Product Description
There are millions of different kinds of plants and animals living on the earth. Many millions more lived here in the past. Where did they all come from? Why have some become extinct and others lived on?

In this remarkable book for children, Steve Jenkins explores the fascinating history of life on earth and the awe-inspiring story of evolution, Charles Darwin"s great contribution to modern science. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Perfect for a smart second grader
Minus one star only because of a couple of oversimplifications pointed out by other reviewers.Still, I took a chance, ordered it, and, wow, it was exactly what was needed:an eye-pleasing intro.It's too bad this thing is not carried (in store) in either of the big chains down here in Southern California.

Best I have found so far
I am homeschooling my child, partially because I don't want his education dumbed down so as not to offend the religious extremists (believe me, textbooks have been dumbed down and certain subjects are skipped simply to avoid offended parents).So,
I have been looking for books appropriate for a young child that provide an overview the evolution of life on earth. I want to provide for him a sense of where he belongs within the big picture.This book accomplishes that.

The book is listed for 9-12 year olds and elsewhere for 6-10 year olds. I just read it to my six year old and it took a little bit of work to keep him with it and a few explanations of what things meant, but to the book's credit (and his), he did stay with it. I would say its appropriate for 6-10 with an adult explaining it. 9-12 is more appropriate for independent reading.

The complaint about man not being descended from apes is silly since humans are considered to be apes and are minimally descended from themselves.I'm assuming the author of that complaint has some point, but I don't think its one that in any way affects the value of this book.

If I were to change one thing about the book, I would get rid of the comparison of the history of earth to now as being 24 hours.I think that just confuses the issue.Instead, provide the time line without the 24 hours and the concept will be visually communicated without the added problem to have to explain what 24 hour hours has to do with it.

Highly recommended book.

Awesome book!!!
I bought this for my 8 year old daughter and she loved it!I love the fact that there are science books for kids!

A great Start for Kids
My 4h grade son and I love this book!The collage illustrations in the oversized book are simple, attractive and uncluttered.We discussed them and guessed how they are made.

The text is also clear and uncluttered.My son found it easy to understand.We especially liked the part on Natural Selection which showed a bunch of frogs and how only the fitest survived.

The heads of several of Darwin's finches are shown to illustrate the difference in their beaks, and it points out how each beak is suited to the birds' diet.

Highly Recommended

Every kid should read it.
We really need to teach our children evolution. This is a good book to reach this goal. Recomended. ... Read more

Product Description
Today, most colleges and universities offer evolutionary study as part of their biology curriculums. Evolution For Dummies will track a class in which evolution is taught and give an objective scientific view of the subject. This balanced guide explores the history and future of evolution, explaining the concepts and science behind it, offering case studies that support it, and comparing evolution with rival theories of creation, such as intelligent design. It also will identify the signs of evolution in the world around us and explain how this theory affects our everyday lives and the future to come. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Very witty and humorous...
I enjoyed reading this book. It was a page turner for any level of scientific interest.

Quick Delivery and perfect condition
The book was shipped to me in the time expected and it was in great condition.

good price and fast delivery
came really fast and was good cost value, like the set up of the book, good for one that is not familiar with evolution

This dummy learned a lot about evolution

I do not feel the need to rehash the topics that are discussed in the book. Tim Beazley, a previous commenter, already summed up some of the major topics that are covered in the book. Plus you can use the "Search inside this book" link to see which topics are covered.

Anyhow, the content in this book is very informative and easy to comprehend. Each chapter and each paragraph is extremely concise. The author gets right to the point and doesn't use any unnecessary wordiness or bore you to death with overuse of scientific jargon. It is the perfect introductory book for learning about evolutionary biology.

The author discusses the many evolutionary topics in a completely objective manner. He doesn't try to sway the reader toward atheism or faith in a higher power. He states in the beginning of the book that evolutionary biology is the theory of how organisms change over time, and makes no assumptions of the origin of life.

When I began reading this book I had only a very limited understanding of evolutionary biology. I now have a very solid grasp of the basics. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a basic understanding of evolutionary theories and evolutionary biology.

At last!A hysteria-free book about this subject.
The word "evolution" is a hot button in our society, similar in effect to terms like "abortion," "gay marriage" and "religion."Thus,finding a book on the topic that doesn't include the author getting on his or her soapbox is virtually impossible.

I have searched long and hard for a popular-level treatment of the subject that simply presented the scientific evidence for, and remaining challenges with, the theory.I have suffered from far too many rants from both militant atheists, as well as insecure believers, who use evolution as a platform to push their own metaphysical, economic or political views.Yes, I am talking about both Richard Dawkins and Ken Ham, and the rest of their buddies on the extremist ends of the spectrum.

So to me this book was a Godsend.It lays out the history, evidence, and current state of thought - period.There is a very brief reference to objections to the theory in the back, including religious ones.But there is no attempt to make evolution say things it simply cannot say, such as whether or not there is a God, an objective moral code, a non-physical reality, or any of the other perennial questions that rightly belong to the philosophers and theologians.

After reading it, my position remains essentially unchanged.It seems obvious to me that evolution occurred.Life has evolved from the simplest forms to the ones we see today over billions of years.Birds are the descendants of dinosaurs and we are the descendants of ape-like creatures.
These facts simply cannot be disputed by anyone taking a fair look at the evidence.

I still remain agnostic regarding the engines of evolution, though.It is impossible to prove that all of the steps that led to life's rise were random, or, conversely, that they weren't.However, on the whole I remain skeptical that genetic drift, chance mutations, natural selection, accidental duplications, etc. can sufficiently explain the fantastic success evolution has demonstrated in crafting life forms not only well adapted to survive, but also beautifully elegant in their bodily structures.

"Goofs" like the panda's thumb steer me away from an Intelligent Designer, as least one modeled after a human engineer.But stepping back and looking at creation as a whole still leads me to believe that there is some form of Supreme Intelligence that started it all.Perhaps it set some general parameters for creation's progression, then let the Big Bang unfold on its own.

This does not necessarily mean "God" as that Being has been conceived of by the world's religions.For all I know our universe could be a clever science project put together by a bright third grader for a science fair.Even now we may be sitting in a jar on his bookshelf with an award ribbon hanging from it.

Or we might be lying in a dusty corner of a lab, a rejected effort of some scientist who saw how we turned out and said "I can do better than that!"

Or we might be the beloved creation of an all-powerful and omniscient Father God, who has reasons for the evils and imperfections we are beset with, reasons that will lead to our ultimate well-being and happiness.

Whatever the ultimate answers to such questions are, they are beyond the domain of evolution, and for that matter all of our physical sciences. This fact in no way detracts from the intellectual brilliance of Darwin's theory, or of the many insights we have gained from it.And to those who want to discover those insights, without hysteria or bias, I highly recommend this excellent book.

... Read more

Product Description
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena. Text presents experimental protocols for the generation of molecular diversity. Includes reproducible methods for random mutagenesis of genes, for homologous and nonhomologous recombination, and for constructing in vivo libraries in bacteria. For researchers. ... Read more

Product Description
Johnjoe McFadden "enters new and provocative territory in his marriage of physics and biology" (Science News). His simple but staggering theory of quantum evolution shows how quantum mechanics gives living organisms the ability to initiate specific actions, including new mutations. As Paul Davies exclaims, "if these ideas are right, they will transform our understanding of the relationship between physics and biology" and may radically revise the notion of random evolution and the debate over consciousness and free will. Amazon.com Review
The hairiest heresy of evolutionary biology, the one most likely to getscientists figuratively burned at the stake, is the notion that any forcemore selective than blind chance could drive mutation. Such "directedevolution" smacks too much of a retreat into creationism for mostscience-minded readers to be comfortable with, but there's no a priori reason to reject the idea. Molecular biologist Johnjoe McFadden risks the Inquisition by suggesting just such a possibility in Quantum Evolution: The New Science of Life. Directed at a general but somewhat sophisticated readership, the book covers the basics of both standard evolutionary theory and quantum-level physics, then synthesizes them in an interesting theory of made-to-order mutation that explains enough to warrant attention and is, importantly, testable.

