The Cannibal Within

The Cannibal Within
Author :
Publisher : Transaction Publishers
Total Pages : 248
Release :
ISBN-10 : 0202369501
ISBN-13 : 9780202369501
Rating : 4/5 (01 Downloads)

Book Synopsis The Cannibal Within by : Lewis F. Petrinovich

Download or read book The Cannibal Within written by Lewis F. Petrinovich and published by Transaction Publishers. This book was released on with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Cannibal Within offers an evolutionary account of the propensity of human beings, in extreme circumstances to eat other human beings, despite the strong Western taboo against such practices. What sets this volume apart from the large body of literature on cannibalism, both popular and anthropological, is the underlying premise: cannibalism as an alternative to starvation is tacitly condoned by the same biological morality that would condemn cannibalism of other sorts in non-threatening situations. Deep as the taboos may be, the survival instinct runs even deeper. The title of the book reflects the author's belief that cannibalism is not a pathology that erupts in psychotic individuals, but is a universal adaptive strategy that is evolutionarily sound. The cannibal is within all of us, and cannibals are within all cultures, should the circumstances demand cannibalism's appearance and usage. Petrinovich's work is rich in historical detail, and rises to a level of theoretical sophistication in addressing a subject too often dealt with in sensationalist terms. The major instances in which survival cannibalism has occurred convinced the author that there is a consistent pattern and a uniform regularity of order in which different kinds of individuals are consumed. In considering who eats whom, when, and under what circumstances, this regularity appears, and it is consistent with what would be expected on the basis of evolutionary or Darwinian theory. In short, he concludes that starvation cannibalism is not a manifestation of the chaotic, psychotic behavior of individuals who are driven to madness, but reveals underlying characteristics of evolved human beings. Lewis Petrinovich is professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology of the University of California, Riverside and is currently a resident of Berkeley, California.


The Cannibal Within Related Books

The Cannibal Within
Language: en
Pages: 248
Authors: Lewis F. Petrinovich
Categories: Social Science
Type: BOOK - Published: - Publisher: Transaction Publishers

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Cannibal Within offers an evolutionary account of the propensity of human beings, in extreme circumstances to eat other human beings, despite the strong Wes
The Cannibal Within
Language: en
Pages: 148
Authors: Mark Mirabello
Categories: Fiction
Type: BOOK - Published: 2005-02 - Publisher: Mandrake

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"They raped me and ate my friend alive." Thus starts this work of erotic horror fiction filled with 'sacrilege, blasphemy, and crime' -- written in a style that
The Cannibal: A Novel
Language: en
Pages: 228
Authors: John Hawkes
Categories: Fiction
Type: BOOK - Published: 1962-01-17 - Publisher: New Directions Publishing

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Cannibal was John Hawkes's first novel, published in 1949. "No synopsis conveys the quality of this now famous novel about an hallucinated Germany in collap
Battle for Cannibal Island
Language: en
Pages: 75
Authors: Marianne Hering
Categories: Juvenile Fiction
Type: BOOK - Published: 2012-10-17 - Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Over 1 million sold in series! It’s 1852 and cousins Patrick and Beth sail to Fiji on the HMS Calliope under the command of Captain James E. Home. They arrive
Cannibalism in Literature and Film
Language: en
Pages: 267
Authors: J. Brown
Categories: Performing Arts
Type: BOOK - Published: 2012-11-14 - Publisher: Springer

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A comprehensive study of cannibalism in literature and film, spanning colonial fiction, Gothic texts and contemporary American horror. Amidst the sharp teeth an