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- A complete, up-to-date text book on population genetics
- A complete, up-to-date text book on population genetics
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Genetics of Populations (Biological Science (Jones and Bartlett))
Philip W. Hedrick
Manufacturer: Jones & Bartlett Publishers
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Similar Items:
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Molecular Markers, Natural History, and Evolution
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Principles of Population Genetics, Fourth Edition
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A Primer of Ecological Genetics
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Conservation and the Genetics of Populations
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A Primer of Population Genetics
ASIN: 0763747726 |
Book Description
The study of population genetics is one of the keys to understanding the evolutionary process. Written by a leading expert in the field, Genetics of Populations, Third Edition, is the most current and comprehensive introduction to the field for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, and researchers in genetics, evolution, conservation, and related fields. In the past several years, interest in the application of population genetics principles to new molecular data has greatly increased, and Dr. Philip Hedrick's new edition keeps pace with this dynamic area of study by emphasizing this recent shift.
This text integrates coverage of theoretical issues with a clear presentation of experimental population genetics and empirical data. By drawing examples from both recent and classic studies, and by using a variety of organisms to illustrate the phenomena of population genetics, Genetics of Populations, Third Edition, provides students and researchers with the most comprehensive resource available.
Customer Reviews:
Buen servicio.......2007-02-20
El libro esta bien, solo que en la parte de abajo vino un poco roto. Pero por lo
demás esta bien. El tiempo de entrega fue el convenido.
Poorly structured, badly written.......2006-03-24
This and Hartl and Clark's book are the standard textbooks for population genetics. I am an applied math/bio grad student working in this area. Hedrick's book contains a huge amount of information, but honestly I think it is poorly organized and often poorly written. Rather than a clear explication of the theory with examples, it is constructed more like a collection of related ideas, facts and examples thrown together to make loose rather confusing chapters. Population genetics is a tricky subject and Hedrick does not make much of an effort to communicate the ideas clearly. For example, in the mutation chapter, rather than say something like: here is the general problem, here are types of mutations, here are some mutation models with examples, here are some ways to estimate mutation and here are some case studies from the literature, he mixes all these things together presenting formulas and data in an jumbled, intermingled way that is not particularly easy to read. The result is that it is difficult to extract (for me) the essence of the concepts and summarize everything for myself. If you are required to use this text for a class, I highly recommend looking at other resources. Hartl's book's good, but slightly more basic. Gillespe's Concise Guide is also really good, but again, the subject is difficult and requires a good amount of mathematical background. To summarize, if you study pop gen, you should really probably read and own this book because of its ubiquity and the information contained within. However, don't be surprised when you find it sub par.
A superbly presented and comprehensive introduction.......2004-12-05
A superbly presented and comprehensive introduction to population genetics as one of the fundamental underlying principles and processes of the evolutionary process, Genetics Of Populations is now published in a newly updated and significantly revised third edition. Author Philip W. Hedrick (Arizona State University) integrates theoretical issues with a clear and acceptable presentation of experimental population genetics with empirical data providing students and researchers with one of the most articulate and up-to-date texts available. Features new to this latest addition is a focus on data from genome projects that compare population samples to identify patterns of genetic diversity and genes that have been under selection. All of the individual chapters have been completely updated with the latest examples and approaches in this rapidly evolving field of study. Of special value for curriculum development are the new and updated tables, chapter exercises, end-of-chapter problems, art, photographs, featured researchers, extensive bibliography, and detailed index. Highly recommended.
A complete, up-to-date text book on population genetics.......2000-03-30
This text-book deals with population genetic theory in great detail, without loosing sight of the basics. This makes it a good introduction in population genetics as well as a complete reference work. With chapters on evolutionairy and quantative genetics and numerous examples this book describes the state of the art in population genetic research. Compared to Hartl and Clark's Principles of Population Genetics, Genetics of Populations is more detailed and more clearly structured. Overall an excellent book.
A complete, up-to-date text book on population genetics.......2000-03-30
This text-book deals with population genetic theory in great detail, without loosing sight of the basics. This makes it a good introduction in population genetics as well as a complete reference work. With chapters on evolutionairy and quantative genetics and numerous examples this book describes the state of the art in population genetic research. Compared to Hartl and Clark's Introduction to Population Genetics, Genetics of Populations is more detailed and more clearly structured. Overall an excellent book.
Book Description
"It's the animal in us," we often hear when we've been bad. But why not when we're good? Primates and Philosophers tackles this question by exploring the biological foundations of one of humanity's most valued traits: morality.
In this provocative book, primatologist Frans de Waal argues that modern-day evolutionary biology takes far too dim a view of the natural world, emphasizing our "selfish" genes. Science has thus exacerbated our reciprocal habits of blaming nature when we act badly and labeling the good things we do as "humane." Seeking the origin of human morality not in evolution but in human culture, science insists that we are moral by choice, not by nature.
Citing remarkable evidence based on his extensive research of primate behavior, de Waal attacks "Veneer Theory," which posits morality as a thin overlay on an otherwise nasty nature. He explains how we evolved from a long line of animals that care for the weak and build cooperation with reciprocal transactions. Drawing on both Darwin and recent scientific advances, de Waal demonstrates a strong continuity between human and animal behavior. In the process, he also probes issues such as anthropomorphism and human responsibilities toward animals.