McFadden's writing is clear and sharp, and it shows a high regard for thereader's intelligence and patience for complex ideas. This is no airplanebook--except for those already well-versed in the latest in bothevolutionary theory and subatomic physics. The rewards of reading aregreat, and the author bows just enough to established theory that he mightmeet the fate of his intellectual predecessors. The ideas underlyingQuantum Evolution may be right or wrong, but they challenge receivedwisdom without plunging into dogmatism--and that's good science. --Rob Lightner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Interesting but still rather speculative
McFadden's ideas are still controversial even though this book was published ten years ago. The book could use some updating. At one place in the book, he states, "In case you are wondering why I haven't published my ideas ...[in a peer-viewed scientific journal] - I tried. Unfortunately, the paper that my colleague Jim Al-Khalili and I submitted in 1996 was rejected as too speculative." Actually, a paper was accepted in 1999 in the journal BioSystems published by Elsevier which is a respectable publisher. These ideas would be considered part of a larger domain generally called quantum biology. The de facto text of quantum biology is "Quantum Aspects of Life" published in 2008. An article by McFadden appears in this collection.

McFaddens's ideas rest heavily on the concept of adaptive mutation which is supported largely by the work of John Cairns on mutations in E. coli bacteria. This work showed that these mutations were not entirely random but the probability seemed to be affected by the need for mutation. McFadden attributes this to a quantum observer effect. Other researchers such as Vasily Ogryzko and Amit Goswami independently arrived at similar conclusions. However, this is still a controversial interpretation of these results.

A main issue in quantum biology is decoherence of quantum states. We might well suppose that the effects of quantum mechanics upon large biomolecules in an aqueous environment at room temperature are trivial. Nevertheless, it seems that quantum states are somehow stabilized in living systems. To quote from wikipedia: "Some examples of the biological phenomena that have been studied in terms of quantum processes are the absorbance of frequency-specific radiation (i.e., photosynthesis and vision); the conversion of chemical energy into motion; magnetoreception in animals and brownian motors in many cellular processes." So the idea that there exists a persistent entanglement of individual genes may be plausible.

It is a profound suggestion that adaptive mutation based on quantum observer effect is widespread. In considering the big questions such as, "Where did we come from? What are we? Where are we going?" many apply some sort of positivist philosophy that rests on explaining the natural world in terms of classical materialism based on the principle of linear cause and effect. Introducing quantum physics with its messy non-determinism, non-locality, and non-linear causality (that sometimes includes retro-causality) may seem like we are dropping flies into the proverbial ointment. A rather vigorous resistance to this idea is understandable.

McFadden's book is a good introduction for the layman to this strange world view. Our knowledge at any point in time is often a small part of a larger context. That larger context sometimes turns out to be far stranger than anything we might have imagined which has certainly been the case with physics and astronomy.

Magnificent!
I loved this book because for me, it had everything I was looking for:solid scientific information, clear, concise, entertaining and exciting.It gave me amazing new insight on the quantum nature of life. I was very impressed by the revolutionary ideas presented by the author. His writing ability made obscure topics easy to follow and understand (plus he does not present tedious quantum mechanical equations in the text). Fantastic reference section included too for those who want more technical information! Maybe the book is not for everybody (especially if you're only into popular or casual science literature), but for those who are interested, this book will give you a whole new perspective on the world around us.

Using quantum physics to explain evolution
The astonishing effectivity of chance that Darwin used to explain natural evolution isn't being confirmed by experiments, or by simulations.From a certain point on, in computer simulations, simple systems get simpler, the opposite of biological evolution.

John Cairns from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston performed a laboratory experiment with two cultures of E. coli lac- and fed one of them with yeast, the normal food, while the other was served lactose.To be able to digest lactose, E. coli lac- should mutate to E. coli lac+.The author claims : "The standard neoDarwinian theory would predict that the mutation lac- -> lac+, to generate a fully functional beta-gal enzyme, should occur at the same rate for the cells fed on yeast extract, compared with cells on the starvation diet of lactose. The only difference should be that, for the cells fed only on lactose, the mutation would rescue them from starvation; whereas the mutation would be irrelevant for the cells happily feeding on the yeast extract. What Cairns actually found was a much higher rate lac- -> lac+ mutation when the cells had only lactose to eat."

Such an adaptive selection mechanism has some very important consequences.It explains the stability of favourable mutations.The chimpanzee hasn't changed a bit in the last 5 million years, while man has mutated continuously in the same period, under the pressure of changes in the environment.

Now, if chance isn't the prime mover behind mutations, what is ?McFadden proposes in this book a theory of quantum evolution."The conventional information flow inside living cells is from DNA, to RNA, to protein. (...) Quantum evolution may generate adaptive mutations by providing the required feedback loop : lactose -> protein -> messenger RNA -> gene, via conditional quantum measurement. The living cell's ability to measure the positions of fundamental particles within the DNA double helix will be determined by the composition of its environment in this case, lactose presence. Lactose arms the cell's quantum-measuring devices, enabling it to measure the position of the DNA protons that (potentially) encode the beta-galactosidase enzyme. The cell may then perform a dense series of measurements on the position of DNA bases which will perturb the dynamics of those protons, enhancing mutation rates. Quantum measurement may thereby enhance the rate of beneficial mutations to cause adaptive mutations and drive evolution."

This theory has still a lot of gaps and details to fill in, but the general principle is very interesting.

Superb writing
Perfection in scientific writing achieved by Dr McFadden.Shame I did not have a single lecture with him at University of Surrey.

Speculative, yes, but well-written
McFadden begins with a discussion of what defines life.He concludes that "directed action" is a key notion.This is something analogous to the appearance of "will" in humans or higher animals.Moreover this directed action takes place all the way down to the microscopic level within organisms.Organisms are characterized by order via directed action at scales large and small.

Prior to presenting the core arguments for quantum effects in life, McFadden reviews evolution and DNA replication.He also looks at the different theories for the origin of life.On his way toward providing his own answer, McFadden next takes a closer look at biochemistry, showing that as you drill down into particular biological functions you find they are driven by directed movements of individual protons or electrons via the electromagnetic force.This puts us squarely in the domain of physics, specifically quantum physics.

McFadden presents his own very readable summary of QM, leaning heavily on the two-slit experiment as a heuristic device.His strategy is to show that quantum measurements are happening at the micro-level in living systems.He gives an example of an enzyme action that ultimately depends on a single proton, which we know must be in a superposition of states absent measurement.So, a living system must be measuring itself.His view is that the classical world depends generally on continual measurement for its manifestation.This discussion leads to the next key tool McFadden wants to use:the quantum Zeno effect (and inverse Zeno effect).This, he speculates, is what is responsible for directed action at the micro-level.

With the review of QM in hand, he returns to a discussion of the origin of life and the question of how the first replicator was assembled (given the extreme improbability of it happening by chance).He theorizes that quantum superpositions could allow exploration of a large space of possibilities at the scale of an amino acid peptide chain.But the chances still seem small of making the self-replicator.However, harnessing the (inverse) Zeno effect could increase the probability.And, once you have a self-replicator, can we assume natural selection can do the rest of the job?No, there is still a big challenge here in getting a simple replicator to build the complex machinery of a cell.Moreover, in computer simulations, replicators tend to generate simpler systems, not more complex ones.

McFadden speculates that if a system on the edge of the classical frontier repeatedly fell back into quantum superposition and took advantage of the inverse quantum Zeno effect, this could have added complexity.Still, we haven't been able to do anything like this in the lab.

And yet, the case seems relatively more compelling that non-trivial quantum effects are being exhibited in living cells (even if they are difficult or impossible to directly detect).To give credence to the existence of these effects one can estimate that decoherence times would be lengthy enough for them to occur in the relevant context.Also, important to note is that it is only coherent systems are sensitive enough to be affected by the weak electromagnetic fields which are known to exist in the cellular realm.McFadden concludes the quantum/classical barrier exists at the sub-cellular level of biology, and that organisms are comprised of "quantum cells".

Getting back once again to the definition of life, McFadden says the cell's ability to "capture" low entropy states to maintain order at the microscopic level via (internal) quantum measurements and the quantum Zeno effect is responsible for the distinctive directed action which characterizes life.

In the final chapters, McFadden first reprises the discussion of the role of quantum effects in DNA mutation and adaptive evolution.Then, he closes with his theory of how quantum effects in the brain may be linked to human will and consciousness.

