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robert wright
by Alex Burns (alex@disinfo.com) - December 20, 2000

One difference between these two schools - between the people who fear chaos and the people who fear order - is that the latter are more likely to be insane. They have a tendency, for example, to mistake unassuming dark-colored helicopters for attack aircraft sent by the United Nations. Ordinarily, sane people are a more reliable guide to the future than crazy people. But here the opposite may be the case.
~ ~ Robert Wright.

When he published 'The Moral Animal' (Vintage Books, 1994), a well-researched and highly readable distillation of evolutionary psychology, scholar Robert Wright opened his readers' eyes to the underlying behavioral forces and deep brain systems which shaped their everyday lives. With 'Nonzero: The Logic Of Human Destiny' (Pantheon Books, 1999), Wright expands his breathtaking Vision to chart the evolution of human consciousness from primordial ooze to Earth's custodian.

Wright's writing credentials are impeccable: he is a Contributing Editor at 'The New Republic', 'Time', and 'Slate'. His first book 'Three Scientists & Their Gods: Looking For Meaning In The Age Of Information' (Times Books, 1988) divulged the human side of information theorists.

'Nonzero' presents an orthodoxy-challenging 'Grand Unified Theory' which displaces the DNA helix as cultural icon, drawing upon game theory and the concept of 'non-zero-sum' games as an explanation of humanity's purposeful evolutionary drive. Wright explores many startling examples, including feudalism's fractal nature, the historical impact of Muslims, why Renaisance Europe surpassed China in technological advancements, and the increasing prospects of world governance.

The most dissenting parts of 'Nonzero' venture into a teleological mindfield which forsakes Richard Dawkin's 'selfish gene'. Wright explores the possible future of humanity as a Superorganism, a controversial idea that has appeared in different forms as the Gaia hypothesis (James Lovelock, Lynn Margulis), Overmind (Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, Terence McKenna), and Global Brain (Howard Bloom). However this aspect has been overlooked by publicity surrounding Wright's attacks on scientist Stephen Jay Gould (who was labelled an 'accidental Creationist' by Richard Dawkins).

Whatever your opinions on Robert Wright's work, his scholarly writings will forever change your views on the possibilities of human destiny. Ironically, his work reveals that the human species still conceives of itself as the purposeful center of a chaotic cyclonic universe.

Festival III: Robert Wright
Robert Wright biographical details and a selection of early Internet links.

Charles Wright & Robert Wright: Opus Posthumous
This 'Slate' poem (October 29th, 1996) by Charles Wright and Robert Wright reveals that scientists can have a poetic side.

The Web We Weave
This provocative 'Time' magazine article (December 31st, 1999) by Robert Wright examines the co-evolution of culture and the social brain.

The (Im)moral Animal
This 'Skeptic' magazine article by Frank Miele offers a strong critique of Evolutionary Psychology.

Behavior Online: Evolutionary Psychology Forum
View or post forum messages on Evolutionary Psychology, mental health, and other issues.

The Moral Animal: A Review
Don McSwiney reviews Robert Wright's book 'The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology & Everyday Life' (Vintage Books, 1995): "The answers presented in this book are unsettling to say the least. If Wright is right (heh, heh), then morality, reason, art - all the trappings we use to elevate our status in creation - are a sham."

Wanted: The Meaning Of Life
George Johnson reviews Robert Wright's first book 'Three Scientists And Their Gods: Looking For Meaning In An Age Of Information' (Times Books, 1988) for the 'New York Times' (August 7th, 1988).

Mitch Kapor, Data Highway Guru
This 'New Republic' article (May 24th, 1993) by Robert Wright profiles 'Electronic Freedom Foundation' founder Mitch Kapor.

Our Gang
This 'New Republic' article (February 14th, 2000) by Robert Wright critiques the 'digital-divide' fears and the broadband drive of New Media analysts: "When you combine video with interactivity and a potentially infinite number of channels, great things are bound to happen. Eventually. But America's capital markets have so far put a lot more money into the technological evolution of thrills than the technological evolution of insights."

Literature On Ethical Egoism
Indepth bibliography sources for the scholar and serious researcher on Thomas Hobbes, Ayn Rand, Edward O. Wilson, Robert Wright and many others.

Operation Just Cause: Lessons Learned
The 'Center For Army Lessons Learned' (Fort Bragg) applies perspectives reminiscent of Evolutionary Psychology to 'Operation Just Cause' (the US incursion into Panama in 1989). An insight into the new military humanism.

Nonzero: The Logic Of Human Destiny
The official Web site for Robert Wright's epic book 'Nonzero: The Logic Of Human Destiny' (Pantheon Books, 1999), featuring excerpts, reviews, essays, and more. Highly recommended!

The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology & Everyday Life
The official Web site for Robert Wright's seminal book 'The Moral Animal: Evolutionary Psychology & Everyday Life' (Vintage Books, 1995) features excerpts, reviews, and biographical details. An early Internet book promotion site.

Continental Drift
This perceptive 'New Republic' article (January 17th, 2000) by Robert Wright examines growing fears by activists and conspiracy theorists of a de-facto world government. Highly recommended reading!

Human-Nature.com
A vast collection of first-class resources on human nature, group relations and society. Highly recommended reading!

Robert Wright Gets Cosmic
This 'Salon' magazine interview with Robert Wright (April 4th, 2000) by David Bowman covers his public feud with Stephen J. Gould, why the Khmer Rouge is doomed, and the evolutionary role of evil.

Nonzero & Nonsense: Group Selection, Nonzerosumness, And The Human Gaia Hypothesis
This 'Skeptic' book review (January, 2000) of Robert Wright's book 'Nonzero: The Logic Of Human Destiny' (Pantheon Books, 1999) by Binghamton University Department of Bilogical Sciences scientist David Sloan Wilson features a lengthy critique of Wright's teleological Superorganism and Howard Bloom's 'Global Brain' hypothesis. Offers an insight into the feuds within the contemporary scientific community regarding 'Grand Unified Theories'.

Chicken Soup For The Evolutionist's Soul
This 'Skeptic' review (January, 2000) of Robert Wright's book 'Nonzero: The Logic Of Human Destiny' (Pantheon Books, 1999) by Michael Shermer offers a damning critique of 'Grand Unified Theories' in general and Wright's unique application of game theory.

Must Dog Eat Dog?
This 'Salon' magazine article (May 21st, 1999) by Susan McCarthy reviews Robert Wright's book 'The Moral Animal' (Vintage Books, 1994) and offers an overview of the scientific controversies surrounding evolutionary psychology.

Slate Archives: The Earthling
Keep up-to-date with Robert Wright's worldview via his popular column 'The Earthling' written for the 'Slate' Web site.

The Book Club I: Evolution & Social Brains
Evolutionary psychologist Stephen Pinker interrogates Robert Wright about his book 'Nonzero: The Logic Of Human Destiny' (Pantheon Books, 1999). The first of a three part series.

The Book Club II: General Motors, Thermostats, & Higher Purpose
Evolutionary psychologist Stephen Pinker interrogates Robert Wright about his book 'Nonzero: The Logic Of Human Destiny' (Pantheon Books, 1999). The second of a three part series.

The Book Club III: Is Natural Selection The Result Of Design?
Evolutionary psychologist Stephen Pinker interrogates Robert Wright about his book 'Nonzero: The Logic Of Human Destiny' (Pantheon Books, 1999). The final of a three part series.

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