Reading Human Nature

Joseph Carroll is Curators' Professor of English at the University of Missouri–St. Louis and coeditor (with Alice Andrews) of the journal The Evolutionary Review, also published by SUNY Press. His books include Evolution and Literary Theory and Literary Darwinism: Evolution, Human Nature, and Literature. He has produced an edition of On the Origin of Species. He is coeditor (with Brian Boyd and Jonathan Gottschall) of Evolution, Literature, and Film: A Reader.

"[Carroll] is an unapologetic and powerful defender of literary Darwinism, and more generally a scientific approach to all things human. Part of his project is a critique of recent trends in literary criticism that seek to devalue science, deny biological human nature, and give priority to language and discourse. It is here that his expertise will be most valuable to the readers who are not fully immersed in the twists and turns of recent literary theory." — Quarterly Review of Biology"Carroll … makes a strong argument for literary Darwinism as a revolutionary force in humanistic studies … Carroll argues convincingly for the shift from speculative theories to an evolutionist's perspective grounded in 'an empirically based model of human nature,' a shift that will enable generation of new and relevant knowledge." — CHOICE"An important accomplishment by one of the leading scholars in the field of evolutionary studies. The book brings together some of Carroll's best work to date and is the most current statement available regarding the new evolutionary thinking about culture." — Michael Ryan, coeditor of Literary Theory: An Anthology"A major summa from a major theorist. In Reading Human Nature, Joseph Carroll revisits the subdiscipline he founded: evolutionary literary studies. Analytical and empirical, this diverse body of analyses reaffirms central humanist ideas, including individual identity, authorial intentions, and reference to the outside world. Literary scholars, critics, and theorists: ignore this book at your peril." — Peter Swirski, author of Literature, Analytically Speaking: Explorations in the Theory of Interpretation, Analytic Aesthetics, and Evolution

• List of Illustrations IntroductionAcknowledgmentsPart One: Adaptationist Literary Theory 1. An Evolutionary Paradigm for Literary Study, 3 with Two Sequels2. An Evolutionary Apologia pro Vita Mea 3. A Meta-Review of The Art Instinct 4. Three Scenarios for Literary Darwinism Part Two: Interpretive Practice 5. Aestheticism, Homoeroticism, and Christian Guilt in The Picture of Dorian Gray6. The Cuckoo’s History: Human Nature in Wuthering Heights7. Intentional Meaning in Hamlet: An Evolutionary Perspective Part Three: Empirical Literary Study: An Experiment in Web-Based Research 8. Agonistic Structure in Victorian Novels: Doing the Math9. Quantifying Agonistic Structure in The Mayor of CasterbridgePart Four: Evolutionary Intellectual History 10. The Power of Darwin’s Vision11. The Science Wars in a Long View: Putting the Human in Its Place12. A Darwinian Revolution in the Humanities Notes References Index