The Liars of Nature and the Nature of Liars

November 14, 2022
This perceptive study by Sun (The Fairness Instinct), a biology professor at Central Washington University, examines the “behavior, evolution, and natural history of cheating” in the animal kingdom. He catalogs the ways in which animals, including humans, use deception to their evolutionary advantage and notes that in many species of monkeys, females will hide their sexual liaisons with “low-ranking” males from dominant males so as to increase their number of partners and chances to produce genetically diverse progeny. In the reptile world, male garter snakes facing fierce competition for a mate will mimic the behaviors and odor of females to confuse competitors. Sun also tackles human cheating, detailing the exploits of con man Frank Abagnale Jr. (of Catch Me If You Can fame) to suggest that human deception is more intricate and novel than that of other animals because of humans’ high intelligence, complex social structures, and ability to use language. The author highlights the effects of human self-deception and posits that, while it may boost self-esteem, the self-confidence is often misplaced. The accessible prose offers an eye-opening take on lying in the natural world and how evolutionary pressures to deceive impact human behavior. The smart parallels between humans and animals make for an insightful outing.

March 1, 2023
Although lying and cheating are considered despicable, these practices are prevalent in both the natural world and among humans. What drives decent people to fib? How do deceitful animals thrive? In this intriguing introduction to the domain of dishonesty, biologist Lixing Sun focuses on ""the behavior, evolution, and natural history of cheating."" For humans, cheating generally includes intent. For other creatures, cheating seems favored by natural selection as a means to grant organisms advantages and improve their evolutionary fitness. Fascinating impostors and swindlers are exposed: the female cuckoo bird's egg-switching fraud, lying crows, even trickster orchids. Animal strategies include bluffing, distraction displays, free riding, sneaking, and mimicry. Big questions loom. Is cheating morally justifiable under some circumstances? What is the cost of honesty? Lixing Sun concludes with an unsettling assertion that cheating ""is actually essential in our economic activities and social lives, and it is a critical part of our education and cognitive development."" It turns out, perhaps paradoxically, that there is an essential role for duplicity in both the biological realm and human society.

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