Based on the Tanner Lectures de Waal delivered at Princeton University's Center for Human Values in 2004, Primates and Philosophers includes responses by the philosophers Peter Singer, Christine M. Korsgaard, and Philip Kitcher and the science writer Robert Wright. They press de Waal to clarify the differences between humans and other animals, yielding a lively debate that will fascinate all those who wonder about the origins and reach of human goodness.
Customer Reviews:
Plausible.......2007-09-19
This is a very short book. The main essay has just about over 50 pages. The rest is introduction, some responses, and a closing statement.
Who says that important books need to be long? Possibly it is not all that important, but the main idea is new to me, therefore I am glad that I picked it up, after a recommendation in Der Spiegel.
Let me also say, I don't find the main hypothesis really compelling, in the sense of thoroughly thought through and explained. But I think it is plausible, and as I had been used to think in different directions and categories, this is a new paradigm for me.
Simply put, FdW challenges the conventional view that morality is part of civilization, that morality is a 'veneer' over our animal core, which is generally assumed to be selfish and immoral. He rejects the view that mankind developed as individuals and then became socialites, requiring rules for co-existence. Rather, homo evolved as a social animal and started his career on Earth with a set of rules for social life. I.o.w., the whole question how a human society without a creator can have morality, is superfluous, baseless, a waste of energy.
On the way to this hypothesis, FdW gets into arguments with the 'selfish gene' theory and with the Dawkins direction of neo-Darwinism. My suspicion is, that this conflict is as useless as a goitre (as we say in German). I don't think that Dawkins really meant the gene to be literally 'selfish', hence let's drop this linguistic bickering. (However I am too lazy to look it up in Dawkins.)
Only 4 stars, not because it is not important, but because it remains below its potential. The discussion part is not always to the point.
I am tempted to give an extra star for the foto of Georgia admiring her own reflection in the camera lens. But maybe an Oscar is more appropriate?
Welcome new perspectives on moral theorizing.......2007-09-06
This book is an interesting confrontation between primate research and professional moral philosophers. The aim is to discuss De Waal's attack on `veneer theory', the idea that moral behaviour is not really grounded in our nature but just a thin cultural overlay, but the discussion quickly becomes way more general.
In fact, we quickly see familiar dividing lines appear. Some, like Korsgaard, see morality as based on reason alone, and therefore purely human. Others, like De Waal, see it as primarily based on inborn capacities like empathy, and maintain that we share a lot of our morality with primates.
The truth is probably somewhere in between. Actually almost all the contributors confirm this in some way, but this is obscured by the fact that the authors do not seem to be able to agree on the meaning on the word`morality'.
Semantic confusion and untenable extremes: Nothing new in the world of discussions of morality then? What does make this book interesting, is that this time the discussions are informed by empirical evolutionary research, which means that even the philosophers have to keep their feet on the ground. Apart from the ape-stories being interesting to read, the result is a welcome new perspective on existing moral theories.
Critically Important Research.......2007-08-25
Teleologically oriented theologians and pompous philosophers need to read this book. New empirical research offers dramatic insights as to the how's and why's of the bilogoical origins of human values and morality. The more this book is read and digested, the faster the phony televangelists will disappear from popular and uninformed culture.
Excellent .......2007-07-29
I do not have the required background knowledge to really make a judgment as to the fundamental claim here i.e. that moral behavior, including decision-making is not an exclusively human prerogative but in fact is the natural condition of a wide variety of species for whom cooperatrive and and altruistic behavior can be collectively advantageous. De Waal's critique of what he calls 'veneer theory' the idea that human morality is a thin layer which comes over and above our fundamentally aggressive, selfish nature is I believe, even when one considers humans in isolation, quite convincing.
He brings certain evidence and examples to show that other species' outside the human, including such stereotypically cruel and mean creatures as wolves engage in mutually advantageous group behavior. The question however of the degree of conscious decision involved in this is one not really solved here. Clearly the human capacity for language- use and symbolic - communication extends not only modes of cooperation, but complexities in consciousness. One feels that deliberation and decision in human action work in ways other animals cannot come close to.
Our hertitage deepens.......2007-06-10
Succinct, quotable, accessible and scholarly ( in the best sense!)- Dr De Waal never disappoints.
Book Description
How Humans Evolved uses the broad perspective of behavioral ecology, drawing on Robert Boyd's expertise in evolutionary theory and Joan Silk's specialty in primate behavior in a uniquely integrative text
Customer Reviews:
Best Textbook in a long time!.......2007-09-21
This textbook perfectly outlines each chapter. The author states the important points before going into depth. If you find yourself reading a textbook for class and having to re-read over and over again because you keep zoning out, this book really helps. I found it to be very interesting and a helpful study tool.
Excellent.......2007-05-06
Presents material in an interesting, concise, and easy-to-read format - excellent choice for biological/physical anthropology students!
Terrific introduction to the study of human evolution.......2007-03-18
This is a terrific introduction (a textbook) to human evolution. It is written in a very accessible fashion--not just students but those in the larger public interested in the mechanism and products of human evolution will find this a useful volume.
The first part, of course, focuses on the evolutionary process, with a nice introduction to adaptation by natural selection and to genetics. Other introductory chapters introduce readers to the nature of species, phylogeny, and the synthetic theory of evolution. The discussion is well written and understandable. There are many examples to illustrate key points.
