Book Description
A gorgeous gift and a landmark work that is an essential addition to everyone's personal library.
Never before have the four great works of Charles Darwin—Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle (1845), The Origin of Species (1859), The Descent of Man (1871), and The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals (1872)—been collected under one cover. Undertaking this challenging endeavor 123 years after Darwin's death, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Edward O. Wilson has written an introductory essay for the occasion, while providing new, insightful introductions to each of the four volumes and an afterword that examines the fate of evolutionary theory in an era of religious resistance. In addition, Wilson has crafted a creative new index to accompany these four texts, which links the nineteenth-century, Darwinian evolutionary concepts to contemporary biological thought. Beautifully slipcased, and including restored versions of the original illustrations, From So Simple a Beginning turns our attention to the astounding power of the natural creative process and the magnificence of its products. Slipcased hardcover; 101 illustrations, map.
Customer Reviews:
Can't Beat It.......2007-04-03
I bought this book knowing very little about Darwin or his theories. From So Simple a Beginning was an easy read about a very interesting man. I would hope that not just supporters of evolution would read this book there is more to the man then just one theory.
Four classics.......2007-01-12
Excellent in every particular. Five stars in delivery time, condition, quality of the experience.
Wonderful writing wrong package.......2007-01-10
There is no gainsaying the writings of Darwin or the thinking of my favorite living scientist, E.O.Wilson. But the package is wrong.
Four books in one. Too heavy, too cumbersome. Discouraging.
Too big.......2007-01-05
This book is way too big to hold to read, so it is not useful. From the picture I thought I was ordering 4 different books in a book holder, not one giant book. I recommend buying them separately unless you have very strong arms and wrists.
From So Simple a Beginning: Darwin's Four Great Books (Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle, The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man, T.......2006-07-02
Good
Amazon.com
Spencer Wells traces human evolution back to our very first ancestor in The Journey of Man. Along the way, he sums up the explosive effect of new techniques in genetics on the field of evolutionary biology and all available evidence from the fossil record. Wells's seemingly sexist title is purposeful: he argues that the Y chromosome gives us a unique opportunity to follow our migratory heritage back to a sort of Adam, just as earlier work in mitochondrial DNA allowed the identification of Eve, mother of all Homo sapiens. While his descriptions of the advances made by such luminary scientists as Richard Lewontin and Luigi Luca Cavalli-Sforza can be dry, Wells comes through with sparkling metaphors when it counts, as when he compares genetic drift to a bouillabaisse recipe handed down through a village's generations. Though finding our primal male is an exciting prospect, the real revolution Wells describes is racial. Or rather, nonracial, as he reiterates the scientific truth that our notions of what makes us different from each other are purely cultural, not based in biology. The case for an "out of Africa" scenario of human migration is solid in this book, though Wells makes it clear when he is hypothesizing anything controversial. Readers interested in a fairly technical, but not overwhelming, summary of the remarkable conclusions of 21st-century human evolutionary biology will find The Journey of Man a perfect primer. --Therese Littleton
Book Description
Around 60,000 years ago, a man—genetically identical to us—lived in Africa. Every person alive today is descended from him. How did this real-life Adam wind up as the father of us all? What happened to the descendants of other men who lived at the same time? And why, if modern humans share a single prehistoric ancestor, do we come in so many sizes, shapes, and races?
Examining the hidden secrets of human evolution in our genetic code, Spencer Wells reveals how developments in the revolutionary science of population genetics have made it possible to create a family tree for the whole of humanity. Replete with marvelous anecdotes and remarkable information, from the truth about the real Adam and Eve to the way differing racial types emerged,
The Journey of Man is an enthralling, epic tour through the history and development of early humankind.
Customer Reviews:
The Journey of Genetics.......2007-09-11
The Journey of Man, recently recommended by a friend in Dallas, is a story of state-of-the-art genetic research to trace the geographic history of homo sapiens based on, as I understand it, polymorphisms or mutations in human DNA. The idea is that by identifying these and analyzing their frequency of occurance in various areas of the world, the sequence in which they occurred can be deduced and, thus, the associated physical path by which we populated the world can be identified. The conclusion is that homo sapiens began about 50,000 years ago in north-eastern Africa, then spread to Australia, etc. The thought process nicely ties in related data from archaeology, anthropology, and other sciences to support and/or refute the genetic results. A very good book, aimed at laymen and easy to read, although not particularly well-edited and sometimes over-uses analogies to the point that you wish he'd just go ahead and say it.
Very interesting thesis, very readable.......2007-01-11
The book presents, based on genetic, archeological, climatological evidence, a possible (or probable?) route for the dispersion of men through our planet, from its birth in Africa. The evidence is clearly presented, in an organized and very understandable way. It makes a very interesting reading on a subject that is as appealing as it is controversial.
The Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey.......2006-11-10
If you have ever questioned where Adam and Eve started and how planet earth was populated this is a must read. Doctor Wells located the oldest Africans he could find,took blood samples, then using his DNA knowledge, produced DNA markers. He continued this process around the world and by examining the DNA markers he could determine the path of primitive people and where they started. He produced a readable technical book that leaves the lay person with a clear understanding of where we started and where and when the first Adam and Eve left the trees and stood up on two feet.
Clear explication of a still uncertain theory.......2006-10-31
Not much more than 50,000 years ago, something happened in East Africa that set humans on the move, and by about 10,000 years ago they had occupied almost every place on Earth, though it took another 9,000 years or so to get to the really good spots like Maui.
At least, that is how geneticist Spencer Wells interprets the evidence. The very short time span requires severe revision of the archaeological evidence.
Fully modern human bones have been found in Israel that are dated to about 100,000 years ago. Although equally modern fossils don't show up in Europe for another 60,000 years or so, the assumption has been that man's move out of Africa began at least 100,000 years ago.
Using changes in the molecular structure of the Y-chromosome, Wells and other geneticists believe that something -- he calls it the First Big Bang -- happened to a human, who lived somewhere in or near Ethiopia, around 50,000-60,000 years ago. That something did not show up in our skeletons but did mark the final evolutionary step to our current level of ability.
It could have been behavioral, although Wells is inclined to think it was some form of structural change in the brain that was closely tied to the beginning of language.
The new capabilities then made it possible to survive in novel habitats, and worsening climatic conditions in East Africa made it desirable to find some.
Genetics tells us we are all very closely related -- there is hardly any variation in our genes as between "races," a doubtful concept in human taxonomy anyway.
Variation piles up over time, particularly in long stretches of DNA that are, so far as anybody has been able to determine, inactive.
When a small band of people move, they take with them only a tiny fraction of the total variation of their larger group. Therefore, the more variation today within a local group, the longer it has been intact.
There is more variation on the Y-chromosomes of the men in an African village than among all the men in the rest of the world. Therefore, humans originated in Africa.
Geneticists believe they can not only measure but time these changes, although the timing is dependent on various assumptions that are uncertain to a degree. The goal of researchers like Wells is to interpret the gene sequences to fit other, paleontological or climatological, data without torturing the evidence too much.
The Y-chromosome determines male sex and therefore passes down from father to son. There is a strictly female record of descent in our cells, too, the mitochondrial DNA; but there is much less of it, so changes on the Y give much more precision in measuring mutations.
In "The Journey of Man," geneticists deduce that around 50,000 years ago, Africans started migrating, sticking to the coastal areas they already knew how to exploit. Within 10,000 years, they were in Australia.
We humans spread quickly but not equally quickly in every direction. In some areas, humans had to wait tens of thousands of years for the slow processes of climate to open up desert and mountain barriers that were too hard to cross.
Thus, Europe was settled very late, despite its closeness to Africa.
The same evidence says modern humans replaced Neanderthal humans; we did not descend from them.
The Y evidence also tends to shoot down evidence -- already equivocal -- that put humans in the New World more than about 12,000 years ago.
And it demonstrates, Wells says, some unexpected relationships. For example, northern Han Chinese are more closely related to their northern neighbors than they are to southern Han Chinese, despite the closer connection of their language dialects.
These various lines of evidence should allow us to retrace our ancestral steps, says Wells, but "many indigenous peoples are now refusing to participate in scientific studies."
He regrets this, not only professionally, but because the Third Big Bang -- the transportation revolution that is mixing up populations more than ever before -- will within a couple of generations obliterate the kind of genetic sleuthing that made "The Journey of Man" possible.
The Second Big Bang was agriculture, and that, he says, led humans to Hawaii. Hunter-gatherers had to go where the food was; Polynesian navigators could choose where to sail.
Wells' explication of what researchers like Wells think they know is first rate. I remain somewhat skeptical about the accuracy of the so-called molecular genetic clocks. Therefore, 3 stars. if the doubts about the 'clock' are resolved in the favor of Wells et al., then the rating would bump up to 4.
We all wonder where we come from . . ........2006-09-01
. . . and Spencer Wells provides many of the answers. Those of you who have seen his National Geographic special, also entitled _The Journey of Man_, will recognize the outline of this book, an exploration of what our genes (and those of people around the world) tell us about where and when our species got started, and how and when people occupied just about every part of the world. The book is able to go into far more detail, presenting clearly and convincingly our relatively recent African origins and the timing and likely routes of the migrations that brought modern humans to Australia, Europe and Asia, and, more recently, to the Americas and Polynesia. Along the way you'll learn why our genes clearly show that the Neandertals were cousins, but not ancestors, and that today's geographic "races" are far too closely related to have evolved from ancient to modern human form independently. The book is graced by pages of striking photos of people from around the globe, which add greatly to the fascinating scientific story that Wells tells. If you're at all interested in human origins, this is a must read. Robert Adler, author of _Science Firsts_ and _Medical Firsts_.
