Evolution for Everyone: How Darwin's Theory Can Change the Way We Think About Our Lives | 
|  | | | Title: | Evolution for Everyone: How Darwin's Theory Can Change the Way We Think About Our Lives | | Author: | David Sloan Wilson | | Publisher: | Delta | | Type: | Book / Paperback | | Publication Date: | 26 December, 2007 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 0385340923 / 9780385340922 | | List Price: | $15.00 | | You Save: | $4.80 | | Amazon Price: | $10.20 | |
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Product Description
What is the biological reason for gossip?
For laughter? For the creation of art?
Why do dogs have curly tails?
What can microbes tell us about morality?
These and many other questions are tackled by renowned evolutionist David Sloan Wilson in this witty and groundbreaking new book. With stories that entertain as much as they inform, Wilson outlines the basic principles of evolution and shows how, properly understood, they can illuminate the length and breadth of creation, from the origin of life to the nature of religion. Now everyone can move beyond the sterile debates about creationism and intelligent design to share Darwin’s panoramic view of animal and human life, seamlessly connected to each other.
Evolution, as Wilson explains, is not just about dinosaurs and human origins, but about why all species behave as they do—from beetles that devour their own young, to bees that function as a collective brain, to dogs that are smarter in some respects than our closest ape relatives. And basic evolutionary principles are also the foundation for humanity’s capacity for symbolic thought, culture, and morality.
In example after example, Wilson sheds new light on Darwin’s grand theory and how it can be applied to daily life. By turns thoughtful, provocative, and daringly funny, Evolution for Everyone addresses some of the deepest philosophical and social issues of this or any age. In helping us come to a deeper understanding of human beings and our place in the world, it might also help us to improve that world.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Customer Reviews:
• Fine Book, But Don't Make Evolution A Religion. 25 November, 2008
The book is excellent for people who think evolution somehow contradicts soft-core religion, but we could all do without reviews stating quasi-religious absurdities like "Living systems have a natural tendency to evolve toward ever-greater order and complexity, while 'inorganic' matter tends toward increasing entropy." Living systems, like any heat engine, route energy to reduce local entropy, and evolution does favor efficient energy conversion, but "ever greater order and complexity" overstates the case. All living things die and tend toward equilibrium entropy, organic or not. Life is subject to --and utilizes -- all of the constraints of thermodynamics.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1K9F3A74053IN
• Good Book, But Don't Misunderstand The Title 20 December, 2008
I am a professional Biologists and found this book interesting and thoughtful.
I think this is a clever book, and one that leads the reader on an intellectually satisfying journey.
I am a little concerned that the title may mislead some people. The author successfully makes the case that Darwinism should be an important foundational concept for serious thinkers in the Social Sciences, Religious Studies and Economics, as well as in Biology. "Evolution for Everyone" refers to the idea that serious investigators in all areas, not just in the sciences, should understand and make use of the theory. The writing in not especially technical (kudos to the author for largely abstaining from the jargon), but the interplay between ideas and evidence is pretty complex (and interesting). Thus, it requires the reader's attention if he/she is really to get much out of the reading.
When I first read the title, I expected that it would be a relatively light hearted primer on evolution for those non-scientists who have an interest in the interaction of science with the so-called "culture wars". There are many other books that better fill this latter role (including the one from the National Academy of Sciences which can be downloaded free from their website).
Basically this is a fascinating work if the reader is willing to stretch his or her brain.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1UX9YMWX4W6TQ
• A New Approach To Science And Culture 17 October, 2008
I have read thousands of books. This is one of three that I have reread immediately. It is a good read. It demands attention and thinking. It is not an easy read.
Wilson is an evolutionary biologist and "Everyone" is focused on his experience. I am a physical chemist and inventor and find that my experience maps very well into "Everyone."
Gould argued that science (evolution) and religion are non-overlapping magisteria. He argues that they are derived from different teaching roots. Wilson makes a good case showing that religions (at least those that lead to altruistic actions) are derived naturally through the processes of evolution.