The next section explores primate evolution and behavior, to provide context for understanding human evolution and behavior. The chapter on the evolution of primate social behavior is especially helpful. Next, the authors take a look at the evolutionary lineage of humans, from primates to early hominids, to the genus Homo, to Homo sapiens. The text goes on to examine how language evolved, as well as evolution in modern humans (e.g., genetic diversity, the human life cycle, human behavior, and mate choice and parenting).
All in all, a nice introduction to the study of human evolution. Well worth taking a look at. . . .
Required textbook... but not bad reading.......2007-02-03
The book's authors cover some difficult material with excellent exapmles to help clarify main points. As far as a textbook goes, this was decent reading.
Now in its Fourth Edition.......2006-04-18
Any textbook that makes it to four editions has to be a good one, in use at a lot of places and one that fits the current collected wisdom of the subject. I say this bit about the current wisdom because all of the sciences are moving forward at an extremely rapid rate. New theories, new discoveries make science change.
This book is rare, if not unique, in how it presents controversy. Some scientists believe this, some believe that. Most authors tend to have beliefs that lean one way or the other. In this book the tendency is instead to present both views and give the evidence for each. This approach is more adapted to how science really works, but it is unusual, especially in a book intended for undergraduate use.
This book is somewhat of a combination between anthropology and evolutionary biology. As such it brings a better understanding of how human beings became what they are today, one slow step at a time. It also presents all of the known evidence from both field observations and laboratory testing. It shows a picture of Lucy's bones, and it goes into DNA and gene theory. It is complete a text as you are goign to find.
Book Description
L. Luca Cavalli-Sforza and his collaborators Paolo Menozzi and Alberto Piazza have devoted fourteen years to one of the most compelling scientific projects of our time: the reconstruction of where human populations originated and the paths by which they spread throughout the world. In this volume, the culmination of their research, the authors explain their pathbreaking use of genetic data, which they integrate with insights from geography, ecology, archaeology, physical anthropology, and linguistics to create the first full-scale account of human evolution as it occurred across all continents. This interdisciplinary approach enables them to address a wide range of issues that continue to incite debate: the timing of the first appearance of our species, the problem of African origins and the significance of work recently done on mitochondrial DNA and the popular notion of an "African Eve," the controversy pertaining to the peopling of the Americas, and the reason for the presence of non-Indo-European languages--Basque, Finnish, and Hungarian--in Europe.
The authors reconstruct the history of our evolution by focusing on genetic divergence among human groups. Using genetic information accumulated over the last fifty years, they examined over 110 different inherited traits, such as blood types, HLA factors, proteins, and DNA markers, in over eighteen hundred, primarily aboriginal, populations. By mapping the worldwide geographic distribution of the genes, the scientists are now able to chart migrations and, in exploring genetic distance, devise a clock by which to date evolutionary history: the longer two populations are separated, the greater their genetic difference should be. This volume highlights the authors' contributions to genetic geography, particularly their technique for making geographic maps of gene frequencies and their synthetic method of detecting ancient migrations, as for example the migration of Neolithic farmers from the Middle East toward Europe, West Asia, and North Africa.
Beginning with an explanation of their major sources of data and concepts, the authors give an interdisciplinary account of human evolution at the world level. Chapters are then devoted to evolution on single continents and include analyses of genetic data and how these data relate to geographic, ecological, archaeological, anthropological, and linguistic information. Comprising a wide range of viewpoints, a vast store of new and recent information on genetics, and a generous supply of visual elements, including 522 geographic maps, this book is a unique source of facts and a catalyst for further debate and research.
Customer Reviews:
What I got out of this book.......2005-05-07
I learned who the people closest genetically to Basques are. The French! Makes sense the French have a a portion of Basque country in their political nation of France. I'm of French background myself. French-Canadian that is.
Great book, if you can get through it..........2005-04-06
This book is very hard to get through as someone with no backing in genetics or biology, but it is very interesting, and it shows how we humans are really just like a couple thousand breeds of dogs, all slightly different, but with the same ancestor, our distant ancestor though was probably no wolf. It is interesting when they mention the little unexplainable historical abnormalities (african genes and caucasian genes in latin american indigenous populations, perhaps?) that they see in the genes of some groups of humans.
I allmost want to dedicate my life to genetics because of all the damn interesting knowledge that could be spawned from the information presented by the authors of this book. If you know anyone studying in this field, you must give them this book for christmas or something, please.
It is now my theory that human language has been the driving force behind human evolution, how often do two parents without a common language stay together 18+ years to raise a family? Just think about that, and it explains the human diaspora pretty well. Humans very rarely mate outside of their language group. You have a group of people in africa that speak the same language, then later on, two languages develop, or three or four, these people migrate off, and form a tribe, this tribe doesnt mate with other tribes because romance and love just dont work without a common language. Tribal names and language names are usually connected anyway, and this is why. When you read this book, you need to view humanity as an animal group pretty much, its very objective without any feeling. Human beings are creatures of communication, communication has driven our evolution forward. Writing started cities, before even that farming started widespread language and trading. It seems that the natural path this should take is more communication, but most people dont like to talk, fewer like to read and write, though that is our path of destiny as humans. The average american spends more money on lottery tickets every year than books. TV is far too widespread now, the love for books is dying, though civilization has allways been built upon the libraries of past civilizations, the histories of the victors.
