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The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (Penguin Classics) Original Edition, Kindle Edition

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 96 ratings

Published in 1872, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals was a book at the very heart of Darwin's research interests - a central pillar of his 'human' series. This book engaged some of the hardest questions in the evolution debate, and it showed the ever-cautious Darwin at his boldest. If Darwin had one goal with Expression, it was to demonstrate the power of his theories for explaining the origin of our most cherished human qualities: morality and intellect. As Darwin explained, "He who admits, on general grounds, that the structure and habits of all animals have been gradually evolved, will look at the whole subject of Expression in a new and interesting light."
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" He who admits, on general grounds, that the structure and habits of all animals have been gradually evolved will look at the whole subject of Expression in a new and interesting light."
-Charles Darwin

About the Author

Charles Darwin a Victorian scientist and naturalist, has become one of the most famous figures of science to date. Born in 1809 to an upper-middle-class medical family, he was destined for a career in either medicine or the Anglican Church. However, he never completed his medical education and his future changed entirely in 1831 when he joined HMS Beagle as a self-financing, independent naturalist. On returning to England in 1836 he began to write up his theories and observations which culminated in a series of books, most famously On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859, where he challenged and contradicted contemporary biological and religious beliefs with two decades worth of scientific investigation and theory. Darwin's theory of natural selection is now the most widely accepted scientific model of how species evolve. He died in 1882 and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Joe Cain is Senior Lecturer in History and Philosophy of Biology at University College London (UCL). His expertise is in the history of evolutionary studies in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Darwin and historical memory. He is also director of the "Voices" oral history project at UCL, and an expert on the Rhinogradentia, a spectacular group of mammals. His recent books include Descended from Darwin (2008) with Michael Ruse, Sewell Wright Taught Me (2007) and Exploring the Borderlands: Documents of the Committee on Common Problems of Genetics, Paleontology, and Systematics, 1943-1944 (2004).

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B002RI98VK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin; Original edition (May 28, 2009)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 28, 2009
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 32.1 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 387 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 96 ratings

About the author

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Charles Darwin
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Charles Robert Darwin, (/ˈdɑːrwɪn/; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist and geologist, best known for his contributions to evolutionary theory. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestors, and in a joint publication with Alfred Russel Wallace introduced his scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection, in which the struggle for existence has a similar effect to the artificial selection involved in selective breeding.

Darwin published his theory of evolution with compelling evidence in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species, overcoming scientific rejection of earlier concepts of transmutation of species. By the 1870s, the scientific community and much of the general public had accepted evolution as a fact. However, many favoured competing explanations and it was not until the emergence of the modern evolutionary synthesis from the 1930s to the 1950s that a broad consensus developed in which natural selection was the basic mechanism of evolution. In modified form, Darwin's scientific discovery is the unifying theory of the life sciences, explaining the diversity of life.

Darwin's early interest in nature led him to neglect his medical education at the University of Edinburgh; instead, he helped to investigate marine invertebrates. Studies at the University of Cambridge (Christ's College) encouraged his passion for natural science. His five-year voyage on HMS Beagle established him as an eminent geologist whose observations and theories supported Charles Lyell's uniformitarian ideas, and publication of his journal of the voyage made him famous as a popular author.

Puzzled by the geographical distribution of wildlife and fossils he collected on the voyage, Darwin began detailed investigations and in 1838 conceived his theory of natural selection. Although he discussed his ideas with several naturalists, he needed time for extensive research and his geological work had priority. He was writing up his theory in 1858 when Alfred Russel Wallace sent him an essay that described the same idea, prompting immediate joint publication of both of their theories. Darwin's work established evolutionary descent with modification as the dominant scientific explanation of diversification in nature. In 1871 he examined human evolution and sexual selection in The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, followed by The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals. His research on plants was published in a series of books, and in his final book, he examined earthworms and their effect on soil.

Darwin has been described as one of the most influential figures in human history; he was honoured by burial in Westminster Abbey.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Henry Maull (1829–1914) and John Fox (1832–1907) (Maull & Fox) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.

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4.7 out of 5 stars
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Customers find the book informative and well-written on emotions in humans and animals. They describe it as an encyclopedia on expressions that is easy to read and a valuable addition to any library.

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Customers find the book informative and helpful. They say it provides a comprehensive overview of emotions in humans and animals and illuminates thoughts on how we interpret demeanor.

"...variation and context is on display in this rich text on expressions of emotions in humans and animals...." Read more

"...I am a lawyer and this book has iluminated thoughts on why we take demeanor so seriously...." Read more

"Emotions as Expressed in Man and Animals by Darwin..." Read more

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Customers find the book easy to read and a good addition to any library.