I have given away four copies. From discussion with the recipients, they have been well received.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A3H4GO1ACCQBF6
• Lively, Well-written Introduction To Evolution 13 December, 2008
David Sloan Wilson's "Evolution for Everyone" truly lives up to its title. Written in an engaging, accessible style, it is hard not to be carried away by the author's enthusiasm for his topic. Although I am usually suspicious of authors who claim one pet theory can explain every known phenomenon under the sun (think of Freudians, behaviorists, etc.), Wilson ably demonstrates how evolution can indeed be applied to a variety of academic disciplines, and more importantly, to explain a variety of phenomena that one encounters in everyday life.
In this book, the author's initial aim is both to introduce the reluctant reader to the basics of the theory of natural selection, as well as to clear away misconceptions about what it is and isn't. In doing this, he seeks to demythologize science, assuring the reader that the scientific method consists of nothing more than "ensuring accountability for factual claims," which when accumulated can build a sturdy scaffold to support a theory. Wilson repeatedly states that science is simply a "roll up your sleeves" activity like gardening or construction, that requires hard work and sweat, yet like gardening and (some) construction work, can be practiced by anybody.
I found the strongest parts of his book to be in the first half, in which he proceeds from a basic description of natural selection to fascinating examples of how adaptive behavior and traits evolve in various species, and eventually, how the theory can be applied to broader topics such as personality traits, perceptions of beauty, and social behavior. One of the underlying premises of his book is that evolutionary theory, even though it doesn't always lead to behavior in the wild that humans would think of as benign (e.g., beetles and monkeys practicing infanticide), nevertheless favors cooperative social behavior in the long run, rather than the popular notion of "nature red in tooth and claw." Although I found myself skeptical of some of the broader treatments of evolutionary life applied to nations and religions in the latter parts of the book, his cheerful and humane style disarms the reader, and keeps one engaged with his argument.
In short, I would heartily recommend this book.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A36YQ1W79OCE5H
• Not A Good Review Of Evolution Theory 21 October, 2008
I bought this book hoping to learn about the theory of evolution and its relevance in our day-to-day lives. Close to the beginning the author defines evolution in a couple of sentences and states that is all one needs to know. If correct, then what fills in the rest of the space in the book?
Basically, the book has little to do with evolution and more to do with promoting the merits of the scientific method and disproving creationism or divine intelligence. That's okay if you're into that sort of thing, but the book should have been promoted as such, and the title indicative of its true content.
As stated, I bought the book to learn about evolution and based on that it can be assumed that any reader with the same interest would have some belief in scientific methods. A believer in Creationism is not going to change his/her belief system based on the presented arguments about the merits of science. Such an individual is highly unlikely to even take a glance at this book, or if he/she does read it, the purpose will be solely to develop arguments against its premises. So the focus is for those who have to grandstand the scientific methods a form of preaching rather than educating, and for those who like to convince themselves how clever they are by having their beliefs confirmed by an authority figure.
Let's once and for all set the record straight. There is a common delusion that science equals truth. However science is not a thing, but rather just a method to get as close to the truth as possible. It is an attempt to minimize biases and incorrect assumptions in trying to understand the truth. For the most part it works well, but it can never, ever, guarantee that what it comes up with is the absolute truth. I could make a wild guess about something that can just by chance be true, even though I have not used the scientific method. Similarly, while science might have a better chance at coming up with the truth than a wild guess, there is absolutely no guarantee that it will. In summary, even the best science can come up with nothing better than probabilities as opposed to absolutes. Thus science cannot really prove Creationism is absolutely wrong any more than Creationism can absolutely prove science is wrong - neither map is the territory and never can be.
Now that I have that off my chest, can anyone recommend a good book on the theory of evolution so next time I can get what I pay for?
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1PUHDGQTH0GBV
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