Reviews for Community Under Anarchy: Transnational Identity and the Evolution of Cooperation

The average rating for Community Under Anarchy: Transnational Identity and the Evolution of Cooperation based on 2 reviews is 1.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2010-01-16 00:00:00 Mark Gunderson In this book (written in 1949) Lorenz mixes speculations about the nature of dogs with observations of his own and other dogs, and reflections about the relation between the species and humans. I am certain that some of his speculations would not be accepted nowadays; for one thing, he later had to drop his idea that most dogs are descended from the golden jackal Canis aureus, and the behavioral deductions he drew from this idea would have to be modified if not abandoned. Lorenz doesn't always give evidence for his assertions in quite the way I'd expect of a scientist, but after all it's a popular book. In all, there is a lot in this book that recalls the state of animal behavior research at that time; it's a field that has continued to advance rapidly. Some of Lorenz's advice for the care and training of dogs is by no means consistent with modern American ideas -- people have now almost entirely turned against the idea of hitting or physically punishing dogs, for example -- but it's all based on a genuine love and a wish to understand the dog's own needs and inclinations, from a point of view of unsentimental, unanthropomorphized sympathy. This, indeed, is what has kept Man Meets Dog in print to this day, I think: some of the chapters, the last two and others, contain lovely reflections on Lorenz's own emotional relationship to his dogs and on the bonds of mutual duty and understanding between humans and their companion species. There is an understated call to moral improvement here.

Review # 2 was written on 2020-01-18 00:00:00 Beverly Tenenholz Nobel Prize winner Konrad Lorenz writes about his work with dogs, including his theory on their evolution and their relationship with humans. His writing is detailed based upon his closely notated experiences with his own canine friends. This is a different book to read when wanting to learn more about the canine race, as it doesn't really fall under the basic training books or cutesy doggy books. I found it very interesting because he provides ideas that did indeed work with my down-home laid-back mellow American dogs. His dogs come off as rather aristocratic, which I enjoyed, as I still have doubts about the career ambitions of my canines. Still, the work veers more toward science than easy reading, and at times, I couldn't get into his whole Germanic/Austrian Third Reich outlook. That is perhaps more of a reflection on me as a reader, but nevertheless, my honest opinion. Still, I would suggest it as an addition to any library for any guardian of dogs. Book Season = Year Round