51 pages • 1 hour read
Brian Hare, Vanessa WoodsSurvival of the Friendliest: Understanding Our Origins and Rediscovering Our Common Humanity
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Key Figures
Brian Hare
Brian Hare (b. 1976) is an anthropologist and evolutionary biologist who has focused on the cognitive abilities of dogs and primates. He is a professor at Duke University, where he established the Duke Canine Cognition Center. Hare’s research seeks to understand the evolution of cognition in humans and animals through comparative psychology, exploring how different species solve problems and communicate.
Hare earned a BA in Anthropology and Psychology from Emory University in 1998. At Emory he worked on Michael Tomasello’s studies into the spatial and empathetic cognition of dogs and chimpanzees. He pursued his PhD in Biological Anthropology at Harvard University under the mentorship of Richard Wrangham, completing it in 2004. Afterward, Hare joined the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, where he founded the Hominoid Psychology Research Group. His research there included studies on great ape cognition at various African sanctuaries, including bonobos at Lola ya Bonobo and chimpanzees at Tchimpounga and Ngamba Island. This research laid the groundwork for Hare’s future studies on the cognitive abilities of animals.
Since 2008, Hare has been a professor at Duke University, expanding his research to include lemur cognition at the Duke Lemur Center and continuing his work with dogs at the Duke Canine Cognition Center. He also co-founded Dognition, a citizen science project where dog owners can assess their pets’ cognitive skills through various games. Hare co-authored the popular science book “The Genius of Dogs,” with his wife Vanessa Woods, reaching the New York Times Best Seller list.
In Survival of the Friendliest, Hare draws on his extensive research on the social and cognitive abilities of animals, particularly bonobos and dogs, to support the book’s thesis that friendliness and social cooperation have played crucial roles in human evolution. Hare’s contributions to Survival of the Friendliest include advocating for the importance of social bonds and cooperation. By using examples from his own research, Hare demonstrates how social behaviors have evolved to enhance group cohesion and mutual support, ultimately benefiting entire communities. His academic background and professional experiences provide a solid foundation for exploring the evolutionary roots of friendliness and cooperation, offering readers insights into the power of social bonds and the potential for fostering a more inclusive and cooperative society.
Vanessa Woods
Vanessa Woods (b. 1977) is a science writer, journalist, and researcher. She is a research scientist at Duke University, where she collaborates closely with Brian Hare. Woods has authored several books, including Bonobo Handshake, which explores her experiences studying bonobos in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Her writing often explores the complexities of human and animal behavior, drawing on extensive fieldwork and research to creates science writing for a popular audience. Woods writes widely on nature topics, including killer bees in Costa Rica and cherry blossoms in Kyoto, Japan.
Woods earned an MSc in science communication from the Australian National University. Following this, she conducted research with colleagues from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, spending significant time in the Democratic Republic of Congo studying bonobos. Her research compares the cooperative behaviors of bonobos and common chimpanzees, providing valuable insights into the social dynamics of these great apes.
In Survival of the Friendliest, Woods’s role is to present complex scientific concepts in an accessible and engaging manner, using her background in science journalism and science writing. By using anecdotes and examples from her own research experiences, Woods illustrates the importance of friendliness in human evolution. Her research on bonobos, one of humanity’s closest relatives, offers valuable insights into the social behaviors that underpin the book’s central thesis. Through her writing, Woods emphasizes the practical implications of fostering empathy and cooperation, inspiring readers to consider the importance of these qualities in their own lives. Woods’s contributions to the book underscore the importance of understanding our social nature and the potential for creating a more compassionate and cooperative world. Her work highlights the parallels between human and animal social behavior, reinforcing the book’s argument that friendliness and social cooperation have played crucial roles in human evolution.