Anyway,
The things that could be done if these scientists who wrote this book could get together to do research with the people that are at the tip of the spear in supercomputer research...
If you want to have some mental fun/anguish, then this book should be read in conjunction with 'Forbidden Archaeology' by Michael Cremo.
Try it =)
Note that this book is not made for the layman, but if you are a layman, and have a biology textbook laying around, you can get through it no problem.
Any one who is thinking of reading this book, or anyone who has should really do a bit of research on National Geographic's Genographic project that is collecting genetic information all over the world right now (the same migratory route tracing that is in this book) and building a huge database...The cool thing though is that you can send National Geographic $100, and they will send you a kit, you send a cheek swab back, and later on, they tell you everything that you ever wanted to know about your ancestors, and their migratory routes, back 60,000 years...
The database is also building daily, so the information that you will first get about your genes will get more comprehensive as time goes on, and more genetic samples are collected from 10's or 100's of thousands of people all over the planet...
Anyone who reads this book actually MUST do a google search on this National Geographic Genographic Project, right now =)
History and Geography of Homan Genes.......2004-06-09
This work, in hardback, is written with the advanced researcher in mind. The author is world famous for his pioneering efforts in identifying traits in particular traits in ethnic groups with unique genetic markers. The color plates in the index section can be helpful to those who know how to intrepret them.
It's a scholarly treatment of a highly technical subject and a thorough one as well. This is ground-breaking work collected from many samples and analyzed in detail. I think this should be required reading for college students in the field of genetic research.
A review of everything.......2003-06-17
Cavalli-Sforza presents the nearest approximation possible to the correlation of all measurable human genes, markers and attributes. You might think of the work as the "unified field theory" for evloutionary biology, culture and linguistics.
While the heft even of the abridged version is imposing, the component parts are manageable for those who already have basic statistical knowledge or who are willing to pay attention to the author's explanations. The world's populations are addressed in geographic chunks, and then at various appropriate points, more general conclusions drawn from the pieces.
Given the advances in genetic research acheived since publication, the model may ultimately prove more valuable than the particular contents...but for this decade the contents are fascinating.
Good Book, but Martel is Wrong.......2003-04-11
The book provided a great deal of information about genetic distances and the relationships between populations. However, Mr. Martel's review includes lies and these lies must be addressed. First of all, the native North Africans were not "very blonde" or "nordic". In fact, the ORIGINAL population was as black as their rock art depictions of themselves (which just so happen to span the Sahara and date back nearly 10000yrs). Many of these Ancient Saharans were, however, completely abosorbed by an incoming of migrants from the Middle East. Perhaps these migrants are the people Mr. Martel is speaking of??? At any rate, with the dessication of the Sahara, most of the original Saharans (blacks) migrated South into The Sudan. In fact, they can still be found in West Africa today. They (especially the Fulani and Dogon) can be recognized in person as easily as they can be recognized in the Ancient Saharan depictions drawn by their ancestors.
Thus, despite Mr. Martel's comments to the contrary, the admixture seen in North Africans today is not so much the result of slaves (modern admixture) as it is the result of both modern admixture as well as ancient admixture - admixture which took place LONG before the Arabs ventured anywhere near the region. As for the Egyptians, they were from the same stock as the rest of North Africa and they almost always depicted themselves as brown and intermediate between and separate from both the white people of the North (Europe), the light skinned Semites (Middle East), and the darker, more Sudanese people of the South (Nubia).
Mr. Martel is not completely wrong in so far as SOME of these Middle Eastern migrants had blonde hair and light eyes (a few individual Lybians were depicted this way). But, such features were most probably seen at the same rate theyre seen in Middle Easterners and North Africans today. Neither people, however, are "Nordics", and to assume they descend from Nordics based on hair color alone is ridiculous. Blondism occurs in Aborigines... are we to believe they descend from Nordics as well? Somehow, I think not.
Book Description
Principles of Population Genetics, Third Edition, provides a balanced presentation of theory and observation for students at the undergraduate and graduate levels. In response to suggestions from students and instructors, the book has been trimmed more than 100 pages and rewritten with the goal to optimize its use as a teaching aid. It introduces the principles of genetics and statistics that are relevant to population studies, and examines the forces affecting genetic variation from the molecular to the organismic level. Integrated throughout the book are descriptions of molecular methods used to study variation in natural populations, as well as explanations of the relevant estimation theory using actual data. Chapter 1 presents the fundamental genetic and statistical concepts in population genetics. Chapter 2 reviews the types and prevalence of genetic variation in natural populations. This is followed in Chapter 3 by a detailed examination of the implications of random mating for one locus and multiple loci. Chapter 4 examines population subdivision and its consequences for the distribution of genetic variation among subpopulations, including the hierarchical F statistics used in estimating these effects. Chapters 5 through 7 deal with mutation, migration, natural selection in all its varieties, and the consequences of random genetic drift. Molecular population genetics, including coalescent theory, is the subject of Chapter 8. Quantitative genetics is covered in Chapter 9, from the standpoint of genetic variance and covariance components as well as with respect to molecular markers used to detect quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Applications of principles discussed in the text are illustrated by numerous examples of worked problems, using actual data. Each chapter end, in addition to a complete summary, offers several problems for solution, to reinforce and further develop the concepts.