On the one hand, this book consists of speculation stacked on speculation.On the other hand, each step progresses from features of physics or biochemistry that we know to be true.Between the spheres of quantum physics and the human mind lies the world of biology: I continue to look for arguments and evidence that biological systems have features that can bridge these realms.This book was a fine effort along this line.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Scientific but approachable, very informative
Neither light reading or science for the masses, this book is reasonably approachable and very informative.An excellent complement to Steven Pinker's The Language Instinct:this one handles the physiology of language, while Pinker discusses how language is structured by the brain.Lieberman's book is full of the big ideas and fascinating details that make science reading such a pleasure. ... Read more

Product Description
When the molecular processes of epigenetics meet the ecological processes of phenotypic plasticity, the result is a revolutionary new field: ecological developmental biology, or eco-devo. This new science studies development in the real world of predators, pathogens, competitors, symbionts, toxic compounds, temperature changes, and nutritional differences. These environmental agents can result in changes to an individual s phenotype, often implemented when signals from the environment elicit epigenetic changes in gene expression. Ecological developmental biology is a truly integrative biology, detailing the interactions between developing organisms and their environmental contexts. Ecological developmental biology also provides a systems approach to the study of pathology, integrating the studies of diabetes, cancers, obesity, and the aging syndrome into the framework of an ecologically sensitive developmental biology. It looks at examples where the environment provides expected cues for normal development and where the organism develops improperly without such cues. Data from research on teratology, endocrine disruptors, and microbial symbioses, when integrated into a developmental context, may have enormous implications for human health as well as the overall health of Earth s ecosystems. The study of epigenetics changes in gene expression that are not the result of changes in a gene s DNA sequence has recently provided startling insights not only into mechanisms of development, but also into the mechanisms and processes of evolution. The notion that epialleles (changes in chromosome structure that alter gene expression) can be induced by environmental agents and transmitted across generations has altered our notions of evolution, as have new experiments documenting the genetic fixation of environmentally induced changes in development. The widespread use of symbiosis in development provides new targets for natural selection. Ecological developmental biology integrates these new ideas into an extended evolutionary synthesis that retains and enriches the notion of evolution by natural selection. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Instructive introduction to development
Excellent paperback on biological development; the text reads well and the figures are instructive. Commendable

Meaty!and well written
We read this book for my evo-devo book group. It's pretty meaty for a group of recreational readers, but we got quite a lot out of it. To give you an idea of where these readers were coming from, we're a mix of professionals, only some of whom are even in the life sciences. We've read books like Sean Carroll's before this one. If you've read Carroll's books and want to take the next step, I do recommend this one. I don't know if it's used as a textbook, but it's certainly beyond most popularizations.

With this perspective, let me say: the whole group really enjoyed this one. We took three sessions to read it, but found the writing clear and the pictures very helpful. The chapter on endocrine disruptors was especially eye-opening.

Finally, a book that tells the Whole Story!
Finally we have a truly excellent account of how the environment affects various developmental processes that make plants and animals!
This is a masterpiece in scholarship yet at the same time this book is written in a way that everyone can enjoy.
Gilbert and Epel are world experts in this new field of "Eco-Devo" and they clearly show us how living things, including humans, are intimately affected by changes in the environment. Using beautiful colour images to illustrate their story, they tell us how the same genome can produce different phenotypes (forms) in a wide range of organisms. This book will also be of great interest to readers interested in the history and philosophy of biology as Gilbert and Epel clearly discuss the historical roots of 'eco-devo' along with the philosophical implications of 'eco-devo'. This book is a 'must read' for anyone interested in biology, especially those who are biased in thinking that genetics alone, in the absence of understanding environmental input, explains how living forms arise and evolve. Folks who are interested in conservation biology will want to read this book as the authors discuss many examples of how toxins released into the environment adversely affect fundamental developmental mechanisms leading to the extinction of organisms. What is really wonderful about this book this that we are not burdened with endless technical information and jargon, instead we are given a passionate story about how all things on this planet are inter-connected, reminding me of the ancient Indian "Diamond Net of Indra" metaphor that if you touch (disturb) any part of the net, you actually affect the whole net (the entire planet!). So this book introduces the reader to a new view of science that we might call "Wholistic Biology" in which ecology, development, health science, molecular genetics and evolution are united together as they actually are in the 'real world', instead of being discussed as separate fields of study as they usually are in universities.
What more can I say other than "Ecological Developmental Biology" is most definitely one of the most significant books to be written in the field of science in the last few decades. Please read it! Thank you Scott and David for this Gift to us all!

Wm. Bates
University of British Columbia
Canada ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Level: advanced
I came to this book for an introduction to the statistics at the heart of current evolutionary theory. It gave me that, and a whole lot more--a great round up of issues in evolution at the professional level, most of it way over my head. I felt well satisfied that I'd been introduced to modern evolutionary discourse, to how professional evolutionists think about the subject and what issues matter to them. I noticed how little that discourse connects to the roots of evolutionary theory in the 19th C. Discussion of basics went back no further than the 1920s and '30s. My overriding impression was that professional evolutionists no longer have a language in which to talk to laypeople about lay interests. I recommend that, if you want to argue with evolutionists about something, you read this book first and see if your "something" can be framed in their discourse. If not, you may be met with an expression ofwell-meaning puzzlement--"what are you talking about?". Well-written, easy to read, except for the inscrutability of the subject matter itself, which I ultimately found just uninteresting. ... Read more

Product Description
Why evolution is more than just a theory: it is a fact

In all the current highly publicized debates about creationism and its descendant “intelligent design,” there is an element of the controversy that is rarely mentioned—the evidence, the empirical truth of evolution by natural selection. Even Richard Dawkins and Stephen Jay Gould, while extolling the beauty of evolution and examining case studies, have not focused on the evidence itself. Yet the proof is vast, varied, and magnificent, drawn from many different fields of science. Scientists are observing species splitting into two and are finding more and more fossils capturing change in the past—dinosaurs that have sprouted feathers, fish that have grown limbs.

Why Evolution Is True weaves together the many threads of modern work in genetics, paleontology, geology, molecular biology, and anatomy that demonstrate the “indelible stamp” of the processes first proposed by Darwin. In crisp, lucid prose accessible to a wide audience, Why Evolution Is True dispels common misunderstandings and fears about evolution and clearly confirms that this amazing process of change has been firmly established as a scientific truth. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (133)

A Good Defense of Intelligent Design
It is frankly astounding that this is supposed to be a defense of the THEORY of evolution.The good professor uses descriptions of defense mechanisms in insects as the "engine of evolution" and pretends that somehow, if an insect (such as a bee) does not presently have a defense, it will evolve this capacity before it is destroyed by a predator.And yet, we are supposed to believe that traits evolve through the genetic code over many generations and gradually. The author can't even resist the temptation to use the word "designed" (page 122) to describe the incredibly complex and sophisticated mechanisms and behaviors that a simple hornet possesses.

Another great example he gives is the Katydid that looks like a leaf - including "leaf like patterns and even 'rotten spots' resembling the holes in leaves" (page 124).He attributes this (page 128) to "random mutations".How do you suppose "random mutations" could ever - in a billion, billion years - produce such a remarkable resemblance to a leaf - or insects that look exactly like a stick?This is indeed a leap of faith beyond all comprehension.Even if this could be achieved through "random mutations", how did this species survive for all the generations needed to produce this camouflaging?You would have to believe that nothing wanted to eat it before it had the camouflage and then, in spite of this, it developed the camouflage to fool a predator that "genetics" or "random mutation" anticipated before the predator had ever attacked.Personally, I think it was just designed with camouflage by a Creator with a truly ingenious and artistic mind.

The following excerpt is taken from Wikipedia to show how highly speculative evolutionary "science" is:
Evolution is regarded as a branching process, whereby populations are altered over time and may speciate into separate branches, hybridize together, or terminate by extinction. This may be visualized in a phylogenetic tree.The problem posed by phylogenetics is that genetic data are only available for living taxa, and the fossil records (osteometric data) contains less data and more-ambiguous morphological characters. A phylogenetic tree represents a hypothesis of the order in which evolutionary events are assumed to have occurred.

Note the use of the words "ambiguous", "hypothesis", and "assumed" above.

I assume a hypothesis that the "science" of evolution is an unambiguous attempt to do away with God.It is a creative and fanciful attempt, but I would not bank on it when the Lord of Glory comes to judge the quick and the dead.

