Roger D. Masters

This book is intended as an equivalent to or substitute for that "more reflective reading" which Rousseau considered essential to an understanding of his ideas. It is designed to complement perusal of the texts themselves, and the arrangement is such that chapters on each of Rousseau's major writings can be consulted separately or the commentary may be read through in sequence. The author's purpose is not to present a "key" to Rousseau's political philosophy, but rather to explore the works themselves in an effort to reveal Rousseau's "system," from which the reader may then draw his own conclusions. Originally published in 1976. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

This book is intended as an equivalent to or substitute for that "more reflective reading" which Rousseau considered essential to an understanding of his ideas. It is designed to complement perusal of the texts themselves, and the arrangement is such that chapters on each of Rousseau's major writings can be consulted separately or the commentary may be read through in sequence. The author's purpose is not to present a "key" to Rousseau's political philosophy, but rather to explore the works themselves in an effort to reveal Rousseau's "system," from which the reader may then draw his own conclusions. Originally published in 1976. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

In recent years, Niccolò Machiavelli's works have been viewed primarily with historical interest as analysis of the tactics used by immoral political officials. Roger D. Masters, a leading expert in the relationship between modern natural sciences and politics, argues boldly in this book that Machiavelli should be reconsidered as a major philosopher whose thought makes the wisdom of antiquity accessible to the modern (and post-modern) condition, and whose understanding of human nature is superior to that of Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Marx, or Mill. Central to Masters's claim is his discovery, based on previously untranslated documents, that Machiavelli knew and worked with Leonardo da Vinci between 1502-1507. An interdisciplinary tour de force, Machiavelli, Leonardo, and the Science of Power will challenge, perplex, and ultimately delight readers with its evocative story of the relationship between Machiavelli and da Vinci, their crucial roles in the emergence of modernity, and the vast implications this holds for contemporary life and society.

This book examines the political behavior of primates in the context of a comparison of human and nonhuman social life. Essays by leading scholars from primatology and the social sciences explore the extent to which it is justifiable to speak of politics as a phenomenon among primates and show how human politics can be more deeply understood in the light of hominid evolution and primate behavior. The new paperback edition includes a new preface which reviews developments in the field since the original publication by Southern Illinois University Press in 1991. Contents: Foreword by Albert Somit; Preface to the Paperback Edition, Glendon Shubert and Roger D. Masters; Editors' Preface; PART I: PRIMATOLOGY AND POLITICS; Introduction: Primatological Theory, Glendon Schubert; Primate Politics, Glendon Schubert; On the Significance of the Concept of the Harem When Applied to Animals, Thelma E. Rowell; Redefining the Social Link: From Baboons to Humans, Shirley S. Strum and Bruno Latour; PART II: CHIMPANZEES; Introduction: The Missing Political Link, Glendon Schubert; Gombe Chimpanzee Politics, Jane Goodall; Sex Differences in the Formation of Coalitions among Chimpanzees, Frans B. M. de Waal; PART III: HUMAN; Introduction: Human Politics, Roger D. Masters; Tolerated Theft: Suggestions about the Ecology and Evolution of Sharing, Hoarding, and Scrounging, Nicholas G. Blurton Jones; Facial Displays and Political Leadership: Some Experimental Findings; Denis G. Sullivan and Roger D. Masters; Human Volcalizations in Agonistic Political Encounters, James N. Schubert; Conclusion: Primate Politics and Political Theory, Roger D. Masters; References; Notes on Contributors; Name Index; Subject Index.

The first book to focus on the political behavior of primates also undertakes to compare human social behavior with that of nonhuman primates. The editors contribute probing introductory essays to each of the three major parts of the volume in addition to their article-length introductory and concluding chapters. In his conclusion, Masters indicates directions for future work. Part I is devoted to theoretical clarification of the interrelationships between the study of primates and humans. Part II presents two examples of comparisons between animal and human social behavior that throw valuable light on contemporary political and social systems. Part III focuses more precisely on contemporary human politics, providing two concrete examples of ethological perspectives on human political behavior. In both cases, nonverbal cues studied by primatologists are shown to illuminate the dynamics of human politics.