Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 14
 Extremely Well Written and Original Work of Famous Scientist January 10, 2009
Irene Riz
On Aggression (Routledge Classics)
The book gives you an interesting and convincing explanation of the origin of aggression in humans. The same as Darwin's theory of human origin, it is not flattering. Therefore it was not taken well initially. As far as I know there is no other constructive explanation.
Understanding animal behavior can help understanding humans because some of the basic rules of operation still apply. Author illustrates his hypothesis with multiple very interesting examples of animal and human behavior. If you want to find a way of understanding and accepting us the way we are or simply looking for fun reading or for a hope for humanity, it is a good place to start the quest.
 Some what disappointed. November 16, 2008
Elisa Jacobs
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Of all the products I have ever ordered from Amazon in the past 3 years this took the longest to arrive. It was a textbook I needed for a class and did not arrive till after the reading assignment of this entire book was due. Previous orders for textbooks, health products, food, anything have arrived within 3-6 days or less. This book did not.
I was also unhappy with the condition of the book. The front cover was damaged. I have never received a used or new book in poor condition. The condition of this book was not what I expected.
 Important Work August 6, 2008
C. Primak
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
As much as this book has diminished in scientific importance of the many years since it was first published, it has gained as much, if not more, importance as a historical work. Even though this field has passed up the originator his work still stands as monument of scientific achievement.
The strange aspect of science is the fact that many times the most important scientists in any given field are those that failed. It is these men and women who have done the laborious field work plus the countless hours sifting through and analyzing data to come up with sound conclusions. Well I don't think with Konrad Lorenz's achievements anyone would call him a failure, but even though many of his conclusions have become antiquated it was his work that created the foundation for all those who have come after this giant. His work advanced this his field by decades.
So in the end, don't read Konrad Lorenz to understand the world and ethology as it stands today, but instead to understand how we came to this point of achievement now. Read this book to understand the history of this field of science and research, and to understand where and how it came about. This man was a pioneer, and without his tireless effort and devotion our understanding of our environment and ourselves would years behind. This is an important work that still needs to be read.
 Lorenz was wrong April 5, 2008
Carlos (Spain)
Konrad Lorenz proposed in "On Aggression" the theory that the violence is something good and necessary for all the animals. Unfortunately, Lorenz had a big knowledge about animals, but he didn't have the same wisdom about human behavior. Erich Fromm, in his great book "The anatomy of Human Destructiveness", made a total critique of the theories that Lorenz proposed in"On Aggression". And, no doubt, From was right and Lorenz was wrong.
Fromm realized that Lorenz didn't see that in the humans there are two different types of aggression, no only one. The first type has, like in the animals, the objective of the auto-defense. But, he second type has the objective of the destruction. The violence of the Hitler and the nazis wasn't defensive, was destructive, egomaniac and evildoer. Lorenz only was conscious of the first type, but never saw the second, evil, type. The human violence is more complicated than Lorenz thought. It is impossible understand this theme only studying ducks and rats. To understand the human behavior it's necessary study history, psychology and religion, as Fromm did.
If you are interested in the human violence you must read two great books of Erich Fromm: "Escape from Freedom" and "Anatomy of Human Destructiveness".
Richard Dawkins is another writer who, in his book "The Selfish Gene", has made critics to Lorenz's positive vision of violence postulated in "On Aggression".
vast amount of thinking and experience went into it November 30, 2007
Paul J. Fitzgerald
A lifetime of thinking, research, and observation clearly went into creating this marvelous book. I like it when someone clearly cares about what he's doing, engrosses himself in his work, possibly to the point of obsession. This may well describe Lorenz and this classic book, who defends Darwin and to some degree Freud, among others. Not just about his first hand observations of animals and his interpretation of their behavior, the book extends its scope to include philosophy and history, especially the evolutionary underpinnings of human history. It is rich in detail and very well written. A must read for anyone who cares about the past and future of living things on this planet. Author of Adjust Your Brain: A Practical Theory for Maximizing Mental Health.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 14
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