Customer Reviews:
Principles of Population Genetics.......2007-01-28
It is a classical text, but it lack of a chapter on Conservation Genetics
Check covers.......2005-09-22
Comparing this book with others purchased before this is in a very bad condition. I have to fix the cover.
A must-own........1998-02-06
A new revision of a work I already thought perfect. Adds population genetic approaches using new molecular techniques. Superb.
Average customer rating:
- Sorting out the Issues
- God sense, not nonsense
- A breath of fresh air
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Sense and Nonsense: Evolutionary Perspectives on Human Behaviour
Kevin N. Laland , and
Gillian Brown
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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Binding: Hardcover
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Evolutionary Thought in Psychology: A Brief History (Blackwell Brief Histories of Psychology, 2)
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Defenders of the Truth: The Sociobiology Debate
ASIN: 0198508840 |
Book Description
Evolutionary theory is one of the most wide-ranging and inspiring of scientific ideas. It offers a battery of methods that can be used to help us understand human behaviour. Nevertheless, the legitimacy of this exercise is at the centre of a heated controversy that has raged for over a century. Many evolutionary biologists, anthropologists and psychologists have taken these evolutionary principles and tried using them to explain a wide range of human characteristics, such as homicide, religion and sex differences in behaviour. Others, however, are sceptical of these interpretations. Moreover, researchers disagree as to the best ways to use evolution to explore humanity, and a number of schools have emerged. 'Sense and Nonsense' provides an introduction to the ideas, methods, and findings of five such schools, namely, sociobiology, human behavioural ecology, evolutionary psychology, memetics, and gene-culture co-evolution. Carefully guiding the reader through the mire of confusing terminology, claim and counter-claim, and polemical statements, Laland and Brown provide a balanced, rigorous analysis that scrutinizes both the evolutionary arguments and the allegations of the critics. This is a book that will be make fascinating reading for popular science readers, undergraduate and postgraduate students (for example, in psychology, anthropology and zoology), and to experts on one approach who would like to know more about the other perspectives. Having completed this book the reader will feel better placed to assess the legitimacy of claims made about human behaviour under the name of evolution, and to make judgements as to what is sense and what is nonsense.
Customer Reviews:
Sorting out the Issues.......2005-08-13
Kevin Laland is a prominent researcher in gene-culture coevolution, niche construction (the study of how organisms modify their social and physical environment, and thereby modify their own gene pool) and animal social learning. Gillian Brown is a primatologist who studies parenting behavior. Their book is a study of six strands of evolutionary theory as applied to human behavior: (a) Darwin and his pre-sociobiology followers (including Galton, Spencer, Lorenz, Tinbergen, von Frisch, and Ardrey); (b) the founders of sociobiology, including Dawkins, Trivers, Hamilton, Maynard Smith, and E. O. Wilson; and three offshoots of sociobiology, (c) behavioral ecology (including Hill, Kaplan, Hawkes, and Chagnon); (d) evolutionary psychology (including Cosmides, Tooby, Daly, Margo Wilson, Pinker, Buss); (e) memetics; and (f) gene-culture coevolution (including Cavalli-Sforza and Feldman, Boyd and Richerson, and Laland himself).
The title is inspired by the authors' impression that, despite the fact that the academic social sciences have virtually ignored evolutionary approaches, the public finds them very sexy and provocative, to the point where evolutionary research is continually influenced by political and journalistic concerns, and the science tends to be overwhelmed by the junk and the hype. I fully share this impression, and I think they have done a fine job in extracting the "sense" from the "nonsense." They even manage to treat memetics seriously, despite the fact that memetics' attempt to detach culture from reproduction, production, cooperation, conflict, and the other basic activities of social life cannot possibly succeed.
Laland and Brown vigorously defend the early Darwinists and sociobiologists against the many politically motivated attacks against them (they do not deal with religious critiques). While the authors recognize that their ideas have often eclipsed by more contemporary research, they find no major fault in the constitution of these two schools. I think this is a bad mistake. In the century from Darwin to E. O. Wilson, evolutionary researchers managed to isolate themselves from every mainstream social science, including economics, sociology, psychology, political science, and to a lesser extent, anthropology. It is futile to blame this on the mainstream. The fault lies squarely with the evolutionary theorists, who failed to make a convincing case for the position.
This is quite unforgivable, because mainstream social science has made many central contributions that must be integrated into evolutionary theory to provide a solid, scientific body of knowledge concerning human behavior. Laland and Brown give no reason for this isolation of evolutionary theory, except the trivial commonplaces mouthed by virtually everyone in this tradition (traditional social science is ideology, the mainstream is afraid of being tainted with the sins of eugenics and racist genetic determinism, and so on). The major problem facing evolutionary theory today is not to shuck the nonsense, but to account for its failure to become part of the mainstream, I believe, and Laland and Brown do not recognize this.
The very idea of forming schools of thought, such as behavioral ecology, evolutionary psychology, and gene-culture coevolution is an indication of the inability of evolutionary theory to consider itself a science. Scientists seek integration, not fragmentation. Behavioral ecologists, for instance, are anthropologists who study simple societies, while evolutionary psychologists are psychologists who study commonalities in human behavior across all societies. How could they possibly consider themselves "alternative" theories? They very idea is absurd, a capitulation to the natural human tendency to congregate in small groups of "insiders" whose major motivation is to triumph over the many groups of "outsiders" whose strange ways are threatening and unsettling.
