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3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Will change the way you look at the world. Dec 04, 2009
By S. Stuart
"What makes humans unique?" Extensively researched and elegantly written, "Death from a Distance and the Birth of a Humane Universe" takes us through a powerful and richly rewarding journey to the answer of this simple, yet profound question. Building on the foundations laid down by Williams, Dawkins, Hamilton and others, Bingham and Souza argue that the fundamental human 'trick' is the inexpensive suppression of the conflicts-of-interest problem that governs all life as we know it. From this simple yet powerful premise, a deep understanding of not only human evolution, but also human _history_ emerges. A fulfilling read for general audiences, the authors also include a comprehensive online endnotes section for students and professional scholars wishing to dig deeper into the material. Highly recommended to anyone who has ever wondered about or studied the 'human uniqueness question,' and especially to those feeling that a secular explanation of the origin of humans somehow diminishes 'what it means to be human.'
5 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Death From a Distance Dec 08, 2009
By Katy Howell
"KHowell"
Bingham and Souza eloquently write "Death from a Distance" redefining the history of humankind. They will take you from the ground up, the simplicity that encompasses it all to the most exceptional and defining characteristics that makes us uniquely human. Your view of the world, how it works and how humans interact will forever be changed. Their theory grows right from the start with the defining moment coming in the seventh chapter. This moment both pivotal and though provoking will determine your view of the human species, yet the simplicity of it it profound. The pair pull many popular and well defined theories of human evolution together, shape them, build their own story and explain how these small defining moments in the human history make us who we are today as individuals and as a human race. This is an excellent non-fiction work for the curious and eager mind even with the most basic of science backgrounds. Delve into the complex and brilliant minds of Bingham and Souza and discover a world in which a basic and long standing question is answered. "Why are humans the most supremely dominate species?"
5 of 6 found the following review helpful:
Thought provoking and revolutionary! A must read! Dec 03, 2009
By Joseph C. Monastra
"divano"
Paul Bingham and Joanne Souza have presented a thought provoking new theory on the evolution of the Human Race, its society, social norms, sexual practices and the underlying forces that drive us as a species. The material, while presented in a detailed and scientific manner, is understandable by not only the scientific community but the general public as well. The underlying premise that it is human kinds development of the ability to cause "death from a distance" as a way to deal with social outliers and improve cooperation among the members of the species is a fascinating and fresh concept. I would recommend this book to not only the academic and scientific community, whose long held theories and believes will need to be reevaluated in light of the material and research presented in this book, but also to any individual interested in getting a "look" into what makes us what we are today and gaining a better understanding of the forces that ultimately drive our thought processes and behaviors as individuals and a species. The concepts presented lay a new foundation for the study and understanding of not only prior human evolution but also what the future can hold and how we as a race can grow beyond our base instincts and achieve the best that the future can hold.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A provocative and thought provoking new theory! Jan 17, 2011
By K.C.
This is not your typical book on human evolution. Bingham and Souza offer a new theory of human existence encompassing our origins, our uniqueness, and the rise of modern states. Growing up we've been told that our opposable thumbs and larger brains make us unique, but Bingham and Souza argue that it is our ability to throw that has allowed us to dominate. This unique ability to suppress conflicts of interest from a distance has shaped the course of human history. To support their theory the authors take us on a journey that starts at the birth of our solar system with the rise of the first humans, then to our unique characteristics, and finally to the rise of the states. In the beginning of the book you may be skeptical of their views, but throughout the book they offer evidence and research from different fields to support their theory. They use evidence presented in current theories and popular beliefs of human evolution to support their theory, while challenge the existing belief. Bingham and Souza welcome skepticism and scrutiny to their theory and believe that a good theory can withstand all challenges presented to it. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in human behavior and thought, weapons, politics, and history.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
A Logical and Evidence-based Perspective on Human Evolution and Social Behavior Jan 16, 2011
By zex marquiz
We often look at the world as a scrambled sort of mess lacking order and filled with random, chaotic actions. We ask ourselves, "How did we get here? What are we supposed to do?" which usually leads to many different responses and usually more confusion. We look on television and on the internet at acts of kindness or atrocious killings and ask how can people be so different? In our quest to find the answers, the only one that seems to make sense is that the world does not make any sense.
In this book, the two authors present a very compelling and unique solution to the human conflicts-of-interest problem in our world. A solution which seems to apply to a great number of situations in the present world. Although the terminology may be different, the basic fundamental issues seen in problems is that of free-riders (cheaters of a system) and enforcement. Only through proper enforcement of a particular group of people, through the use of remote threat, will cooperation result. The authors show a step by step account of how greater cooperation has exceedingly resulted from the advent of new weapons in human history. Yet, they are careful to point out that the advent of new weapons is not enough to ensure mutual cooperation. The weapons must be in the hands of the majority to be used effectively, not just leaders and militias which can be corrupted. Situations in Burma and Africa illustrate this point as millions of people are killed or tortured because it is the few who have the guns (remote threat).
The depth of their research is clearly obvious in the evidence the authors provide, with experts in a variety of fields collaborating and supporting their arguments. Among other subject matter, the implications of their theory provide a detailed analysis of the changes in the human reproductive process as well as how humans dramatically increased brain size. This period is readily confirmed by the fossil record and provides great insight to how early humans interacted with each other on a social stage. In addition, the authors allow the reader to not lose hope for humanity by not depicting humans as just another self-interested animal in the world. Instead, our increased cooperation allows us to transcend what we could never do individually and work towards a future that is mutually beneficial for us and the environment.
This book does not look to avoid other theories and proposals on human evolution or behavior. In fact, the authors consistently use facts to answer questions and overlapping evidence laid out by contrasting and differing theories. In the same way, they invite the same sort of scrutiny on what they have accumulated and present in the book. A theory is only as good as the number of tests it passes. I look forward to how this one fares the test of time.
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