Good information, often presented with unwarranted arrogance.
As one who believes that G-d created the universe billions of years ago and maintains His involvement with His creation, I read this book with genuine curiosity and wanting to learn.

A weak point of Coyne's presentation is his dismissive tone when speaking of those who find intelligent design credible and might, perhaps, find some of Coyne's arguments less than persuasive. He can be so obnoxiously condescending that it would seem to undermines his repeated claims to be holding the upper hand as the more "objective" observer.

The Amazon book review section is not the place to debate evolution vs Creation and there are people far more capable than myself in engaging in that debate.

However, as an ordinary reviewer of this book,I would say that while I learned a great deal, I remained unconvinced by his insistence that complex inter-dependencies in nature could have arisen entirely without divine assistance.

And I found his smug self-assurance unwarranted and entirely unnecessary.

Design Free
It would be nice to read an edition of this book that did not refer to the debate about intelligent design or creationism.
As one who understands the principles of evolution, these references are a distraction to an appreciation that our ancestors have survived a 3.5 billion year trip to today.
Incredible.I am blessed.

Proof Beyond all Doubt that Evolution is True
I almost didn't read this book, for I thought the case for evolution simply couldn't be made any better.I was wrong.Jerry Coyne's forays into the various scientific field which demonstrates evolution's truth is as impressive as anything else I have read on the subject, including Richard Dawkin's books on the subject.From the fossil record, to anatomical comparisons, to embryology, and the various "freaks" and evidence of bed design in nature, Coyne's developments of the facts and arguments for evolution could not help to persuade any but the most most dogmatic creationist.

What is especially convincing is the way Coyne shows, over and over again, how intermediate, "missing-link" fossils consistently appear in the geological record exactly where we would expect to fin them, based on other evidence or arguments.He is also clear in showing that evolution, even "macro" evolution can and does show up in modern experiments and observations.

All in all, a must read for anyone interested in this subject (and if you aren't interested, you should be).

Seven Stars Book
I want to make my review brief and straightforward though there is a lot to say.

The author presents an overwhelming case for the "Fact of Evolution". It is hard to believe that somebody, after reading the book, will still not believe in evolution.

The book is very entertaining, very informative and very objective.

I have few suggestions for the author:

1. I would include the notes as footnotes instead of placing them at the end.

2. What about the evidence of chromosome fusion (chromosome 2)? It would be interesting to add this to the genetic evidence of evolution.

3. I want to draw the author's attention to a phenomenon in humans similar to the drug-resistance in bacteria. There is evidence that the overexpression of P-glycoprotein causes resistance to chemotherapy and antiepileptic drugs. I encourage the author to read about it and consider including it in the book. It is very interesting and it is a microevolution in human that we can see in front of our eyes.

Thank you very much the wonderful book.
... Read more

Product Description
This book provides up-to-date coverage of fossil plants from Precambrian life to flowering plants, including fungi and algae. It begins with a discussion of geologic time, how organisms are preserved in the rock record, and how organisms are studied and interpreted and takes the student through all the relevant uses and interpretations of fossil plant. With new chapters on additional flowering plant families, paleoecology and the structure of ancient plant communities, fossil plants as proxy records for paleoclimate, new methodologies used in phylogenetic reconstruction and the addition of new fossil plant discoveries since 1993, this book provides the most comprehensive account of the geologic history and evolution of microbes, algae, fungi, and plants through time.

* Major revision of a 1993 classic reference

* Lavishly illustratedwith 1800 images and user friendly for use by paleobotanists, biologists, geologists and other related scientists

* Includes an expanded glossary with an extensive up-to-date bibliography and a comprehensive index

* Provides extensive coverage of fungi and other microbes, and major groups of land plants both living and extinct ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Evolutionary history of plants
The magisterial new book by Taylor, Taylor, and Krings is definitely the best treatment on the evolutionary history of plants (and some related taxa) in the marketplace. It is not a mere update of the Taylors' well-known earlier textbook but a completely new review of this subject. The taxonomic coverage is comprehensive, and the book is lavishly illustrated. An additional positive attribute is that the authors recognize and celebrate historical contributions in the field - something all too uncommon nowadays. I was just amazed that it was published by Academic Press - not a name generally associated with affordable books - at a mere $120.00 (actually less on Amazon and major booksellers). This is a "must buy" for anyone seriously interested in the history of life on Earth.

Stratigraphic Chart Missing
The geologic time periods chart referred to in the Preface is not found on the inside front and back covers
of the book I got, it can easily be downloaded and printed though from International Commission on
Stratigraphy website.

Wow!!!!
I don't normally associate Academic Press with bargan prices, but this incredible volume is one. It's awsomely comprehensive, very well organized, beautifully illustrated with many color images, and painfully up to date. I could go on and on listing its virtues.The many photos of historically important paleobotanists, past and present, and the exhaustive list of references are just two. Congratulations and thanks to the Taylors and Krings and to Academic Press for this very useful and beautifully produced book.

This Is It!
STOP whatever you are doing and buy this book! I have the first edition and rated it as the best volume on fossil plants. Now the second edition is here and it is dramatically better! Why is it better? Well first of all there are over 2,000 illustrations. Secondly most of the illustrations are in color! Third, the book has larger pages and more of them allowing for better explanations and greatly expanded coverage.
This is THE finest book on fossil plants EVER!

The drawbacks are few; there is the weight of the book which precludes it being read in bed, and the old illustration on page 1022 of a horseshoe crab, supposedly hiding on a lycopod branch indicating land activity, has been disproved several times by Anderson and others. Finally there is the occasional problem of lack of locality information on many of the photos. I would like to know where the specimens were found, at least country of origin. These are trivial compared to the strengths of the book.

If you have any interest in paleobotany, this book is a must. The price is low when you consider it is the best of its kind. This book needs to be part of any college level library where geology is taught.

Now, go to the top of the page, find the "order button", click on it and await the best book on paleobotany ever. You will be impressed!

A superlative encyclopedic treatise on paleobotany.
Just received my copy today and I couldn't be more pleased. The book construction and materials are absolutely superb. Archival library binding and premium gloss paper with over 2100 illustrations and exquisite photography convey an almost lifelike appearance throughout. The book is actually 1230 pp. with appendix, glossary, references and index.

This is truly a Magnum Opus of paleobotany, sure to please the most meticulous academicians and amateurs alike. This work will certainly have a broad appeal to botanists beyond those with a purely paleontological bent. Although one caveat for the neophyte; this is not an easy slog. At a minimum a cursory knowledge of botany and paleontology is required lest the reader become ensnared in the plethora of scientific parlance and doctrine.

A magnificent tome, easily one of the best paleobotany references ever produced. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

Essential reading for those interested in anti-essentialism
This is a collection of essays that advances the interesting arguments of Oyama's earlier work: `The ontogeny of information'.Oyama helps us to rethink in subtle and complex ways the concepts of `biology',`inheritance', `nature', `evolution', and so on and she also reconfiguresthe relationships between them.Together the reworkings of these ideasprovide a sophisticated framework which eschews various forms ofreductionism and determinism whilst emphasising contingency, history, andcomplexity.Her discussions of developmental systems are essential readingfor anyone seeking a more complex way of engaging with the complexity oflife and our understanding of it. ... Read more

Product Description
All of us are part of an old, old family. The roots of our family tree reach back millions of years to the beginning of life on earth. Open this family album and embark on an amazing journey. You'll meet some of our oldest relatives--from both the land and the sea--and discover what we inherited from each of them along the many steps of our wondrous past.
Complete with an illustrated timeline and glossary, here is the story of human evolution as it's never been told before.
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Customer Reviews (17)

Very elementary
So elementary and simplified that it was of no use to me. I guess it's ok for very small children whose parents want to introduce them to the basic idea.

Just awesome.
I was looking for a book that would help my son (5 yrs) better understand what I believe about science and evolution as oposed to what his father believes (the classic Christian creation story). I needed something more than just telling him that I don't believe god created people and that's that. So I went searching. And this was my first hit, my first purchase, and I am SO happy with it.

We just received our package yesterday and my son and I sat and read the book. He loved it. Like another reviewer said, it is very hard for him to grasp millions of years, but I found that just explaining to him in terms of a "long time ago" a "long, long time ago" and a "long, long, long time ago" helped him get the basic idea. He asked questions, and made observations, and was fascinated by the pictures.

