Author examines the strange relationship between good and evil
Richard Wrangham has been studying chimpanzees at the Kibale Chimpanzee Project in Uganda since 1987, when he founded the research center. A student of famed primatologist Jane Goodall, Harvard’s Ruth B. Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology has studied primate behavior, ecology, and nutrition for nearly 50 years. Wrangham says his new book, “The Goodness Paradox: The Strange Relationship Between Virtue and Violence in Human Evolution,” is his first attempt to examine his own species in detail. He will discuss his theory about aggression as it connects to capital punishment on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Science Center Book Talk, Hall C, 1 Oxford St. His talk is free and open to the public. In advance of his appearance, he shared his thoughts with the Gazette. Q&A Richard Wrangham GAZETTE: Why did you write this book? WRANGHAM: I’ve been teaching this material for some time, and a former student, Luke Glowacki, pointed out that these views are not...