"...It is a great addition to any library, but especially to one dedicated to understanding the natural world and humans' relationship to other..." Read more

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"Its was the best book and choice to order a used book with my finance and the need to want and like to read Darwin.!" Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2013
    Darwin's meticulous documentation of variation and context is on display in this rich text on expressions of emotions in humans and animals. Darwin is a close observer of his world, and a generous author. It is difficult to take this book in at once, but it was Darwin's intention for readers to refer to it often rather than reading it cover to cover at once. And this seems obvious from the incredible amount of details that goes into each observation and described emotion, from the hunch of a dog's back, to the placement of her ears, and the same for babies' faces, and others. It is a great addition to any library, but especially to one dedicated to understanding the natural world and humans' relationship to other organisms.
    19 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2012
    This is a book to read slowly,Darwin invested his whole life to observation of our world and the creatures that inhabit it including us. Expresion of emotions is a excellent way to see those things that are second nature to us in a different ligth. Read it and the next time you see a child laugh or cry it will be in another perspective. I am a lawyer and this book has iluminated thoughts on why we take demeanor so seriously. It also has the finest description,and foundation for a defense against any type of torture. You cant go wrong with Penguin Classics.
    19 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2013
    When one can observe directly , it becomes plainly evident, so even a layman can understand it. Darwin and his colleagues have given us a gift with this research, and only the most hard core creationists would attempt to refute the evidence, that humans and animals have long shared common traits, that do meet the eye, when observing the emotional expressions .
    7 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2021
    Great read
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2014
    When Charles Darwin in 1859 finally made public his theory of evolution by natural selection in “On the Origin of Species”, he avoided writing about human evolution, except for saying that “Light will be thrown on the origin of man and his history.”

    But by the early 1870s he felt confident enough to openly discuss the evolution of humans from animals. He did this in “The Descent of Man” (1871) and in this book, “The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals” (1872).

    In “The Expression of Emotions” Darwin’s main aim was to show that humans are not separate from animals. He shows the origins of human facial expressions in the animal world, and he argues that human expressions are innate and universal (the same in all cultures).

    I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Darwin’s ideas. But in my view it is not Darwin at his best. It has been pointed out that there are two main weaknesses in the book. Firstly, Darwin focuses mainly on the emotional roots of facial expressions and says too little about the role of expressions in communication.

    Secondly, despite having developed the revolutionary (and correct) theory of natural selection as the mechanism for evolutionary change, Darwin mistakenly allowed a subsidiary role for the Lamarckian idea of the inheritance of acquired characteristics. This book is unfortunately full of examples of this latter idea.

    In recent decades the book has also featured in controversies over the so-called “nature versus nurture” debate. Social anthropologist Margaret Mead argued that human facial expressions are learned, not innate, and that they vary from one culture to another. Psychologist Paul Eckman, on the other hand, says that Mead has been proved wrong and that Darwin was correct in saying that human facial expressions are the same in all societies, reflecting their evolutionary and genetic rather than cultural origins.

    But even if Ekman is correct on the specific issue of facial expressions, this does not mean that we can explain all other aspects of human behaviour primarily in genetic terms, as biological/genetic determinists claim. Ekman says that both nature and nurture play a part in determining human behaviour, which is clearly true, but he himself actually seems to lean much more towards the “nature” side. In fact he has claimed that “Darwin led the way not only in the biological sciences but in the social sciences as well.” Ekman seems to be using Darwin’s “Expressions” book as a stick with which to beat those who put forward social explanations of human behaviour.

    In fact it is not just social scientists who argue that we cannot explain all human behaviour in biological terms. Evolutionary theorists like Stephen Jay Gould and Richard Lewontin also show that humans have evolved to be creatures which, because of their large brain, are very flexible in their behaviour. The result is that much of our behaviour (though perhaps not our facial expressions) is learned and therefore the result of social factors and interactions.

    I am a great fan of Charles Darwin, and Darwin may well have been right about facial expressions being largely innate, but we should not try to use Darwinism to explain our society (and its problems).

    Phil Webster.
    (England)
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2021
    Some fascinating facts, theories and conclusions on Darwin’s part, but it seems
    like he was guessing sometimes with no
    scientific proofs to strengthen his case and to back up his writing before writing it. I got the impression that he was out of his area of real
    expertise with this book.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2017
    This copy has all the illustrations, etc. in it. There are some rip-off copies for sell on here that don't. This version has everything.
    14 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2013
    Its was the best book and choice to order a used book with my finance and the need to want and like to read Darwin.!
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Cliente de Amazon
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente
    Reviewed in Mexico on July 10, 2019
    Muy buen producto.
    Report
  • A. Stutters
    5.0 out of 5 stars A classic. Start here if you're interested in human emotions.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 29, 2017
    I found Darwin's book to be good place to go to check intuitions about Emotions. The images in particular help to cement their importance in the context of evolutionary history. What an admirable contribution to human understanding that was ignored for so long. Recommended.
  • Jennifer L. Simmonds
    4.0 out of 5 stars GREAT!
    Reviewed in Australia on July 12, 2023
    Super informative regarding your pets and animals and yourself - or self. love this! Makes you think!
  • Jacqui
    5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on February 12, 2017
    Delighted

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