This book is just the start in educated him on science, but it is a good one. I've recommended it to all my similarly perplexed friends for their children.

Great naturalistic book for my Kindergartener and 2nd grader!
Perhaps the most fundamental question is: "where did we come from?".This wonderful book addresses that question head on from a secular, scientific point of view, starting with the first life forms on Earth.It walks us through the major evolutionary steps along the path, and ends up with us humans.Along the way, it discusses our ancestors of the period, and what is new about them (forelimbs, lungs, warm bloodedness, walking upright).It also captures critical events in the history of life on earth (e.g. the great dying at end of Permian, just before the dinosaurs).About 2 billion adults on this planet would learn a lot by reading this book, but it is just perfect for little kids.The prose is artfully and clearly written, and the illustrations are simple but appealing.I have never seen a book that teaches our evolutionary heritage more clearly to a young audience!My kids wanted me to read it to them multiple times.

Great evolution story - scientific but also a good tale
My 4yo daughter was asking about where the first people and dogs came from so I looked into different books to explain evolution.This one is perfect for her age because it is not technical at all though not inaccurate - it tells the story of evolution with beautiful words and pictures that read like a creation myth.People have always had creation myths and evolution is really no different. It doesn't have to be just boring technical stuff - it can also be a great story.I think this is a great book for children (and adults).

Very pleased
This book is a superb introduction to evolution for small children.Millions of years are distilled into a simple chain of events from the beginning of life to modern man.Critical events are touched on such as Pangaea and when life was almost wiped out.The illustrations are rich and colorful, the text large and simple.Tree of Life by Ellen Jackson attempts to do something similar, but I sent it back because it did it so poorly.This book is a keeper and will be used for both history and science in homeschooling an elementary age child.
... Read more

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Evolutionary developmental biology, also known as evo-devo or EDB, seeks to find links between development and evolution by opening the "black box" of development's role in evolution and in the evolution of developmental mechanisms. In particular, this volume emphasizes the roles of the environment and of hormonal signaling in evo-devo. It brings together a group of leading researchers to analyze the dynamic interaction of environmental factors with developmental and physiological processes and to examine how environmental signals are translated into phenotypic change, from the molecular and cellular level to organisms and groups of organisms. Taken together, these chapters demonstrate the crucial roles of those processes of genetic, developmental, physiological, and hormonal change that underpin evolutionary change in development, morphology, physiology, behavior, and life-history.Part I investigates links between environmental signals and developmental processes that could be preserved over evolutionary time. Several contributors evaluate the work of the late Ryuichi Matsuda, especially his emphasis on the role of the external environment in genetic change and variability ("pan-environmentalism"). Other contributors in part I analyze different aspects of environmental-genetic-evolutionary linkages, including the importance of alternate ontogenies in evolution and the paradox of stability over long periods of evolutionary time. Part II examines the plasticity that characterizes much of development, with contributors discussing such topics as gene regulatory networks and heterochronicity. Part III analyzes the role of hormones and metamorphosis in the evolution of such organisms with alternate life-history stages as lampreys, amphibians, and insects. ... Read more

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Mayr provides as convincing a testament to Darwin's genius as you are likely to find." --New York Times Book Review.

At once a spirited defense of Darwinian explanations of biology and an elegant primer on evolution for the general reader, What Evolution Is poses the questions at the heart of evolutionary theory and considers how our improved understanding of evolution has affected the viewpoints and values of modern man.

Science Masters SeriesAmazon.com Review
Gathering insights from his seven-decade career, the renowned biologist Ernst Mayr argues that evolution is now to be considered not a theory but a fact--and that "there is not a single Why? question in biology that can be answered adequately without a consideration of evolution."

Mayr, emeritus professor of zoology at Harvard University, has long been one of the world's foremost researchers in genetic and evolutionary theory. In this overview of past and current scientific thought, he discusses key concepts and terms, among them the origin of species, the (somewhat metaphorical) "struggle for existence," and agents of micro- and macroevolution. Somewhat against the grain, he argues against reduction and for the study of evolution at the phenotypic, not genetic, level. In his concluding pages, Mayr offers a careful overview of human evolution, adding his view that humankind is indeed unique--though "it has not yet completed the transition from quadrupedal to bipedal life in all of its structures."

Advanced students of the life sciences, as well as readers looking for a survey of current evolutionary theory, will find Mayr's book a useful companion. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

An Explanatory Masterpiece
Ernst Mayr is widely recognized as the biologist most responsible for shaping the modern synthesis of genetics and evolutionary theory. "What Evolution Is" provides an invaluable primer for anyone who is interested in understanding the modern theory of biological evolution.

In the preface, Mayr says he wrote this book for three kinds of readers: those who want to know more about evolution, those who accept evolution, but are not sure whether the Darwinian explanation is the correct one, and those "creationists who want to know more about the current paradigm of evolutionary science, if for no other reason than to be able to better argue against it" (p. xiii).

Throughout the book, the reader is presented with clear descriptions of the basic principles of biological evolution, backed up with a solid collection of facts that should fascinate even the most hardened veteran of the evolution/creation controversy. The writing is clear, elegant, and comprehensive. The book even includes a glossary that defines some of the most commonly used terms relating to evolution!

The best thing I can say about Ernst Mayr's "What Evolution Is" is that it does not waste the reader's time by attempting to provide an exhaustive list of proofs of evolution. That evolution happens is already so well established that such a detailed presentation of the evidence is not necessary. Besides, as Mayr correctly points out, such a list would likely not convince those who do not wish to be persuaded.

A mile wide and an inch deep
I was a little disappointed in this book. Though directed toward the educated layman, Mayr here writes in a manner that only biologists would find easy to understand. At the same time, he covers so much material that many interesting topics only get a page or so of attention. There isn't much detail that a reader capable of getting much from his writing style would not already be familiar with.

There are many problems with this book that a good editor should have brought to Mayr's attention. Mayr often mentions a specific case in passing, saying that X property of evolution is displayed by Y animal, but fails to cite clearly his reasons and source. So what's the point of mentioning the example if it's not explained how it relates to the topic being discussed? Where can I find more information? I found this book frustrating and tedious, and I learned little from it that I didn't already know.

Enjoyable and thought provoking
This book is something I imagine I will have to read again, not because it is poorly written, but because it is so thought provoking and accessible. Having read most of Dawkins works, this book is better. Mayr takes a strong stance against reductionism and the confirmation bias in evolutionary theories. Throughout the book he eloquently explains population and stochasic thinking in evolutionary theory. I plan to go back to some other works(that seemed convincing before) with a new skepticism. Don't skip the appendices. Mayr's wisdom rings through in his assertion that "Sweeping generalizations are rarely correct in evolutionary biology"(Appendix A, pg 271). This book is an excellent overview and window into the way Mayr thinks about Evolution.

I did have one criticism and it was the response he gave to the question Why is Evolution unpredictable? His answer was changes in environment are unpredictable, and also that a way a population may respond is also unpredictable, but then he says "Nevertheless, a knowledge of the potential of genotype and of the nature of constraints permits in most cases a reasonably accurate prediction"(appendix b). This seems in contrast to the earlier quote. Having recently read Nassim Taleb's "The Black Swan", I am uncertain if our predictions about about the future will in anyway be accurate. Still, this criticism aside, this is a great book.

A Good Detailed Text, but Not For The Layman
This book is a high level discussion of the process of evolution.It is written almost as a point/counter-point debate of the different theories of evolution (and there have been many) which have developed since Darwin's "Origin Of Species".

Even though I have read several other books on evolution prior to this one, the text seems to be aimed at a higher level reader than someone who is curious about evolution.This would be a good text to go to once you have the basic knowledge gained elsewhere under your belt.

Despite the above, I find this to be a good book since it does detail all of the theories that have emerged and is able to compare them and contradict ones that have not stood up to testing or the evidence revealed since their original proposing.

If you are a student of evolution and/or life sciences, I would recommend this book be on your bookshelf as it is on mine.If you are just starting out, trying some more introductory texts before trying this one.

Want to learn about evolution, but don't know where to start?
Ernst Mayr was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about biology.And what he noticed was that there had existed no single detailed and comprehensive publication that he or others could point to when asked by a layperson, "What is Evolution?"