Book Description
Pierre Teilhard De Chardin was one of the most distinguished thinkers and scientists of our time. He fits into no familiar category for he was at once a biologist and a paleontologist of world renown, and also a Jesuit priest. He applied his whole life, his tremendous intellect and his great spiritual faith to building a philosophy that would reconcile Christian theology with the scientific theory of evolution, to relate the facts of religious experience to those of natural science.
The Phenomenon of Man, the first of his writings to appear in America, Pierre Teilhard's most important book and contains the quintessence of his thought. When published in France it was the best-selling nonfiction book of the year.
Customer Reviews:
The Phenomenon of Man.......2007-05-18
The theories of Omega presented in this book are still possibile to be true even though it was written before 1948. The book was an important one to read for me given my own scientific theories. The books theories like "Love as Energy" fit nicely with my own "Monogamy Theory" and "Boom-Arm or "Ray" Theory of Sexual Behavior. I was a little concerned that Teilhard de Chardin was going to say something racist a couple of times when he wrote about evolution(the book was written a while ago, and it is often necessary to think about race when thinking about evolution), but the resolution was good. When I bought the book, I was told the author was a Jesuit priest, but he was a scientist through and through and could not really talk about God or Jesus.
Teilhard Is More Relevant Today.......2007-03-03
Teilhard was ahead of his time by about fifty years...no, more. We are just now beginning to understand the dazzling cosmology that existed in his brilliant, inspired mind. As we enter the new age he predicted, an age of technology bordering on wizardry, Teilhard is our great prophet and patron saint. Joseph Dispenza is author of "God On Your Own: Finding a Spiritual Path Outside Religion."
A Shining Proclamation of Hominisation.......2006-08-15
Of all places, I was first directed to Teilhard de Chardin by a reference thereto in a work of Joseph Ratzinger (later known as Pope Benedict XVI). Given my general interest in the biological sciences as well as anthropology, I decided to investigate this matter. I am ever so thankful that I took that step into The Phenomenon of Man. Teilhard's work is a beautiful synthesis of paleontology, philosophy, and even theology, standing as a beacon to the members of all three branches of knowledge. It is a testimony to the greatness of his work that it still influences the Pope to this very day, who used evolutionary language to discuss the resurrection, a concept no doubt influenced by Teilhard's work.
The general path of this text is an investigation into the development of consciousness within creation. This is done in light that consciousness must be latent in creation in order for it to exist at all within the context of evolution. It is furthermore acknowledged by the findings of relativity which point to the fact that the various spheres of the physical world are not separate but related, although only slightly at slow speeds. So too must consciousness not be fully unknown within the earlier forms of life, although it may have had much less influence on the activity of that life.
The narrative itself is translated well and is readable without a great deal of difficulty. I must say that the author is a bit overly-flowery at times. However, just as I began to become vexed with this floweriness, I would hit passages which were such stunning expositions of his thesis that I would nearly have chills. Teilhard was the first person to ever make almost cry over the final jump to reflection found in the simian branch of the tree of life.
His other, just as important, theme is that of complexification. The author puts forth the justifiable analysis of the unitive aspect of creation. The groping of life comes to be only by the unification of atomic units. This remains his theme and ultimately drives his theories for a united humanity, particularly in his views with respect to Christ. While his ideas here are somewhat radical, they are not as unorthodox as they appear to many at a quick glance. Instead, his work is an affirmation that Christ has pushed the evolutionary trend to its Omega point, a point which must in all actuality autonomously exist.
The problem of pain is relatively unaddressed in this text and remains a reason for the Church's wariness with the work. I think that he handles it well enough, passing the torch to theologians, acknowledging his own shortfalls in developing this theme.
The Phenomenon of Man is a gigantic step in a beautiful understanding of the person, world, and God. Although it is not a complete breeze of a read, it is most definitely well worth the time to read it. I put off reading it for far too long and do not suggest that you do the same. I heartily suggest it to you if you have any interest in human evolution, the birth and deployment of consciousness, or any inkling of theological/philosophical interest.
Deeply Influential, Deeply Flawed.......2006-05-15
Teilhard de Chardin was a Jesuit Father, and a highly regarded palaeontologist. This was an enormously influential book, which is still very much alive in theological circles today.
Teilhard de Chardin accepts Darwinian evolution as a given. However, classic Darwinian evolution proceeds by "chance". It is a blind operation, which offers no meaning or hope.
Therefore he proposes a purposive process of evolution, which he refers to as "cosmogenesis". Within such cosmogenesis, the emergence of mind takes place -- a process which he refers to as "noogenesis". Together with noogenesis, there is an evolving of the collective sphere of mind on the planet, which he refers to as the "noosphere". This leads utimately to a goal, a final state, which he refers to as the "Omega point" or "peace" (one might suggest: shalom). At this point, the noosphere (all conscious beings) will be intensely unified, having achieved a "hyper-personal" organisation.
There is a twist in the tale, however. Teilhard de Chardin then defines "the conditions for advance". Cosmogenesis proceeds only "on condition that we increase our knowledge and our love".