This one issue aside, I find Laland and Brown very convincing in adjudicating among the various approaches, and in their plea for tolerance and exchange of information among them. Like the authors, I believe that gene-culture coevolution is the overarching principle that includes the others as subclasses. I also believe that gene-culture coevolution is the most promising basis for the integration of evolutionary with mainstream social science. The authors' only critique of gene-culture coevolution is that it tends to be highly mathematical and does not generate many empirical studies. I do not agree with this critique. Cavalli-Sforza and Feldman, as well as Boyd and Richerson, have done admirable empirical work, and with the use of experimental game theory in recent years, we will have much more such research in the near future. The true critique of gene-culture coevolutionary theory, in my view, is its ignorance of and contempt for traditional social science. Unless this is overcome, evolutionary social theory will remain marginalized for the foreseeable future.
Of course, most potential readers of this book will have the same prejudices concerning the traditional disciplines as do the authors, and they should find this book a welcome and incisive corrective to the disarray within evolutionary social theory.
God sense, not nonsense.......2004-02-18
The final chapter of E O Wilson's Sociobiology was a bombshell whose shockwaves reverberate today. Kevin Laland and Gillian Brown set out to sift through the morass of evolutionary approaches to human nature that is has spawned.
This is a useful review of the various schools of research, although I would have liked a firmer conclusion than 'a pluralistic approach is best'. Sometimes the authors could be a little less polite and have a little more bite.
Good stuff overall though, probably most helpful for those new to the area, or for students looking for an introduction. The book is a little light in content, concentrating on methodology, but the emphasis on cultural processes, absent from many evolutionary discussions, is most refreshing.
Do Laland and Brown successfully separate the sense from the nonsense? No. But they do equip the reader with some of the tools to do it for herself.
A breath of fresh air.......2002-07-17
This book is both a great read, and an informative one, for anyone interested in human behavior, evolutionary theory, and the links between the two. The area of potential evolutionary bases to human behavior has traditionally been filled with much controversy, some fighting, scattered irresponsible speculations and pronouncements that at times have produced tragic effects, and quite often, more heat than light. Laland and Brown have produced a book that is truly a breath of fresh air. One of the things I liked most about Sense and Nonsense is that Laland and Brown had actually sat down to talk with--and listen to--many of the leading proponents of different "schools" of thought. They work hard in Sense and Nonsense to give a fair presentation of each different approach, before moving on in each chapter to provide their own analysis of the approach presented from their own perspective as working scientists. In the midst of an area in which some researchers have been prone to simply shout louder--often literally--at those they disagree with, Laland and Brown have truly taken the time to listen, reflect, and form considered and thoughtful judgements. This is a service to all of us: After reading their book, I know that I will always look reflect differently on researchers' claims of evolutionary bases of human behavior, whether that's hearing them at a conference, or reading a journal article, or the latest best-selling book or TV interview. If you want to improve your understanding of evolution and human behavior, get a guided tour through the area and its controversies by two thoughtful experts, and come out with a changed perspective that will likely always stay with you, then read Sense and Nonsense. Great book.
Book Description
Thirty years ago, biologists could get by with a rudimentary grasp of mathematics and modeling. Not so today. In seeking to answer fundamental questions about how biological systems function and change over time, the modern biologist is as likely to rely on sophisticated mathematical and computer-based models as traditional fieldwork. In this book, Sarah Otto and Troy Day provide biology students with the tools necessary to both interpret models and to build their own.
The book starts at an elementary level of mathematical modeling, assuming that the reader has had high school mathematics and first-year calculus. Otto and Day then gradually build in depth and complexity, from classic models in ecology and evolution to more intricate class-structured and probabilistic models. The authors provide primers with instructive exercises to introduce readers to the more advanced subjects of linear algebra and probability theory. Through examples, they describe how models have been used to understand such topics as the spread of HIV, chaos, the age structure of a country, speciation, and extinction.
Ecologists and evolutionary biologists today need enough mathematical training to be able to assess the power and limits of biological models and to develop theories and models themselves. This innovative book will be an indispensable guide to the world of mathematical models for the next generation of biologists.
- A how-to guide for developing new mathematical models in biology
- Provides step-by-step recipes for constructing and analyzing models
- Interesting biological applications
- Explores classical models in ecology and evolution
- Questions at the end of every chapter
- Primers cover important mathematical topics
- Exercises with answers
- Appendixes summarize useful rules
- Labs and advanced material available
Average customer rating:
- Ken Wilber - Genius
- Painfully Inspiring
- The Painful History of Mankind- and a way Beyond...
- A history of transcendence...cool!
- Sometimes problematic, but a gripping and convincing account
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Up from Eden, New Edition: A Transpersonal View of Human Evolution
Ken Wilber
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ASIN: 0835607313 |
Book Description
Wilber traces humanity's cultural and spiritual evolution. New Foreword by the author.
Customer Reviews:
Ken Wilber - Genius.......2007-01-04
Up From Eden is a brilliant account of the evolution of human consciousness. It is scholarly yet easy to read and understand.
Painfully Inspiring.......2006-02-19
The sensitive enough reader may come away form this book with a lot more than a coherent and vivid look back at the evolution of human consciousness, based solely on the amassed evidence of anthropology. That alone might be enough, but for myself, I got something more; a strange and deeply haunting sadness.