This book is it.Mayr did an exception job at condensing the knowledge of roughly every subdiscipline of biology regarding evolution into one text.I would argue that it's relatively easy for a layperson to understand, but read slowly to let it sink in.(Stephen Jay Gould took 1400+ pages to describe evolution in "Structure of Evolutionary Theory," while Mayr only takes 336 pages, making this book far more concise) ... Read more

Product Description
Seasoned practitioners from many leading laboratories describe their best readily reproducible screening strategies for isolating useful clones. These techniques have been optimized for sensitivity, high throughput, and robustness, and are of proven utility for directed evolution purposes. The assays presented use a variety of techniques, including genetic complementation, microtiter plates, solid-phase screens with colorimetric substrates, and flow cytometric screens. An accompanying volume, Directed Evolution Library Creation: Methods and Protocols (ISBN 1-58829-285-1), describes readily reproducible methods for the creation of mutated DNA molecules and DNA libraries.

Copy for Both Volumes

Directed Evolution Library Creation: Methods and Protocols and Directed Enzyme Evolution: Screening and Selection Methods constitute an extraordinary collection of all the key methods used today for directed evolution research. Described in step-by-step detail to ensure robust experimental results, these methods will enable both newcomers and more experienced investigators to design and implement directed evolution strategies for the engineering of novel proteins. The first volume describes methods for the creation of mutated DNA molecules, or DNA libraries, encoding variants of desired proteins. The second volume describes methods for screening DNA libraries to isolate mutant proteins that exhibit a specified function. ... Read more

Product Description
True river dolphins as well as marine dolphins that frequent freshwater systems are large animals that have traditionally gone unnoticed by the general public and, in a certain sense, by marine mammal specialists as well. In fact, only a limited number of researchers have investigated the biology of these dolphin species. This is quite surprising given that these species are commonly the top predators in their habitats. Now for the first time, revolutionary molecular techniques are being applied to answer evolutionary reconstruction questions of many animals, including river dolphins. In addition, new paleontological records are dramatically changing our perspective about the relationships of these dolphins with each other and with other cetaceans. In this book, new census information and important ecological characteristics are provided of the river dolphins Inia, Sotalia, Pontoporia, Lioptes, and Orcaella. For the first time, molecular and genetic results of theses dolphin species are presented. A compilation of these data is essential if we are to present a strategic conservation plan for these animals.Upon being informed of critical evolutionary historical data, conservation biologists will now be able to tailor their conservation efforts for each threatened river dolphin species. Additionally, new morphological data and the new discoveries in the fossil record for river dolphins are examined. The major dolphin specialists in Colombia, Brazil, Bolivia, Argentina, the United States of America, China, and India present their newest results within a single book that graduate students, professors, scientists, evolutionary ecologists, aquatic mammalogists, population ecologists, conservation ecologists, and marine biologists will all find valuable for the foreseeable future. ... Read more

Product Description
Moral thinking pervades our practical lives, but where did this way of thinking come from, and what purpose does it serve? Is it to be explained by environmental pressures on our ancestors a million years ago, or is it a cultural invention of more recent origin? In The Evolution of Morality, Richard Joyce takes up these controversial questions, finding that the evidence supports an innate basis to human morality. As a moral philosopher, Joyce is interested in whether any implications follow from this hypothesis. Might the fact that the human brain has been biologically prepared by natural selection to engage in moral judgment serve in some sense to vindicate this way of thinking—staving off the threat of moral skepticism, or even undergirding some version of moral realism? Or if morality has an adaptive explanation in genetic terms—if it is, as Joyce writes, "just something that helped our ancestors make more babies"—might such an explanation actually undermine morality's central role in our lives? He carefully examines both the evolutionary "vindication of morality" and the evolutionary "debunking of morality," considering the skeptical view more seriously than have others who have treated the subject.

Interdisciplinary and combining the latest results from the empirical sciences with philosophical discussion, The Evolution of Morality is one of the few books in this area written from the perspective of moral philosophy. Concise and without technical jargon, the arguments are rigorous but accessible to readers from different academic backgrounds. Joyce discusses complex issues in plain language while advocating subtle and sometimes radical views. The Evolution of Morality lays the philosophical foundations for further research into the biological understanding of human morality. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Thought-provoking, but mostly wrong
In this book, Joyce sets out on an extremely ambitious mission: To show that morality as we know it is worthless because it is only a side-effect of our evolutionary history.

He clearly knows his facts about evolution, and the book is an engaging and thought-provoking read; but the overall argument rests upon an extremely silly premise, namely: "If we do X because we evolved to do X, then we must be wrong in doing X." By the same reasoning, not only morality, but sex, science, and even basic cognitive processes like vision and logic must be false.

Yes, we evolved to be moral---this is because morality is in fact a true reflection of the state of the universe, and our evolution adapted us to that fact.

Excellent presentation of a very important case
This book puts forth an argument that I think will have to be dealt with for a long time to come.It essentially takes what we know about Natural Selection and asks what this tells us about the reliability of our moral beliefs.The answer is not very flattering for our moral beliefs.

Yes more work will need to be done in this area.The author does not claim to close the case but is more of the inclination that he is opening the case.So the book is not exhaustive of every possible approach one might take when dealing with this issue.However, when Joyce does go down a line of thought, he does so with clarity.Chapter 5 dealing with those who think evolution actually vindicates our moral beliefs is, alone, worth the price of the book.The author makes short work of sorting out the ambiguities that cloud the thinking here.In doing this, he not only points out the critical flaws in much of what has been previously written on this topic, but he informs the reader how to spot many of the ambiguities that repeatedly come up in this discourse.

Doing to others
"Morality", that sense of doing good, or at least avoiding harm, to others is one of humanity's treasured phrases.It is one of the characteristics that supposedly sets us apart from the other animals.We use the values imparted to it in judging others, as we are judged in turn.However, it remains an enigmatic term, carrying a host of definitions.And that's not counting the exceptions.Richard Joyce, for all his assertive title, isn't claiming to have the final word on morality.Instead, he's launching a project with areas of study that should be investigated further.Only one thing he insists on - as a product of evolution by natural selection, human beings will find the origins of that valued concept in our biological heritage.

Joyce's treatise is tightly organised.Given he addresses this complex idea in just over two hundred pages, discipline with words is a must.There are but six chapters in which to deal with questions plaguing our species since at least the invention of writing.In that short stack, he ties anthropology, sociology, evolutionary psychology and other fields together in a very neat package.Even such a short presentation doesn't force him to be terse.The material is clearly presented and sprinklings of wit keep it from bogging the reader down.However, the proposals are carefully, if succinctly, offered and the reader's attention must not flag.

Since "morality" hinges on the interactions between humans [other animals, whatever their behaviour traits, are deemed "amoral"] the key in Joyce's analysis is "reciprocity".Reciprocity hinges on a host of factors, from the genetic proximity of relatives to what kind of reputationone has - even across a large group.Game theory has been employed to demonstrate the variations reciprocity can achieve and the lengths to which it might go.The other aspect of interaction is language.For Joyce, setting moral standards and assessing behaviour against these can only be effective when the norms are understood.It's not possible to derive moral values from actions alone.

The expression of moral statements and the expectation that these will be respected is a significant aspect of maintaining human communities.The exchange of views within a group and the acceptance of certain behaviour patterns strengthens the identity of the community.As values were tested, individuals could discern who among the group could be trusted, particularly in times of difficulties.Those accepting the norms are more likely to gain status and, hence, reproductive success.These conditions lead to reinforcement of the values under consideration, making a moral sense an innate human characteristic.Not only is the application of moral values universal, but these values are projected beyond the small group to more extended communities with seamless ease.Joyce makes no attempt to define when, or even where, this process began.It was sufficiently distant in time to have made a sense of moral values part of the baggage our species carried out of Africa.