Let us apply this briefly to contemporary theology. In keeping with his ideas, one may posit a kingdom of God -- rather, a reign of God, since a kingdom is "too static" (Guder 1998:94) -- a reign which marches forward with "impelling force" towards shalom (Van Engen 1991:26). As might be anticipated, this would entail the notion of "no privatized eschatology" (Newbigin 1989:113), and the need for our own participation towards the "final outcome" (Watson 2001:39). I offer these parallels merely as fleeting suggestions for further study.
Teilhard de Chardin has great breadth of thought, and an extraordinary talent for expressing his ideas clearly. However, I found that I ran into a great many obstacles of thought, among them the following:
1. He points out that science, by and large, would oppose his views: "The majority of `scientists' would tend to contest the validity of [my views]". Yet the book is intended to "reconcile Christian theology with this evolutionary philosophy". What would be the purpose of such reconciliation, if his views are largely denied by science?
2. He continually expresses fundamental doubt or reserve about his own ideas. He states: "The views I am attempting to put forward are . . . largely tentative". In fact, he posits them "in spite of all evidence to the contrary". Surely one would desire more of a "science" one is to stake one's life upon.
3. On the one hand, he writes about "mankind in its march" of emergent evolution. On the other, this evolution "can give itself or refuse itself". In fact, if our own attitude is wanting, "the whole of evolution will come to a halt". On what basis, then, should we assume that such evolution is anything more than a contingent or surface phenomenon?
4. He clearly does not know what to do with suffering. As though as an afterthought, he relegates this to an Appendix. He writes: "Necessarium est ut scandala eveniant. . . . Suffering and failure, tears and blood: so many by-products . . . begotten by the noosphere on its way." At best, he states cryptically that suffering may "add precision and depth" to theology.
CITATION OF REFERENCES:
~ Guder, Darrell L. (Ed.). Missional Church: A Vision for the Sending of the Church in North America. Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1998.
~ Newbigin, Lesslie. The Gospel In A Pluralist Society. Geneva, Switzerland: WCC Publications, 1989 .
~ Van Engen, Charles. God's Missionary People: Rethinking the Purpose of the Local Church. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1991.
~ Watson, David Lowes. "The Mystery of Evangelism: Mission in an Age of Cosmic Discovery." In Global Good News: Mission in a New Context, ed. Howard A. Snyder. Pp. 26-40. Nashville, Tennessee: Abingdon Press, 2001.
Real Intelligent Design.......2006-03-10
With so much hype these days about Intelligent Design it's amazing how Chardin was so far head of his time. He seems to have almost anticipated the debate. He shows the science behind the emergence of man or more importantly the NooSphere.
Then highlights how import the role of faith will be in shaping our ultimate fate. The following is a brief excerpt from the book.
"And now, by the very fact that we have measured the truly cosmic gravity of the sickness that disquiets us, we are put in possession of the remedy that can cure it. 'After the long series of transformations leading to man, has the world stopped? Or, if we are still moving, is it not merely in a circle?'
The answer to that uneasiness of the modern world springs up by itself when we formulate the dilemma in which the analysis of our action has imprisoned us.
Either nature is closed to our demands for futurity, in which case thought, the fruit of millions of years of effort, is stifled, still-born in a self-abortive and absurd universe. Or else an opening exists -- that of the super-soul above our souls; but in that case the way out, if we are to agree to embark on it, must open out freely onto limitless psychic spaces in a universe to which we can unhesitatingly entrust ourselves.
Between these two alternatives of absolute optimism or absolute pessimism, there is no middle way because by its very nature progress is all or nothing. We are confronted accordingly with two directions and only two: one upwards and the other downwards, and there is no possibility of finding a half-way house.
On neither side is there any tangible evidence to produce. Only, in support of hope, there are rational invitations to an act of faith.
At this cross-roads where we cannot stop and wait because we are pushed forward by life -- and obliged to adopt an attitude if we want to go on doing anything whatsoever -- what are we going freely to decide?
To determine man's choice, in his famous wager, Pascal loaded the dice with the lure of boundless gain. Here, when one of the alternatives is weighted with logic and, in a sense, by the promise of a whole world, can we still speak of a simple game of chance? Have we the right to hesitate?
The world is too big a concern for that. To bring us into existence it has from the beginning juggled miraculously with too many improbabilities for there to be any risk whatever in committing ourselves further and following it right to the end. If it undertook the task, it is because it can finish it, following the same methods and with the same infallibility with which it began.
In last analysis the best guarantee that a thing should happen is that it appears to us as vitally necessary.
We have said that life, by its very structure, having once been lifted to its stage of thought, cannot go on at all without requiring to ascend even higher.
This is enough for us to be assured of the two points of which our action has immediate need, The first is that there is for us, in the future, under some form or another, at least collective, not only survival but also super-life.
The second is that, to imagine, discover and reach this superior form of existence, we have only to think and to walk always further in the direction in which the lines passed by evolution take on their maximum coherence."
