'A "romp" through war sounds like an oxymoron, or worse. But here, it is something better. Coker uses war to explore nature, nurture and artificial intelligence--and how each interacts with and transforms the other. He pulls the rug out from underneath Pinker and others who argue that humankind is leaving war behind.' -- Richard Ned Lebow, Professor of International Political Theory, Department of War Studies, King's College London'Why War? is a sophisticated book that rewards close reading. It is a serious contribution to how we understand the relationship between war and human progress.' -- Matthew Ford, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, University of Sussex'Coker's argument is vibrantly made--that humans are inescapably violent, a feature of our evolution. It is an exhilarating read. The book is striking and stimulating throughout, and the synthesis of ideas is very impressive. Absorbing, elegantly written and highly engrossing.' -- Kenneth Payne, Reader in International Relations, King's College London'An unusually broad perspective on the place of war in human life, including a sophisticated treatment of the modern "Hobbes versus Rousseau" controversy and forays into pop culture, the classics, archaeology and the personalities of Ulysses and Hector. An excellent read.' -- Christopher Boehm, Professor of Biological Sciences and Anthropology, University of South Carolina Biografía del autor Christopher Coker is Director of LSE IDEAS, the London School of Economics foreign policy think-tank. His recent books include 'Rebooting Clausewitz'; 'Men at War'; and 'The Improbable War: China, the United States and the Logic of Great Power Conflict', all published by Hurst.