpg) An Odd Kind of Fame: Stories of Phineas Gage, by Malcolm Macmillan |
Informative
|
![](stent.jpg) Morality as a Biological Phenomenon, edited by Gunther Stent |
![](richerson-boyd.gif) Not By Genes Alone, by Peter Richerson and Robert Boyd |
Primates and Philosophers, by Frans de Waal & commentators |
![](maienschein.gif) Biology and the Foundations of Ethics, edited by Jane Maienschein and Michael Ruse |
![](sterelny.jpg) The Evolution of Agency and Other Essays, by Kim Sterelny |
![](waller.jpg) The Natural Selection of Autonomy, by Bruce Waller |
![](rottschaefer.jpg) The Biology and Psychology of Moral Agency, by William Roffschaffer |
![](joyce.jpg) The Evolution of Morality, by Richard Joyce |
Not Recommended (Approach Critically)
|
![](wrightX.gif) The Moral Animal, by Robert Wright |
![](./shermerX.gif) The Science of Good and Evil, by Michael Shermer |
![](etcoffX.jpg) Survival of the Prettiest, by Nancy Etcoff |
|