Average customer rating:
- The Wrong Path
- Which "I" is me?
- Gurdjieff Primer
- Power Packed in this small volume
- Potentially life changing: explosive knowledge within...
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The Psychology of Man's Possible Evolution
P. D. Ouspensky
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ASIN: 0394719433
Release Date: 1973-11-12 |
Book Description
Studies man in view of what he may become. Describes how a man must work simultaneously on his knowledge and his being to find inner unity.
Customer Reviews:
The Wrong Path.......2007-08-19
I don't see what purpose this book serves. Ouspensky is the greatest occult writer the modern world has produced, but this little book has nothing in it that isn't in In Search of the Miraculous; and in any event, the books by Ouspensky that matter are the ones that have nothing to do with Gurdjieff.
The Gurdjieff work is a hundred miles wide and one foot deep. Just deep enough for those who can't swim to drown in, as Ouspensky almost did. The work isn't without value; many of Gurdjieff's ideas are basically correct, but everything he knew can be found in superior form in other places. And all of Gurdjieff's ideas are distortions of things he got from other places. He wasn't sophisticated enough to tell the good from the bad, and he mixed wisdom and foolishness together in a salad of roughly equal parts. Much of what Gurdjieff taught, such as the necessity of group work or self-observation as endless toil, is the opposite of truth. Gurdjieff was a man who asked the right questions, but got all the answers wrong. Partly because he was a second-rate mystic with a second-rate mind, and partly because he was like all gurus: he had a deep-seated need to manipulate others and take financial advantage of them. I have seen his type repeatedly and known some of them personally. They are all the same. They take bits and pieces of other people's ideas and use them to impress the gullible. They have an amazing recall and ability to spout things they pick up here and there as if they are original.
Ouspensky was able to separate what little good there was in Gurdjieff from the little con man himself, and put it into his own superior version of the "Gurdjieff work" but grew too attached to the ideas before finally rejecting them for the ego-inflating trap they are.
It is Ouspensky's own work that is of serious interest, but really only parts of it, mainly his thinking on spatial dimensions. It is a tragedy of epic proportions that Ouspensky abandoned his real work for the shallow occultism of the dubious Gurdjieff, and it doesn't speak well of Ouspensky's more mystical side. But that isn't the side of Ouspensky that will stand the test of time.
To this day, his two books Tertium Organum and New Model of the Universe are at the cutting edge of human thought. They show the real direction that our conceptions of space and time should take, not the mathematically correct but logically ridiculous direction physics has taken. And yet, no doubt largely because of his association with the little Armenian con man, the enormous importance of Ouspensky's work is largely forgotten by all but a few.
Those two books show how to overcome the paradoxes of not just physics, but of philosophy. Nothing like them exists, or has ever existed. If you understand his ideas, their truth cannot be denied on any level. Unlike the endless double-bind prison that constitutes the "thought" of the "fourth way", the essays in those two books can change the way you perceive the world in the most fundamental way imaginable. But they are beyond both the reach and grasp of people with no more intelligence or common sense than occult disciples, which is why the people most likely to encounter them get very little from them.
To his eternally recurring credit, Ouspensky abandoned and renounced the Gurdjieff system late in life, realizing at last that it was a dead end, a dangerous distraction. It is ironic that Ouspensky is remembered mostly for his book on Gurdjieff, which is the least of his works and the very thing that keeps the Gurdjieff movement going. Indeed, much of the better stuff people tend to give Gurdjieff credit for was, in fact, Ouspensky all along. Without Ouspensky to make his ideas semi-coherent, there never would have been a Gurdjieff movement. It would have died with Gurdjieff.
In any event, it has been noticed by too few that many of the ideas credited to Gurdjieff, such as the antiquity of the Sphinx, for example, are mentioned in Ouspensky's books long before Gurdjieff professed them, in altered form, later on. And Gurdjieff himself said he would beg Ouspensky to be his teacher if Ouspensky "understood" his own books! From this we can gather that Gurdjieff read Ousepensky's early classics, admired them, and very likely appropriated many of Ouspensky's own ideas, only to regurgitate them back at their originator later on, as part of Gurdjieff's own admittedly "stolen" hodgepodge of ideas. No wonder Ouspensky was so impressed with him.
My recommendation is to read Ouspensky's two early classics, Tertium Organum and New Model of The Universe, and to stay away from Gurdjieff's poison until you are far enough advanced not be be seduced by it.
Which "I" is me?.......2005-12-01
My first reading of this book was like a casting off of "dogmatic slumber" for me. Never had I read a work that laid out so very clearly and precisely what is required to work upon ourselves and begin to live intentionally in the world. This is not only the first book to provide someone interested in the Gurdjieffian 4th Way, it's a pivotal work for anyone demanding more of themselves and life than what is provided by alleged exoteric authorities. There are more tools for change in this small book than in many massive tomes offering similar tools for self growth and change. Highly recommended.
