Evolutionary theory tells us about our biological past; can it also guide us to a moral future? Paul Farber's compelling book describes a century-old philosophical hope held by many biologists, anthropologists, psychologists, and social thinkers: that universal ethical and social imperatives are built into human nature and can be discovered through knowledge of evolutionary theory.

Farber describes three upsurges of enthusiasm for evolutionary ethics. The first came in the early years of mid-nineteenth century evolutionary theories; the second in the 1920s and '30s, in the years after the cultural catastrophe of World War I; and the third arrived with the recent grand claims of sociobiology to offer a sound biological basis for a theory of human culture.

Unlike many who have written on evolutionary ethics, Farber considers the responses made by philosophers over the years. He maintains that their devastating criticisms have been forgotten—thus the history of evolutionary ethics is essentially one of oft-repeated philosophical mistakes.

Historians, scientists, social scientists, and anyone concerned about the elusive basis of selflessness, altruism, and morality will welcome Farber's enlightening book.

Paul Lawrence Farber is Distinguished Professor of the History of Science at Oregon State University, and author of books in both history of science and biology.

"An engaging and accessible history of evolutionary ethics in the Anglo-American world. His concise summaries of the major arguments for and against evolutionary ethics provide a sound introduction to this century-long debate. Temptations is not solely for novices, however; even those most familiar with evolutionary ethics will benefit from Farber’s discussions of less well-known figures and from the breadth of his historical knowledge."—Ethics

"A scholarly history of evolutionary ethics that should be read by anyone undertaking a study of ethics of any kind."—Skeptic

"Surveys the history of . . . attempts to derive ethical philosophy from evolutionary foundations, beginning with the theories of Darwin and his contemporaries, and continuing through recent work in the sociobiological tradition."—Karl Galle, Quarterly Review of Biology

"A very useful survey of attempts to relate ethics to evolution, from Darwin to contemporary controversies over sociobiology. . . . All the major figures are discussed—briefly, critically, and fairly."—H. C. Byerly, Choice