Having concluded that there's sufficient evidence to warrant declaring the morality is a evolved trait, Joyce asks "So what?" in a "philosophical tone of voice".This "tone" is applied to a number of philosophers who have addressed the issue of morality as a result of evolutionary development.He examines "The Naturalistic Fallacy" that has been attributed to George Moore early in the 20th Century.The claim imputed to Moore, that "ought" cannot be derived from "is", is misdirected, says Joyce.Several scholars, such as Robert Richards, William Casebeer and Daniel Dennett are reviewed on this and other issues - what, for example, is "virtue" and does it determine what is "ethical"?From this, Joyce moves to a discussion of which moral standards we should value.He is careful to caution readers not to feel they should derive specific moral beliefs from evolution.There's a massive leap from evolution giving us a moral sense to which elements we choose to apply it to.The capacity for moral judgement doesn't provide a prescription for specific behaviours.

Although Joyce is hardly the first philosopher to consider our evolutionary roots for ethics and morality, the succinct approach and clear writing make this an excellent starting point for someone new to the concept.Avoiding arcane propositions and pedantic language, the author provides a clear pointer for future study.No reader should feel intimidated by the prospect of taking up this book.We need more such work and workers dealing with defining what makes a human being.[stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Moral Skepticism Defended
Moral philosophers tend to take the content of morality as given, perhaps by intuition or our cultural heritage, and attempt to derive moral truth from a sparse set of assumptions, such a utilitarianism (Bentham, Mill), virtue theory (Aristotle), or synthetic a priori deontological notions (Kant). Other philosophers attempt to derive valid moral rules themselves on the basis of a neo-Platonic foray into the juggling of abstract universals (Rawls, Nozick, Singer, Dworkin). Perhaps I betray my position as a behavioral scientist by believing that morals are things that people have, like noses and tendencies to procrastinate, and should be studied scientifically rather than philosophically. Happily, I am not alone, however, as Richard Joyce takes the same position in his book, The Evolution of Morality.

Joyce recites the extensive body of evidence showing that there is a universal human morality observed in virtually all societies ever studied, including the thousand or so primitive hunter-gather societies that exist in the contemporary world. Of course, there are also strong contrasts in some moral principles across societies, but these tend to be confined to a few delicate areas, including gender relations and political philosophy, and they can doubtless be explained by level of economic development and political integration. But, if this is the case, it is unlikely that "ethical theory" can stand as a bastion of philosophizing. Rather, ethical theory is the study of the structure and evolution of human morality. This is the "moral skepticism" that Joyce embraces, and it is well taken.

The problem with traditional moral philosophy is that it has not recognized that morality is an evolved trait of our species, and had we evolved differently, we would have radically different morality. Therefore, morality cannot be derived from abstract, ahistorical axioms that would hold for any intelligent, social creature. Darwin understood this clearly when he wrote that if we had evolved from bee-like ancestors (quote in Joyce, p. 229), "unmarried females would, like the worker-bees, think it a sacred duty to kill their brothers, and mothers would strive to kill their fertile daughters." Similarly, political philosophy would be much different in a race of intelligent termites, or even of chimpanzees, than of humans.

It is safe to say humans are the only species with a moral sense, although we have bred our domestic pets to appear to conform to our morality. Why has this occurred? Joyce suggests that in a complex society with many subtle norms of behavior and multi-dimensional relations among individuals, a moral sense is individually fitness-enhancing. The amoral sociopath, who behaves morally only when this suits his purpose, should in theory do better than the moral person, who is willing to sacrifice personally in order to uphold moral rules. But, humans tend to be "present-oriented", overvaluing immediate pleasures and undervaluing long-term gains. A moral sense helps us be reasonable prosocial and prudential concerning our long-term interests, because it substitutes present pleasures and pains for future ones. For instance, I brush my teeth, and am courteous to my boss, because I would feel bad if I did otherwise, not because I am reckoning some trade-off between present and future well-being. As Hamlet says, "Conscience doth make cowards of us all," except the coward, who obeys societies rules, lives to have more offspring, while the hero is remembered only in books.
... Read more

Product Description
This is the first book to collate and synthesize the recent burgeoning primary research literature on dog behaviour, evolution, and cognition. The author presents a new ecological approach to the understanding of dog behaviour, demonstrating how dogs can be the subject of rigorous and productive scientific study without the need to confine them to a laboratory environment.

Dog Behaviour, Evolution, and Cognition starts with an overview of the conceptual and methodological issues associated with the study of the dog, followed by a brief description of their role in human society-almost a third of human families share their daily life with the dog! An evolutionary perspective is then introduced with a summary of current research into the process of domestication. The central part of the book is devoted to issues relating to the cognitive aspects of behaviour which have received particular attention in recent years from both psychologists and ethologists. The book's final chapters introduce the reader to many novel approaches to dog behaviour, set in the context of behavioural development and genetics.

Directions for future research are highlighted throughout the text which also incorporates links to human and primate research by drawing on homologies and analogies in both evolution and behaviour. The book will therefore be of relevance and use to anyone with an interest in behavioural ecology including graduate students of animal behaviour and cognition, as well as a more general audience of dog enthusiasts, biologists, psychologists and sociologists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Brilliant Advance for Dogs and Humans
The book is remarkably comprehensive, and up to date. For all humans interested in understanding the potential capabilities of their canine companions it is highly recommended. We've reviewed it sentnce by sentence and believe it is one of the best, if not indeed the very best currently available. Buy it and you can learn much new information!

The Science of Dogs
Dog Behaviour, Evolution and Cognition is an outstanding achievement. It is primarily focused on the more recent cognitive work coming out of Hungary. The book makes an excellent compliment with Helton's Canine Ergonomics: The Science of Working Dogs. Together they'll give you immense insight into the minds of dogs. Both are scientifically rigorous, unlike many of the popular books written about the minds of dogs. No lore and legend, but real factual information.

Fantastic Review of Literature
Excellent.Wonderful.Refreshing.Yes, I can understand how it could be described as a bit dry, but the book covers a lot of ground.Dryness versus cute stories?I think the approach taken by the author was refreshing.This was no 'I am the best trainer and do as I do' book.The book covers scientific literature on dogs and wolves.The book explains some of those studies often footnoted and referenced.The book describes area for future research.If you want to read about the current research on dogs and wolves in nearly all areas of research, buy this book.If you want to read an author's opinion and conjecture on cute doggie behavior, this is not the book for you.

The Big Picture
Miklosi sees the big picture and recognizes that what we think we know about dog behavior is flawed and more research needs to be done. Scott- Fuller needs to be expanded upon and Pavlov needs to be looked at. Wolf behavior based training philosophy is flawed because of the way previous research was done. What is called babymorphism training philosophy needs more experiments. Miklosi calls "to develop behavioral models based on a different approach"Until this is done dog owners are on their own to devise their own ways to train and use dogs. That includes everything from using dogs as human food, in some cultures, to using dogs as child substitutes in other cultures.

The book is a wake up call to scientists around the world to accept the dog as a valid scientific research tool on behavior not as aanimal behaviorally corrupted through domestication and living with humans. Living with humans dogs have found their niche.

Informative but soporific
Very interesting, scientifically sound, somewhat dry.Every time I read it I started to fall asleep. ... Read more

Product Description
The second edition of The Diversity of Fishes represents a major revision of the world’s most widely adopted ichthyology textbook. Expanded and updated, the second edition is illustrated throughout with striking color photographs depicting the spectacular evolutionary adaptations of the most ecologically and taxonomically diverse vertebrate group. The text incorporates the latest advances in the biology of fishes, covering taxonomy, anatomy, physiology, biogeography, ecology, and behavior. A new chapter on genetics and molecular ecology of fishes has been added, and conservation is emphasized throughout. Hundreds of new and redrawn illustrations augment readable text, and every chapter has been revised to reflect the discoveries and greater understanding achieved during the past decade. Written by a team of internationally-recognized authorities, the first edition of The Diversity of Fishes was received with enthusiasm and praise, and incorporated into ichthyology and fish biology classes around the globe, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The second edition is a substantial update of an already classic reference and text.

Companion resources site

This book is accompanied by a resources site:

www.wiley.com/go/helfman

The site is being constantly updated by the author team and provides:

·         Related videos selected by the authors

·         Updates to the book since publication

·         Instructor resources

·         A chance to send in feedback

  ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Awesome Book
One of the best textbooks on fish today.Gives a great overview of all the relevant topics going into detail in the places where it is best needed.If you want to know anything about fish this is the perfect place to start and if you are going to be teaching a class on fish, this is the textbook for you!

