The Human Legacy [Paperback]

Leon Festinger is Else and Hans Staudinger Professor of Psychology at the New School for Social Research.For more than a million years, man's utter dependence on technology has been producing a host of intricate problems. For example, we steadily reduce the need for human labor while finding ways to increase life expectancy. We mass produce the automobile without grasping the harsh effects it leaves on the environment. The Human Legacy concerns the evolution and development of man–physically, socially, psychologically–into the latest version of the species we see around us today. The author paints an intriguing picture of man, living in complex societies and trying to solve the unanticipated consequences of action.Festinger writes clearly, he is provocative, knowledgeable, imaginative.... The Human Legacy faithfully conveys the marvelous, detective-like ingenuity of archaeological reasoning.Festinger sees us on the edge of an endless frontier of problems-to-be-solved but hopes that continuing evolution over the next 20,000 years will better equip us to end our vicious circle. A fascinating walk through the past for all interested in how we got here and where we might go.