Father Nature: The Science of Paternal Potential
James K. Rilling
Jun 2025 · Tantor Media Inc · Narrated by Christopher Douyard
headphones
Audiobook
9 hr 29 min
Unabridged
family_home
Eligible
info
Want a free 58 min sample? Listen anytime, even offline.
Add
About this audiobook
We all know the importance of mothers. They are typically as paramount in the wild as they are in human relationships. But what about fathers? In most mammals, fathers have little to no involvement in raising their offspring—and sometimes even kill the offspring sired by other fathers. How, then, can we explain modern fathers having the capacity to be highly engaged parents? In Father Nature, James Rilling explores how humans have evolved to endow modern fathers with this potential and considers why this capacity evolved in humans.
Paternal caregiving is advantageous to children and to society at large, yet variable both across and within human societies. Rilling considers how to explain this variability and what social and policy changes might be implemented to increase positive paternal involvement. Along the way, Father Nature also covers the impact fathers have on children's development, the evolution of paternal caregiving, how natural selection adapted male physiology for caregiving, and what lessons an expecting father can take away from the book, as well as what benefits they themselves get from raising children, including increased longevity and "younger" brains.
A beautifully written book by a father himself, Father Nature is a much-needed—and deeply rewarding—look at the science behind "good" paternal behavior in humans.
Paternal caregiving is advantageous to children and to society at large, yet variable both across and within human societies. Rilling considers how to explain this variability and what social and policy changes might be implemented to increase positive paternal involvement. Along the way, Father Nature also covers the impact fathers have on children's development, the evolution of paternal caregiving, how natural selection adapted male physiology for caregiving, and what lessons an expecting father can take away from the book, as well as what benefits they themselves get from raising children, including increased longevity and "younger" brains.
A beautifully written book by a father himself, Father Nature is a much-needed—and deeply rewarding—look at the science behind "good" paternal behavior in humans.
We all know the importance of mothers. They are typically as paramount in the wild as they are in human relationships. But what about fathers? In most mammals, fathers have little to no involvement in raising their offspring—and sometimes even kill the offspring sired by other fathers. How, then,...
Discover more
Rate this audiobook
Tell us what you think.
Listening information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can read books purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