Gurdjieff Primer.......2003-03-17
In spite of his difficulty in accepting Gurdjieff as an authentic teacher Ouspensky kept in contact with Gurdjieff from 1915 until their last meeting in France 1930. He started lecturing the 'system' already in the twenties in Constantinople and continued until close to his death in 1947.
(By the way I have yet to see a negative review with an e-mail address!)
When you take this book for what it is - a short introduction to the psychology of an extensive 'system for personal development' - then it certainly serves its purpose. The book was written to be read aloud to people waiting for Ouspensky to start his lectures. His audiences ranged from just a handful of people to some hundreds.
'The Psychology' gives you an overview of the psychology of Gurdjieff's teaching.
Power Packed in this small volume.......2002-05-13
This book, a little over 100 pages, is packed with Ouspensky's philosophy. This book might be a good place to start if one is trying to evaluate Ouspensky to decide whether or not to read the larger (in number of pages) books "The Fourth Way" and "In Search of the Miraculous". I own both of these other books and have just started reading "Miraculous". I can see why many prefer Ouspensky's writings over Gurdjieff himself.
Potentially life changing: explosive knowledge within..........2002-02-26
When you have had your first 'education' by the way of years of "ordinary" life; when you have been exposed to thousands of works of literature, art, science, religion--and these have created a hunger in you; at a certain point, you may be ready to receive a certain quality of knowledge. When you do, when you recognize its value and if you apply it to your daily life, you yourself can truly change. This book, in the hands of one who seeks, can be a key to the start of a path to a larger and richer world.
How well do you *really* know yourself? Are you willing to go digging? The world is waiting, and a man named Piotr Demianovich Ouspensky saw fit to help you know both it, and yourself, in ways you never guessed.
Yes, there are books that can truly change lives. This is one of them. Do not read if your aim is only to remain comfortable. I wish you the best on your Way.
Book Description
Metabolic Man: Ten Thousand Years from Eden describes man's journey from a harmonious co-existence with nature to today's state of nutritional disorder following the agricultural revolution. Leaving Eden and moving into civilization, man has failed to live by nature's laws and throughout the last 10,000 years has paid the price with disease, maladaption and premature death.
The author's perspective of the history of man, his state of health, and the ecological devastation to the planet during the last ten thousand years allows the reader to clearly see where man fits into a downward spiral of ill health and degradation of quality of life.
Extensively documented, Metabolic Man provides the reader with a path to individualizing a personal nutrition tailored to his or her metabolic profile. Metabolic Man clears the mine field of processed food and advertising ploys that are in fact destructive to good health by helping the grocery shopper become a "hunter/gatherer" for specific metabolic body types in the supermarkets of today. AUTHORBIO: Alarmed at the deteriorating health of society in the "advantaged" nations, Charles Heizer Wharton, Ph.D. has devoted much of his time since his retirement in the early 80's to the subject of human nutrition. It is his fervent hope that through understanding their individual heritage and lifestyle, fellow humans can not only improve their own lives, but can help mitigate earth's problems in accommodating an exploding population. Currently he is Affiliate Faculty at the University of Georgia's Institute of Ecology.
The author's consuming interest in nutrition began in 1947, with the care and feeding of rare animals from the Philippines, (Published in National Geographic Magazine) and academically, by a course in nutrition at Cornell. He has Worked with native peoples in such diverse places as the Paraguayan Chaco and Sabah, Borneo. His first expedition to Cambodia was highlighted in the TV series, Investigative Reports (A&E). The National Academy of Sciences sponsored his second trip to Southeast Asia. His interest in early man was whetted by visits with the Leakeys and trips to Africa's Olduvai Gorge and Masai Mara.
Customer Reviews:
Practical for modern readers and amazing for everyone.......2002-07-06
Ten Thousand Years From Eden: The Long Search For A Personal Nutrition From Our Forest Origins To The Supermarkets Of Today by nutrition expert and retired academician Charles Heizer Wharton is a detailed, college-level study of human nutrition from the perspective of an ecologist. From the origin of human beings with a hunter/gatherer system of food gathering and consumption practices, to achieving the best nutrition from today's complex, market-heavy and artificially flavored world of foods and beverages, Ten Thousand Years From Eden is as practical for modern readers as it is amazing for everyone with an interest in the history of the human diet. Ten Thousand Years From Eden is a unique and highly recommended addition to students of nutrition, human evolution, human ecology, and contemporary food habits in a post-industrial age.
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- Great summary/introduction to "brain size vs. organization" debate
- Good summary of research trends
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Evolutionary Anatomy of the Primate Cerebral Cortex
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
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ASIN: 052164271X |
Book Description
Studies of brain evolution have moved rapidly in recent years, building on the pioneering research of Harry J. Jerison. This book provides state-of-the-art reviews of primate (including human) brain evolution. The volume is divided into two sections, the first offers new perspectives on the developmental, physiological, dietary, and behavioral correlates of brain enlargement. However, it has long been recognized that brains do not merely enlarge globally as they evolve, but that their cortical and internal organization also changes in a process known as reorganization. Species-specific adaptations therefore have neurological substrates that depend on more than just overall brain size. The second section explores these neurological underpinnings for the senses, adaptations, and cognitive abilities that are important for primates. With a prologue by Stephen J. Gould and an epilogue by Harry J. Jerison, this is an important new reference work for all those working on primate brain evolution.
