Synopses & Reviews
“Exactly the message we need to counter the mythology of the ‘rugged individual’” (Bill Moyers, Progressive Reader).Scientists have long puzzled over the idea that even in the face of natural competition, cooperation would have been necessary for life to evolve. Using his own groundbreaking research, Harvard professor of biology and mathematics Martin Nowak explains that even in pursuing our own interests we have an incentive to be kind to others as this encourages reciprocal kindness; to establish a nice reputation so people will want to work with us; and to work in teams because cooperating teams tend to be successful.
Deftly unpacking the five basic laws of cooperation—Kin Selection, Direct Reciprocity, Indirect Reciprocity, Network Reciprocity, and Group Selection—Nowak sheds new light on the most fundamental mechanics of everyday life.
Review
“Martin Nowak is one of the most creative scientists of our time, and Roger Highfield is a superb science writer. Their insights into the mystery of cooperation will change the way you think about everything. If you're looking for the next Big Idea book, you've just found it.”
—Steven Strogatz, Schurman Professor of Applied Mathematics, Cornell University, and New York Times contributor
Review
"
SuperCooperators looks beyond
The Selfish Gene and invites us to think afresh about evolution. Contrary to the simplistic idea that selfishness is the only strategy for survival, the brilliant Martin Nowak proves that cooperation is also vitally important. This rich and rewarding book teems with new ideas and insights, which co-author Roger Highfield makes wonderfully lucid and entertaining."
—Graham Farmelo, author of The Strangest Man, winner of the Costa Biography Award
Review
"A fantastic journey into the science of cooperation, with important implications for both individuals and society alike."
—Richard Wiseman, author of Paranormality, 59 Seconds and Quirkology
Review
"Martin Nowak is regarded as the foremost mathematical theorist working in evolutionary biology. His contributions on cooperation and altruism here augmented by the expertise of Roger Highfield, fall in one of the most important domains of present-day biology."
—Edward O. Wilson, author of Consilience and Pellegrino University Research Professor, Harvard University
Review
"Roger Highfield deftly weaves together a personal and informative account of the research of Harvard's Martin Nowak to reveal five mechanisms that rule human behaviour. On the way, they explore the origins of life, language, cancer and much more, and highlight how evolution can lead to cooperation as well as competition."
—Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal and recent President of the Royal Society
Review
"A panoramic view of the role of cooperation in the evolution... [A] sweeping survey... Nowak is a mathematical biologist, and his enthusiasm for numbers is extremely useful in his discussions of evolutionary theory. However, thankfully for the mathematically disinclined, there is little hard math here...A fleshed-out, persuasive chronicle of the bright side-collective enterprise-of the evolutionary road."
—Kirkus Reviews
Review
and#8220;[Nowakand#8217;s] willingness to argue for group selection, a theory suggesting that evolution operates beyond the genetic level, reawakens old controversies and#8211; but he does so using innovative mathematical models, able to incorporate dynamism and uncertaintyand#8230; Like other great controversialists, Mr. Nowak moves from decision matrices to emotive moral languageand#8230;all politicians can draw inspiration and ideas from the intellectual resources of this exciting approach.and#8221; andlt;BRandgt; and#8211;andlt;Iandgt;Financial Timesandlt;/Iandgt;
Synopsis
"Exactly the message we need to counter the mythology of the 'rugged individual'" (Bill Moyers, Progressive Reader).
Martin Nowak, one of the world's experts on evolution and game theory, working here with bestselling science writer Roger Highfield, turns an important aspect of evolutionary theory on its head to explain why cooperation, not competition, has always been the key to the evolution of complexity. In his first book written for a wide audience, this hugely influential scientist explains his cutting-edge research into the mysteries of cooperation, from the rise of multicellular life to Good Samaritans, and from cancer treatment to the success of large companies. With wit and clarity, and an eye to its huge implications, Nowak and Highfield make the case that cooperation, not competition, is the defining human trait. SuperCooperators will expand our understanding of evolution and provoke debate for years to come.
Synopsis
Martin Nowak, one of the worldand#8217;s experts on evolution and game theory, working here with bestselling science writer Roger Highfield, turns an important aspect of evolutionary theory on its head to explain why cooperation, not competition, has always been the key to the evolution of complexity. In his first book written for a wide audience, this hugely influential scientist explains his cutting-edge research into the mysteries of cooperation, from the rise of multicellular life to Good Samaritans, and from cancer treatment to the success of large companies. With wit and clarity, and an eye to its huge implications, Nowak and Highfield make the case that cooperation, not competition, is the defining human trait. andlt;Iandgt;SuperCooperators andlt;/Iandgt;will expand our understanding of evolution and provoke debate for years to come.
Synopsis
Martin Nowak, one of the world’s experts on evolution and game theory, working here with bestselling science writer Roger Highfield, turns an important aspect of evolutionary theory on its head to explain why cooperation, not competition, has always been the key to the evolution of complexity. In his first book written for a wide audience, this hugely influential scientist explains his cutting-edge research into the mysteries of cooperation, from the rise of multicellular life to Good Samaritans, and from cancer treatment to the success of large companies. With wit and clarity, and an eye to its huge implications, Nowak and Highfield make the case that cooperation, not competition, is the defining human trait. SuperCooperators will expand our understanding of evolution and provoke debate for years to come.
About the Author
andlt;bandgt;MARTIN A. NOWAKandlt;/bandgt; is Professor of Biology and Mathematics at Harvard University. He is Director of the Program for Evolutionary Dynamics. In 1998 he moved to Princeton to establish the first center in Theoretical Biology at the Institute for Advanced Study. Nowak has won many prizes and has revolutionized the mathematical approach to biology.andnbsp; Nowak has made important contributions to the understanding of virus infections and cancer. He has pioneered the mathematical theory for the evolution of human language and altruistic behavior.andlt;iandgt;Supercooperatorsandlt;/iandgt; will be Nowak's first book for a general audienceandlt;bandgt;.andlt;/bandgt;andlt;bandgt;ROGER HIGHFIELD, Ph.D.andlt;/bandgt; (Co-Writer) is the Editor of andlt;iandgt;New Scientistandlt;/iandgt; magazine, which is now the worldand#8217;s biggest selling weekly science and technology magazine. He has written/coauthored six popular science books, two of which have been bestsellers, including andlt;iandgt;After Dolly, The Science of Harry Potter, The Physics of Christmas, The Private Lives of Albert Einstein,andlt;/iandgt; and andlt;iandgt;Frontiers of Complexity.andlt;/iandgt;andnbsp;His most recent work was as the outside editor on genomic researcher J. Craig Venter's autobiography, andlt;iandgt;A Life Decoded, andlt;/iandgt;published in November, 2007 (Viking, US; Allen Lane, UK) .