The "Brusca and Brusca" of fish Biology?
I have been using Moyle and Cech (an Introduction to Ichthyology) for years as the standard text to recommend to undergraduate students interested in developing a solid knowledge of basic fish taxonomy/biology/ecology but I think Helfman et al is a much more student-friendly textbook.It is split into sections: Introduction, form function & ontogeny, taxonomy phylogeny and evolution, zoogeography genetics and adaptations, behaviour and ecology, the future of fishes (conservation).These sections a sub-divided into sensible chapters.

The writing style is clear, peppered with good references for further reading and the authors make good use of excellent figures.As well as the reference list there are supplemental reading recommendations.The authors make good use of boxes to highlight interesting areas, e.g. vicariance versus dispersal, should we eat farmed salmon? and finish off each chapter with a bullet point summary.Being a single book treatment of a vast subject there are some sections where I guess the need for brevity has enforced absences, e.g. there is no mention of the special properties of fish eye lenses in the vision section and the section on swimming seems a bit sparse (and would probably benefit from more use of diagrams).

In summary, this is an excellent text that will appeal to undergraduates and serve as a useful sourcebook for tutors.

Horrible! Do NOT buy from this vendor!
This person took my money and I never received my items. They refused to cooperate when I asked for specific dates my items were shipped and to see a copy of the shipping receipt. Do not buy from this seller unless you want to give your money away!

Satisfied customer
Book arrived in good condition as stated in book description and i was very pleased with how fast i received my purchase. I would certainly buy from this seller again...

More Ecology Than Moyle and Cech
This is an outstanding upper-division textbook on fishes, comparable to Moyle and Cech, with important differences. These authors place more emphasis on behavior and ecology. These authors also utilize cladistics (explained in an excellent early chapter on systematics) throughout in their classification of fishes. This textbook is probably a bit more detailed in its content and slightly less readable than Moyle and Cech, but both make excellent references. Helfman et al include a number of boxed readings which provide up-to-date information on scientific research and other interesting fish topics (like eelskin boots!) ... Read more

Product Description
Abstract and conceptual models have become an indispensable tool for analyzing the flood of highly detailed empirical data generated in recent years by advanced techniques in the biosciences. Scientists are developing new modeling strategies for analyzing data, integrating results into the conceptual framework of theoretical biology, and formulating new hypotheses. In Modeling Biology, leading scholars investigate new modeling strategies in the domains of morphology, development, behavior, and evolution.

The emphasis on models in the biological sciences has been accompanied by a new focus on conceptual issues and a more complex understanding of epistemological concepts. Contributors to Modeling Biology discuss models and modeling strategies from the perspectives of philosophy, history, and applied mathematics. Individual chapters discuss specific approaches to modeling in such domains as biological form, development, and behavior. Finally, the book addresses the modeling of these properties in the context of evolution, with a particular emphasis on the emerging field of evolutionary developmental biology (or evo-devo).

Contributors:
Giorgio A. Ascoli, Chandrajit Bajaj, James P. Collins, Luciano da Fontoura Costa, Kerstin Dautenhahn, Nigel R. Franks, Scott Gilbert, Marta Ibañes Miguez, Juan Carlos Izpisúa-Belmonte, Alexander S. Klyubin, Thomas J. Koehnle, Manfred D. Laubichler, Sabina Leonelli, James A. R. Marshall, George R. McGhee Jr., Gerd B. Müller, Chrystopher L. Nehaniv, Karl J. Niklas, Lars Olsson, Eirikur Palsson, Daniel Polani, Diego Rasskin Gutman, Hans-Jörg Rheinberger, Alexei V. Samsonovich, Jeffrey C. Schank, Harry B. M. Uylings, Jaap van Pelt, and Iain Werry ... Read more

Product Description
Previous editions of Evolutionary Biology, widely used and translated into five other languages, were praised for their broad scope, synthetic overview, and even-handed treatment of controversial topics. The Third Edition, while maintaining these features, reflects the ever greater breadth and depth of evolutionary science by providing expanded treatment of many topics and by emphasizing the new intellectual and molecular perspectives that have revolutionized evolutionary studies in the last decade. Equally significant, the book has been made more accessible to student readers by a more expansive style of presentation, by a completely new two-color art program (and a full-color portfolio), and by extended examples that convey not only the evidence for hypotheses, but also the ways in which evolutionary hypotheses are framed and tested. After introducing the historical, ecological, and genetic foundations of evolutionary study, the text progresses from the history of evolution as inferred from phylogeny and paleobiology, through the genetic mechanisms of evolutionary change and speciation, to the large, challenging themes of macroevolution, the evolution of diversity, and human evolution. Topics that were treated only sparingly in previous editionsóform and function, coevolution, the evolution of life histories, the evolution of behavior, and the evolution of genetic systemsónow receive full-chapter coverage. Abundant cross-referencing emphasizes the unity and coherence of evolutionary biology, highlighted text and a glossary provide easy access to definitions of technical terms, and an extensive bibliography provides interested readers with an entry into most of the topics embraced by evolutionary biology. Reflecting its theme that evolution both draws on and illuminates all the biological sciences, Evolutionary Biologyis the most comprehensive textbook in its field. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Have not yet received my order
I never got notification of shipment for this item. A week after the order was placed I emailed because the description of the item stated it would be sent within two business days of order. Got no response. 2 days before delivery deadline I contacted seller again to check about shipping. Again no response. Now outside of delivery time and I will be filing a claim. Fail.

Fascinating and in-depth! Above 5 stars!
D. J. Futuyma does a great job of explaining what evolution really is and how it works. He goes into a great depth using math, logic, critical thinking, and evidentiary reasoning. The evidence for evolution is--to the highest degree--presented as overwhelmingly convincing science. The book covers basics of genetics, ecology, and other fields of science that evolution engraves itself in. I could not stop reading even when the material got more complex and thought provoking. Evolutionary Biology by Douglas J. Futuyma is a terrific book for the undergraduate or even for your "in-depth learner". I am glad I ordered it! Also, the book came with no damage and in perfect condition! More than five stars!!!

A NOTEWORTHY ADVANCED COMPREHENSIVE TEXTBOOK ON EVOLUTION
Douglas J. Futuyma (born 1942) is an American biologist who is a professor of ecology and evolution at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. In this 2nd edition (1986) of his textbook, he states that "The book begins, as before, with a history of the subject and with elementary ecology and genetics, but then proceeds through the genetics of evolutionary change to speciation and adaptation, on to historical evolution (systematics, paleontology, biogeography) and then to a historical, genetic, and developmental perspective on macroevolution. It ends with chapters on the special topics of molecular evolution, coevolution, and human evolution."

In the first chapter, he presents evolution "as fact and theory," and asserts, "Almost without exception, opponents of evolution today maintain their position not on grounds of logical arguments, much less on grounds of evidence, but on the basis of emotions and religious beliefs."

Concerning the fossil record, he writes, "For most groups, especially those that do not fossilize readily, the paleontological record is too fragmentary to be useful. Even in groups with a good fossil record, there are seldom evenly graded series of fossils between old and young forms.... Fossils can provide corroboration of relationships: for example, reptiles appear before mammals, and there are numerous intermediates between the two groups. But relationships cannot be inferred solely from temporary sequences of fossils." (pg. 299)

He rejects the notion of Panspermia (i.e., an extraterrestial source of life; see Francis Crick's Life Itself (Touchstone Books (Paperback))), saying, "There is no reason to argue that the inability of chemists to synthesize life de novo in a mere thirty years of experimentation is evidence against the origin of life on earth." (pg. 323)

He later states, "The origin of flight in birds illustrates the role of preadaptation in the evolution of a major adaptive shift....A critical prerequisite of flight is the ability to generate lift by moving the forelimbs down and forward. Deinonychus and related coelurosaurs, uniquely among the reptiles, had long forelimbs capable of exactly these movements."

Concerning molecular evolution, he writes, "As at these higher levels of biological organization, phenomena at the molecular level require and are given explanation, unity, and coherence not only by reduction to submolecular forces, but by the compositionist theory of evolution." (pg. 480)

Excellent book
Great book for every student interested in evolution and speciation. Concepts are clear and the examples are classics. Its an excellent reference for basic concepts of evolution.

LOVE THIS BOOK
As textbooks go, this one's a real page turner! Inspiring, easy to follow, well-written. I'm actually surprised by how much I LOVE THIS TEXTBOOK! ... Read more