The theme of this book is our primate biology, or who we are as a continuum of our animal ancestors. Professor Sharpes first uses comparative animal studies and recent finds in archaeology to outline this argument and theme, and thus provides evidence for human animal origins. He then reveals how our emotions and behaviors influence our lives as demonstrated through the major social sciences——the philosophy of our cognitive functioning, our psychology, and our religious beliefs as consumers (the economy), as national citizens (political science, government), and as world citizens (climate change). The idea is to examine the human condition from more than one discipline, and to synthesize research studies that analyze human behavior that is socially similar to other primate behavior. What makes this book unique is its interdisciplinary investigation of human primates from the variety of the social sciences. He has conducted similar research in two previous books, The Evolution of the Social Sciences (2009) and Outcast and Heretics, Profiles in Independent Thought and Courage (2007). The target audience is the articulate and literate community in the broad field of the social sciences, a book appropriate for a general audience, and students in all the social science specialties, including interdisciplinary studies such as courses in evolution, climate change, politics, anthropology, psychology and the life sciences.