Customer Reviews:
Great summary/introduction to "brain size vs. organization" debate.......2006-05-01
I'd taken a class called Brain and Evolution at my university and our professor, Dr. Buxhoeveden (himself very influential in the study of minicolumns), required this book for the course. It is a very readable book with 14 chapters devoted to the ontogenetic and phylogenetic findings with minicolumns, axonal connections and brain size between primates. Chapter two, entitled "Neocortical expnasion and elaboration during primate evolution: a view from neuroembryology" is worth the book alone, giving a detailed an much neglected view (compared to the rest of modern neuroscience) on how minicolumns and the neurons/connections within develop in humans and other primates. Great book, though pricey. You can probably find some used copies online.
Good summary of research trends.......2001-12-31
This is a short, very readable book, consisting of a series of brief reviews of various aspects of primate cortical evolution. There are two main sections, "The evolution of brain size," and "Neurological substrates of species-specific adaptations," each with a very helpful introductory/summary essay. A fascinating epilogue is by Harry Jerison, in whose honor this volume was written, showing how the pioneers in a field can still stay on the cutting edge of things. Two of the articles I found most illuminating were by Todd Preuss, who shows how the idea of a canonical mammalian cortical circuit diagram is a gross oversimplification, and Katerina Semendeferi, who contests the received truth that human frontal lobes are greatly expanded; in fact her work shows they are of the expected volume for a primate of our size. Pasko Rakic also presents his view of how cortical expansion could have occurred (by simply expanding the number of cell cycles in the ventricular zone), which he has presented elsewhere, but here with some new data on the role of apoptosis. However, there is not much coverage of recent advances in the understanding of regulatory molecules involved in brain development (e.g. the hox genes). The book is also a priced a bit too high in my opinion. But for those interested in this area, it is a must read, and an enjoyable one.
Average customer rating:
- A comprehensive and merticulous work
- The number 1 reference!
- Pretentious Wolpoff strikes again!
- Praise for Paleoanthropology
- Great for those well-versed in paleoanthropology
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Paleoanthropology
Milford H. Wolpoff
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill Humanities/Social Sciences/Langua
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Human Origins : The Fossil Record
ASIN: 0070716765 |
Book Description
Since the first edition was introduced in 1980,
Paleoanthropology has been the leading text for the upper-level undergraduate or graduate course in human evolution. Written by one of the world's leading experts on the subject, and the only human evolution text written by a paleontologist with direct experience with the fossil record, this new edition offers comprehensive coverage of all aspects of human evolution. This edition has been substantially revised and rewritten. It has been expanded to include the most recent research, theories, and new developments in the field, making it the most up-to-date and complete text on the human fossil record available.
Customer Reviews:
A comprehensive and merticulous work.......2002-06-17
Covering the subject of Paleoanthropology is never easy, at best. This is especially so when one has a competitor of the quality of Richard Klein's "The Human Career". However, Professor Wolpoff has brilliantly succeeded at carving his own niche, with Klein's book focusing more on archaeology and his more on skeletal analyses. I would recommend students purchase both textbooks to obtain the best overall picture. Paleoanthropology is separated into four parts, with a total of 14 chapters ranging from descriptions of the process of evolution, to the distinguishing anatomical features of the Anthropoidea and the hominins, and to the late Pleistocene. A comprehensive glossary is given at the end of the book which proves invaluable. A general collection of references is found at the end of the book and more specific references can be found after each chapter. It is not a book for newcomers who should introduce themselves to the subject through a more general summary; rather it is for the dedicated amateur and scholars to utilise at graduate level and as a professional reference work. I am an archaeologist and would recommend it for anyone who is seriously interested in paleoanthropology and archaeology.
The number 1 reference!.......2002-06-11
This book is not meant to be "eye candy" (although in many ways it is). It is a serious reference book with no hooks. Just the facts ...and tons OF 'em. If it is boring to any student, it is because he/she has no love of the subject or has a personal grudge of some sort. I am especially grateful for all the detailed descriptions of fossils (especially pertaining to the skull). Professor Wolpoff is a no-nonsense scientist who knows and loves his subject thoroughly! It is sad that politics have so thoroughly invaded the field of paleoanthropology. It's immature effects are plain to see in this series of reviews. Prof. Wolpoff is THE leader of one side of an important issue and critiscism is inevitable. It is also regrettable but I add this voice to thank him for his good and dedicated work.
Pretentious Wolpoff strikes again!.......2000-06-07
Wolpoff's book is literally unreadable and pretentious beyond words. I took a course from Wolpoff in the past, and as with his teaching, the book is often unclear, even at defining important vocabulary terms. Even as simply a reference this mammoth book fails miserably.