It is so painfully clear how much and long and arduously mankind has aspired to discover who he/she is. How many billions an billions and billions of human beings lived and struggled and aspired, got confused, hoped, failed and died to get us to where we are now today . . . and still seemingly so very far away from what has always been with us, pushing us and drawing us onward, even unto this very moment?
This book also clearly demonstrates the complete reversal of the traditional and historical interpretations of the advent of "original sin" and "samsara" laying to rest an improper "romantic" view forever.
We did not arise out of some paradisiacal Eden, nor suddenly "move too much" and find ourselves lost in smasara. Rather, the evidence is clear, there was no such place, and nor does our salvation or liberation lie in our collective past. Mankind, as the result of evolution, AWOKE in consciousness to a world of sin, error, imperfection and suffering; a world which existed as such long before he realized it. And in that moment he/she/we were actually, for the very first time REALIZING Spirit; a Spirit creation "fell" from long, long ago . . .
The Painful History of Mankind- and a way Beyond..........2002-07-13
After the success of his initial works (The Spectrum of Consciousness and No Boundary), Ken Wilber gave his "spectrum" model a serious reappraisal and found it woefully lacking. It seemed that he had made a mistake that he goes on to chide others for in his later books- he confused prerational myths with transcendental truths, and confused the spiritual fall with the scientific fall. He makes up for his previous errors with "Up From Eden: A Transpersonal View of Human Evolution".
In UFE, Wilber covers the historical development of consciousness, from the animalistic/uroboric level to the typhonic, and then to the development of the Solar ego, the disassociation of the mind from the body, and the development of the rational mind. But he takes it a step further as well, discussing the development of transrational consciousness throughout history, and discussing the differences between magical fetishism and psychic Nirmanakaya and between mythic religion and subtle archetype. Drawing upon Freud, Jung, Campbell, and a ream of Anthropoligical and Archaeological data, Wilber paints us a fascinating picture of society, it's history, and it's discontents. Lastly, he finishes the book by discussing his ideas for a politics of the transrational, in a fascinating chapter titled "Republicans, Democrats, and Mystics".
As far as Wilber's older books go, this is one not to be missed. Although some concepts are better elucidated in Wilber's later "Sex, Ecology, Spirituality", nowhere does he draw on more anthropological support for his theories than in "Up From Eden".
A history of transcendence...cool!.......2002-03-22
What a great book. It's the human evolution of consciousness. Ken has shown in his other books how we progress through several, well defined, stages of congnitive growth. In this book he discusses the same stages but with the period in history that they are associated with. He also keeps track of the highest achievers of each period.
Sometimes problematic, but a gripping and convincing account.......2001-07-26
Ken Wilber is a mystic-par-excellence and he lets you know it from the first page. For those unfamiliar with his work, he basically launched the transpersonal psychology movement back in the late 1970s with his "Spectrum of Consciousness" book; here he tackles that controversial of all topics, human origins--not just anthropological evolution, although he definitely covers that; but CULTURAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, and SPIRITUAL evolution. As noted by others, he definitely buys into some of the work of Joseph Campbell (read: Carl Jung mark II); he synthesizes this perspective with some remarkable insights not only on how human consciousness evolved, but how this process is traceable through the archaeological record and through the myths of our distant, proto-human ancestors. He also highly touts (with good reason) the "perennial philosophy" of mysticism, and uses it in tandem with existential, psychological, and anthropological insights. What is slightly difficult about Wilber is the way he treats the major world religions, however. I'm not saying I think he'll go to hell, I'm not a dogmatist by any means nor do I believe in a hell; but as a former theology student I do find some of his terms puzzling. He consistently uses the words "Atman" as representative of the "Ground of Being" (ie. Paul Tillich's term for "God"), and talks about Christianity, Buddhism, Sufism, and many strains of Hinduism as essentially the same. If he'd done his homework he'd know that "Atman" is not the Whole; that's BRAHMAN, as any Hindu will tell you! And the key to salvation in Hinduism is the enlightenment that the Atman-self inside the human soul and the Brahman, the Universal Self, are one--he alludes to this idea but uses the wrong terminology. His understanding of Judaism and Christianity are also somewhat skewed; he basically sees Jesus of Nazareth being at heart a Gnostic and somewhat divorces him from Jewish ideas, and chooses to take the esoteric, symbolic ideas of the Gospel of John rather literally, making Christ seem a lot more like Buddha. I greatly admire and respect both Buddha and Christ, but I think Wilber does a small disservice to both traditions by assuming they are essentially the same. Nonetheless, these are merely academic differences of opinion; I think Wilber has made a significant stride towards healing the split between the rational and intuitive natures of humanity, and this book is a solid contribution to an emerging body of holistic literature which is helping us all become more integrated, self-aware human beings.
Book Description
Some 250 million years ago, the earth suffered the greatest biological crisis in its history. Around 95% of all living species died out--a global catastrophe far greater than the dinosaurs' demise 65 million years ago. How this happened remains a mystery. But there are many competing theories. Some blame huge volcanic eruptions that covered an area as large as the continental United States; others argue for sudden changes in ocean levels and chemistry, including burps of methane gas; and still others cite the impact of an extraterrestrial object, similar to what caused the dinosaurs' extinction.
