The Evolutionists: The Struggle for Darwin's Soul - Hardcover

Morris, Richard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 071674094X ISBN 13: 9780716740940

Publisher: W. H. Freeman, 2001

Synopsis

Introduced in 1859, Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution generated hot debate and controversy. Today, nearly all reputable scientists agree: evolution did happen and natural selection was its main driving force. And yet, a century and a half after Darwin, the theory of evolution is still being fought over with a ferocity that has rarely been equaled in the annals of science. What are scientists arguing about? And why are their exchanges sometimes so bitter?

In The Evolutionists, Richard Morris vividly portrays the controversies raging today in the field of evolutionary biology. With a clear and unbiased eye, he explores the fundamental questions about the evolutionary process that have provoked such vehement disagreement among some of the world’s most prominent scientists, including Stephen Jay Gould, fellow paleontologist Niles Eldredge, geneticist John Maynard Smith, and zoologist Richard Dawkins.

As he elucidates the issues of contention, Morris also positions them within the broader context of evolutionary thought as a whole. He explains the theory of evolution in detail, reviews the main trends of evolutionary science since Darwin, and assesses how the field is changing today—from ground-breaking new research to the emergence of scientific disciplines like complexity theory and evolutionary psychology.

A vibrant account of contemporary evolutionary biology, The Evolutionists is a fascinating look at how controversy and debate shape the scientific process.

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Review:

Evolution is a fact: of that there can be no dispute. But, writes Richard Morris in this lively overview of modern biology, scientists have been arguing about most other aspects of Darwinian thought for generations, and the battle is growing ever fiercer with the advent of "evolutionary psychology" and other new approaches.

Following the biologist Ernst Mayr, Morris identifies at least five subtheories in the theory of evolution: "evolution as such," or the idea that evolution takes place at all; "common descent," the notion that all life originated in a common ancestor; "multiplication of species," or the splitting of one species into two or more species over time; "gradualism," the idea that evolutionary change happens slowly over a long period of time; and "natural selection," the idea that favorable genetic characteristics prevail over less desired ones. These subtheories are widely debated these days, with controversial scientists such as Stephen Jay Gould advancing ideas of "punctuated equilibrium," whereby change happens suddenly and often catastrophically; Gould's nemesis Richard Dawkins advancing orthodox Darwinism under the "selfish gene" metaphor; and other scientists turning up bits and pieces of evidence of environmental determinism and parallel evolution in nature that alternately undermine and support Darwinian thought.

The arguments among these contemporary scholars are lively, often acrimonious, and amply fueled--after all, Darwin himself puzzled over whether natural selection was the driving force of evolutionary change. Morris offers an evenhanded account of the many schools of thought at work today, and his book will be of great interest to students of the life sciences. --Gregory McNamee

From the Inside Flap:

"Richard Morris outlines where the real action is--not whether evolution happened, but how it happened and what the implications are for our lives. After you read this book you will be compelled to continue watching the drama unfold, as scientists continue on their quest to answer the deepest questions about life and human nature." Michael Shermer, Publisher, Skeptic magazine, and author of WHY PEOPLE BELIEVE WEIRD THINGS and HOW WE BELIEVE

About this edition

• Publisher: W. H. Freeman
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 071674094X
• ISBN 13: 9780716740940
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 262