--- product_id: 18181648 title: "The Western Illusion of Human Nature: With Reflections on the Long History of Hierarchy, Equality and the Sublimation of Anarchy in the West, and ... Conceptions of the Human Condition (Paradigm)" brand: "marshall sahlins" price: "782143₫" currency: VND in_stock: true reviews_count: 8 url: https://www.desertcart.vn/products/18181648-the-western-illusion-of-human-nature-with-reflections-on-long store_origin: VN region: Vietnam --- # The Western Illusion of Human Nature: With Reflections on the Long History of Hierarchy, Equality and the Sublimation of Anarchy in the West, and ... Conceptions of the Human Condition (Paradigm) **Brand:** marshall sahlins **Price:** 782143₫ **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Western Illusion of Human Nature: With Reflections on the Long History of Hierarchy, Equality and the Sublimation of Anarchy in the West, and ... Conceptions of the Human Condition (Paradigm) by marshall sahlins - **How much does it cost?** 782143₫ with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.vn](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/18181648-the-western-illusion-of-human-nature-with-reflections-on-long) ## Best For - marshall sahlins enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted marshall sahlins brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Full description not available ## Images ![The Western Illusion of Human Nature: With Reflections on the Long History of Hierarchy, Equality and the Sublimation of Anarchy in the West, and ... Conceptions of the Human Condition (Paradigm) - Image 1](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41PXursjIFL.jpg) ![The Western Illusion of Human Nature: With Reflections on the Long History of Hierarchy, Equality and the Sublimation of Anarchy in the West, and ... Conceptions of the Human Condition (Paradigm) - Image 2](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31q4FQ9m8gL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ A very good book, if the reader is interested in engaging ... *by M***. on Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2015* A very good book, if the reader is interested in engaging critically with the cultural world around them. The book speaks of certain forms of ethnocentrism, and of some of the effects of ethnocentrism. ### ⭐⭐ Dull, ponderous, convoluted, and impenetrable. *by Z***E on Reviewed in the United States on August 21, 2013* Sahlins' lengthy essay is an aggressively tedious read. It is almost as if the author went to considerable lengths to render his work as incomprehensible as possible. The writing is about as opaque as it can get. The purpose of such a work, if I understand correctly, is to elucidate an idea and edify the reader. This, in my opinion, might be best achieved through the use of simple, declarative sentences. Instead Sahlins employs an obnoxiously obtuse and overtly complicated style. Because of this, most of his work can be taken to mean absolutely anything or, conversely, absolutely nothing at all. Query: how is one to engage with a work, to argue for its intellectual merit or the paucity thereof, when one has no idea what the author is trying to say?If one is patient enough to tease out the meaning of Sahlins' work, a rather simple point emerges: that Sahlins believes the Western perception of "human nature" is the product of historical and cultural contingency, not a reflection of careful scientific reasoning and empirical evidence. There is partial merit to this. While the Hobbesian view that, in the absence of centralized authority and the rule of law, human life is "nasty, brutish, and short" is at best an oversimplification, there is insight to be found in the realization that something like a "human nature" does exist. Sahlins' browbeating is primarily concerned with a very specific and rather outdated perception of human nature. Considering his decision to use Hobbes' "Leviathan" as his archetype for Western views on human nature, this should come as no surprise. Sahlins seems to be debating E.O. Wilson and Napoleon Chagnon in the 1970s and 1980s rather than any of the researchers involved in the extant study of "human nature" (i.e. Darwinian explanations). True, he might have something to say to those extant thinkers guilty of the most grievous abuses of evolutionary psychology. But he fails to recognize that a lot of researchers pursuing Darwinian explanations for human behavior operate with considerably more nuance and sophistication, well aware of the phenomenal range of behavioral plasticity exhibited by humans.To briefly summarize, Sahlins makes a relatively simple (disingenuously simple, perhaps) point in an exceedingly convoluted way. Since the man is in his 80s, it's probably too much to ask, but I'd highly recommend he take a writing course before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keys) in the future. ### ⭐⭐⭐ debatable *by D***R on Reviewed in the United States on August 10, 2010* this is an exciting and thought provoking piece by mr sahlins that contains his personal reflections on historical interpretations of a certain kind of human behaviouri, personally, disagree with him on two counts. first, what he labels as the 'western illusion of human nature', that, basically, humans are savage by nature, is not a western illusion. it is an interpretation of observation that, although distributes in space and time unevenly, certainly does not peak in 'the west'. second, it is not 'of human nature'. it is about a particular kind of human behaviour that can occur under certain conditionsan intriguing, informative and occasionally challenging read. the three stars reflect not as much the value of the book than, say, the extent of my agreement with it --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.vn/products/18181648-the-western-illusion-of-human-nature-with-reflections-on-long](https://www.desertcart.vn/products/18181648-the-western-illusion-of-human-nature-with-reflections-on-long) --- *Product available on Desertcart Vietnam* *Store origin: VN* *Last updated: 2026-05-19*