This work has had significant impact on the social and biological sciences and is now a classic point of reference for investigations of behavioral...
read full description
reviews
Jan 23, 2010
Jafar
rated it: 
This book was written around 50 years ago. It may be one of the earlier solid attempts in sociobiology and evolutionary psychology. The subject of the book is aggression. Aggression, which is between the members of the same species, should not be confused with the predatory behavior towards the members of other species. Lorenz, one of founders of ethology, presents a detailed treatment of aggression in animals and the purposes that it serves. Then he moves on to humans. The implication is that a
More...
Jun 20, 2011
Tony
rated it: 
Lorenz, Konrad. ON AGGRESSION. (1966). ***.
Lorenz, the eminent scientist and Nobel Prize winner, asks a couple of questions: 1) Why and to what end do animals of one species fight each other, and, 2) why do even human beings do the same? Is there really a sinister instinct of self-destruction which is the counterpart to all other instincts preserving the life of the individual and the species, and which threatens humanity with annihilation? In this dense, but informative book, Loren More...
Lorenz, the eminent scientist and Nobel Prize winner, asks a couple of questions: 1) Why and to what end do animals of one species fight each other, and, 2) why do even human beings do the same? Is there really a sinister instinct of self-destruction which is the counterpart to all other instincts preserving the life of the individual and the species, and which threatens humanity with annihilation? In this dense, but informative book, Loren More...
Jan 23, 2012
Samuel
rated it: 
I've know about Lorenz since I was a little boy. I remember that when he died, in 1989, the portuguese TV reminded him in a TV documentary of some episodes about the life of the man that could made little goslings walk beside him and everyone feel fascinated by those pictures.
I've heard about is ideas on human behaviour some years after that and I reminded curious about the observations he have made about them, some like: the intraspecific competition and the way the aggression first More...
I've heard about is ideas on human behaviour some years after that and I reminded curious about the observations he have made about them, some like: the intraspecific competition and the way the aggression first More...
Aug 08, 2008
Karson
rated it:
The author was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for this book. It looks at the functional nature of aggression as it is found in nature in animal populations and explains much of human behavior in the context of its natural root in any society or group. It is fairly easy to read in the first few chapters, and then I experienced some interest doldrums which I am currently stuck in. However, it has so much applicable information in the first few chapters that regardless of what is left for me to rea
More...
Sep 23, 2011
Sunny
rated it:
stunning book. perhaps one of the most underrated books ive ever read. a bit boring i shoud add in parts when it goes into animals and random fishes a bit too much but the ecce homo chapter is almost as good as Nietzsches book of the same name! - the book talks about how historically (cromagnon, neanderthal days) weve had vens for our agression but now in an over ritualized societies we dont have as many opportunities for catharsis. and when we do it explodes. the chapter on rats and the link to
More...
Mar 09, 2011
Katja
rated it:
This books tells you a lot about aggression, what it is good for, how animals of different kinds cope with it, how it relates to love, etc. -- interesting stuff! What really impressed me were the stories about animals who turn out to be "highly emotional people of very limited intelligence" (Lorenz quoting from Oskar Heinroth). They love, can be jealous, suffer when the loved ones do not pay attention to them, get depressed or enthusiastic, feel sorrow and mourn the loss of close frien
More...
May 13, 2010
Steven
rated it:
Konrad Lorenz was one of the most eminent ethologists of his era. This book is his extended speculation about the nature of aggression. It is a good exposition of his views. However, his theoretical perspective, based on the concept of "instinct," was a bit simplistic. Nonetheless, a classic of its kind. . . .
Aug 20, 2011
Elizabeth
rated it:
I was actually very bored by this book. Most of the ideas are very outdated. Often times it was very difficult to follow the point he was trying to make. Much of the behavior we know, you can find some of a base in his theories. Often he makes some of his ideas into absolutes. Any behaviorist/scientist knows there are no absolutes when it comes to other beings' behavior. Read it for fun but don't expect to get much out of it.
Dec 20, 2010
Al
rated it:
Behavior is not excused or justified but can be explained. Human behavior is no different. Auschwitz is not a German problem, any more than Wounded Knee or the Little Big Horn white or Indian problems. Until we learn to accept the fact that these are human problems we will continue to rationalize the fact that we are dangerous predators and unlike a shark are fully aware of that fact, and choose to ignore it.
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Apr 20, 2009
Shirari
rated it:
This book, though it's very pre-identity politics, had a lot of excellent takeaways for me, as a peace activist. It shows how human behavior and animal behavior (humans being animals) reveal patterns that can help us understand how to break free of self-destructive and socially-destructive behaviors like war.
Feb 06, 2008
Sal
rated it:
It predicts the Daily Show! And has great geese anecdotes. And the sentence "Only rarely does one see an animal in such desperation and panic, so conscious of the inevitability of a terrible death, as rat which is about to be slain by rats."
Jun 01, 2008
Andrew
rated it:
this was an old text book from school and will have to re-read, what I remember most is the unique way it described the way humans interact with each other and how we set up boundaries and territories of our own individual will...
Aug 24, 2011
John
rated it:
A pretty dense read but well worth it. With other books (notably, the Naked Ape and Human Zoo) finishing On Aggression gave me a connect(ed)ing the dots feeling.
Dec 20, 2010
Alberto
rated it:
An interesting piece about human and animal instincts by Nobel laureate Lorenz. I think Gorillas in the Fog is based on this book.
Nov 15, 2011
Chris
rated it:
More popular anthropology. I was into it in the 70's. All about geese and sticklebacks(fish) as I recall. Date read is a guess.
Nov 15, 2008
Andrey
rated it:
This is a must-read; helps understand the most essential patterns of human behavior.
Jan 30, 2012
Jan 30, 2012
Jan 19, 2012
Jan 15, 2012
Jan 29, 2012
Jan 07, 2012
