Publisher's Synopsis
The Lucifer Principle is a revolutionary work that explores the intricate relationships between genetics, human behaviour, and culture to put forth the thesis that 'evil' is a by-product of nature's strategies for creation and that it is woven into our most basic biological fabric. Howard Bloom challenges some of our most popular scientific assumptions as he draws on evidence from studies of the most primitive organisms to those on ants, apes, and humankind. He makes a persuasive case that it is the group, or 'superorganism', rather than the lone individual that really matters in the evolutionary struggle. He asserts that the prominence of society and culture does not necessarily mitigate against our most violent, aggressive instincts. In fact, under the right circumstances, the mentality of the group will only amplify our most primitive and deadly urges, providing us with a precise prescription for war.'Unlike anything you've ever read before. An act of astonishing intellectual courage.'Leon Uris'A highly readable and meticulously footnoted odyssey into the human condition...'Norman Abjorensen, The Canberra Times
