An Instinct for DragonsFire-breathing, scale-flashing, wing-flapping, and tail-lashing - how do people from different cultures all have similar depictions of a fantastic reptilian monster which never existed? That is, if the dragon is pure imagination how do we account for the universality of its appearance and characteristics from Africa, to Europe, to Asia. So, why does a dragon look like a dragon the world over? David Jones finds the answer by searching for the biological and evolutionary basis for the dragon through time and space. Characterized by elegant writing and an international scope, Jones's account is unique. |
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LibraryThing Review
Reseña de usuario - waltzmn - LibraryThingGenerally, the idea of a race is to get to the finish line, not to see how far you can go beyond it. The book opens with the observation that vervet monkeys, and some other primates, seem to have ... Leer reseña completa
An instinct for dragons
Reseña de usuario - Not Available - Book VerdictJones (anthropology, Univ. of Central Florida) contends that the dragon, a universal image of a creature that does not exist, is a direct result of the evolutionary process. Guided by the tenets of ... Leer reseña completa
Índice
Introduction | 1 |
The Monkey Hunters | 25 |
Running from Certain Shadows | 39 |
Red Tooth Red Claw | 47 |
How Time Makes a Dragon | 55 |
Why Dragons Breathe Fire | 73 |
Time of the Dragon Slayers | 95 |
Fate of the Dragons | 113 |
Tree of Life and the Three Sacred Realms | 121 |
More Tales of the Great Worm | 135 |
177 | |
185 | |
Otras ediciones - Ver todo
Términos y frases comunes
Africa ancestors ancient animal appearance arboreal associated attack bands basic beast become behavior believed birds body brain breath called cats cause central century changes Chinese clawed complex creature culture danger deep depicted described dragon image eagle earth evolution evolutionary evolved example existence experience eyes face fact fear feet FIGURE force four Further genetic giant gods ground head horns human hunting Indians infants INSTINCT killed king later lemurs leopard lives look major means million years ago monkeys monster mouth move natural selection noted organization original patterns period placed population predators present prey primate raptor reactions relative responses result scales seen serpent snakes social sometimes specific structure suggest symbol tail teeth tree tribes typical units universal vervet Western wings World monkeys