Publisher's Synopsis
"We humans have an extraordinary capacity for compassion. Much of it in response to the atrocities we inflict on the planet, its animals, and each other. The popular explanation for this paradox is that we evolved as carnivorous "killer apes," who gradually curbed our lust for violence, with frequent exceptions, by implementing humane social norms. This explanation is so well worn, especially in the American psyche, that it epitomizes cliché. So, we could be forgiven for believing it, when nearly every word is fiction. Current research shows that our species narrowly survived extinction in the last Ice Age only because we evolved to become inherently friendly, conciliatory, and nonviolent-all feminine attributes. During that time, we retreated into rich, verdant landscapes that contained foods that didn't run away from us or bite back; plant foods that our bodies preferred. The verdict is clear: Our original biological and social progra