Extinction is a paleontological mystery story. Here, the world's foremost authority on the subject provides a fascinating overview of the evidence for and against a whole host of hypotheses concerning this cataclysmic event that unfolded at the end of the Permian.
After setting the scene, Erwin introduces the suite of possible perpetrators and the types of evidence paleontologists seek. He then unveils the actual evidence--moving from China, where much of the best evidence is found; to a look at extinction in the oceans; to the extraordinary fossil animals of the Karoo Desert of South Africa. Erwin reviews the evidence for each of the hypotheses before presenting his own view of what happened.
Although full recovery took tens of millions of years, this most massive of mass extinctions was a powerful creative force, setting the stage for the development of the world as we know it today.
Customer Reviews:
Very informative overview of the Permian Mass Extinction .......2007-10-08
I found this book very easy to read. Mr. Erwin has a sort of sense of humor he adds to the book to take away from any text book monotony you may be afraid of. He is also extremely in depth and explains with seemingly little bias the many proposed possible causes and evidence (or lack of) for this mass extinction. There are also many diagrams and graphs to illustrate much of the pertenant information. I won't get too in depth with the contents, I will just say if you have any interest in the Permian, or any other prehistoric event, I suggest you read it.
Interesting topic, expert writer, frustrating book.......2007-03-23
I wish I could give this book three or four stars. Erwin is an expert in the area of the Permian extinction, and when he tries, he can write well. Unfortunately, he does not seem to try often. There are just too many sentences here that need to be read two or three times before their meaning becomes clear. The meaning of many of the graphics never become clear! And at the end of each chapter, I was unclear about what I had learned, and what I could expect next.
I finally gave up half way through the book. At that point, I was as confused about the Permian extinction as I was at the beginning, and I cannot even say I was confused at a higher level.
Perspective on Global Warming.......2007-02-22
A geologist's view of global warming puts things in perspective. The sky may or may not be falling, but it's happened before.
Splendid agnosticism.......2006-11-23
In Kentucky, there's a museum with a lifesize model of a dinosaur with a saddle on it. This is a hymn in fiberglass to young Earth creationism, the idea that the Universe was created about 6,000 years ago.
It costs $1,500 to become a charter member (family rate) of this museum. A much better investment would be $24.95 for Douglas Erwin's thriller about the Permian extinction.
More than nine-tenths of all species died out 251 million years ago. Erwin, a researcher with the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History and the Santa Fe Institute, finds the end-Permian "enigma far more compelling than the end of the dinosaurs," a relatively minor event from 65 million years ago.
For an event that Kentuckians think never happened, the end-Permian event left a lot of debris, of which the most interesting is in China. Until 20 years ago, the paleontological record there was unknown to the outside world.
What the evidence is telling us is difficult to say. Erwin says "Extinction" was "frankly written as a mystery story." In this one, the clever detective does not wrap up all the loose ends on the last page.
Instead, we learn that there are at least seven major theories of what might have happened. These range from a big meteorite to gigantic volcanic eruptions in Siberia to a climatic or biological or geological change that drove oxygen out of the oceans.
The first chapters set the stage. Life was very different in the Permian. There were reefs in warm oceans, and they contained corals, but the corals were only distantly related to those of today and they were not as important as crinoids and lampshells, animals that still exist in out-of-the-way places.
On land, flowering plants had not yet evolved, nor mammals, dinosaurs or saddles. In South Africa's Karoo basin, fossils remain of a fabulous, lost fauna.
There were widespread extinctions on land as well as in the sea during the end-Permian event, but it is hard to say whether the land extinction was as complete as in the sea, where 94 percent of species disappeared in a short time. Erwin's team and their Chinese collaborators have found evidence that it all happened in less than 160,000 years -- maybe a lot less.
It is also not proved that the big land extinction exactly coincided with the sea kill, but it seems likely. The land kill was a whopper, too. This was apparently the only time in history when a mass extinction had any real impact on insects.
Whatever the cause, it did set up the modern world. "Mass extinction is a powerful creative force," says Erwin.
Or did it? As they learn more and more of the details, scientists are also learning to question the easy assumptions of more innocent decades.
Evolutionary biologists are vigorously debating whether the animals and plants that dominated the Permian were already being outcompeted by the early forerunners of modern flora and fauna, or whether they would have maintained their control of resources.
Erwin, splendidly agnostic about this and other debates, lays out the questions but leaves the resolution for some other time. Perhaps not too far in the future. He notes that his 1993 book on the Permian extinction already is out of date in many ways.
In fact, after decades researching the extinction itself, he has now concluded that "understanding the recovery from the extinction poses a far greater intellectual challenge."
Some self-aggrandizing here..........2006-10-18
It is always gratifying to see popular books about science get rave reviews because we scientists benefit from public enthusiasm about what we do. Erwin has a chatty and disarming style that is a joy to read. Unfortunately, it is a public disservice to distort reality as Erwin has done in this book. In depicting his role in the whodunit, Erwin has liberally embellished his own contributions and those of his colleagues. After proclaiming for years that the extinction was unrelated to the Siberian volcanism, this book now implies that such a relationship was his idea. The whitewashing treatment of his team's blunder in misdating the extinction and related events is worthy of the most guileful politician explaining away some scandalous act.
As long as you don't mind the plethora of factual errors and self-promotional aspects, it is a fine book. Unfortunately, it will not weather history well.
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- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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