Praise for Paleoanthropology.......2000-05-31
"Paleoanthropology" is, and deserves to be, the standard against which all paleoanthropology texts should be measured. After introductory chapters on dating methods and evolutionary theory, it covers human evolution beginning with Miocene primates, proceeding through australopithecine and Pleistocene Homo evolution, and ending with a thorough analysis of the European fossil record. "Paleoanthropology" has three major strengths. The first lies in its detailed treatment of the fossil evidence over the last 5 million years. Every major specimen is described clearly, precisely and thoroughly. More importantly, each specimen is placed within the context of its evolutionary significance. Its second strength lies in its treatment of the entire organism. Archaeology and behavioral theory are combined with morphological evidence to arrive at a detailed appraisal of what the hominid was doing and why it was doing it. Rarely do textbooks adequately address such issues. Third, "Paleoanthropology" addresses every important theoretical issue in paleoanthropology. Certainly Wolpoff emphasizes his views, but, in each case, he presents the various protagonists' views of how the evidence supports their opposing positions. For example, the predictions of the Recent Replacement model, and the supporting fossil and archaeological evidence, are clearly presented. Wolpoff takes a position on this and other issues. All authors do so and are seldom criticized for it. However few authors go to the lengths that Wolpoff does to present all important alternative points of view. Anyone interested in detailed descriptions of the fossil material and thorough discussions of central theoretical issues is strongly encouraged to read this text.
Great for those well-versed in paleoanthropology.......2000-05-29
The 4 star-rating I give this book is an answer to the question, "Did the author accomplish what he set out to accomplish (as laid out in the Introduction)?" I suspect that the author under-estimated the amount of information a reader needs to be equipped with already, in order to understand what the book has to offer; or, perhaps, over-estimated the intelligence of the reader. As the author warns, the book is not an introductory book, and indeed quite challenging for those going in with 2-3 courses in biological anthropology. As any book would be, with 878 pages, single-spaced, two-column, 10-font Times New Roman, all black-and-white. On the other hand, the book shines for those who have a good idea about what it is among the numerous topics in human evolution that the reader wants to know. This is the book I frequently look up when developing a project, be it an analytical, historical, or literature review, or for a quick check on data. One finds morphological descriptions of all relevant fossils, with their historical background, dates, and their places in paleoanthropology literature. More references are in the back of the book, as a good starting point. Drawings of fossils are effective enough for those familiar with human osteology and the fossil record to have a mental image. Numerous tables (116 in number) and figures (392 in number) provide drawings, numbers, lists, and comparisons within and between fossil samples across vast range of time and space. The author states that it is the specific perspective of the author that is presented in the textbook, and to his credit, the interpretations are unmistakably so. The book is heavy to carry around and does not look simple, sophisticated or elegant. But I appreciate this book that presents human evolution as much more than the simplistic and almost flippant package of ponderings often witnessed in the literature.
Book Description
In this brilliant and profound study the distinguished American anthropologist Marvin Harris shows how the endless varieties of cultural behavior -- often so puzzling at first glance -- can be explained as adaptations to particular ecological conditions. His aim is to account for the evolution of cultural forms as Darwin accounted for the evolution of biological forms: to show how cultures adopt their characteristic forms in response to changing ecological modes.
"[A] magisterial interpretation of the rise and fall of human cultures and societies."
-- Robert Lekachman, Washington Post Book World
"Its persuasive arguments asserting the primacy of cultural rather than genetic or psychological factors in human life deserve the widest possible audience."
-- Gloria Levitas The New Leader
"[An] original and...urgent theory about the nature of man and at the reason that human cultures take so many diverse shapes."
-- The New Yorker
"Lively and controversial."
-- I. Bernard Cohen, front page, The New York Times Book Review
Customer Reviews:
A classic!.......2007-03-01
Great work in the realm of cultural materialism.
A very good toss into Dr. Harris.
I Liked It!.......2006-11-10
I had to read this book for a class and I was plesently surprised. The author brings up some interesting topics that really make you think.
Why Read Fiction?.......2006-08-26
Marvin Harris' "Cannibals and Kings" is one of those classic anthropological, historical studies that makes reading non fiction fun. The phenomenon of solving riddles of humanity with a smile on your face, constantly nodding and saying stuff like "yeah that makes sense" and "damn this guys good" begs the question: Why care about Harry Potter? While Harris is more theatrical and less scientific in nature than predecessor's like Jared Diamond, the sheer wit of his arguments will move you. Furthermore unlike reading most fiction, during "Cannibals and Kings" you really are growing sager with each turn of the page. So if you're looking for a practical understanding of human evolution that's more entertaining than fiction then buy this book.
A contribution to cultural anthropology..........2005-05-08
I had to read this book for my introduction to cultural anthropology class last semester. Though I found parts of it to be dry, the work as a whole was eye opening. It does a good job of identifying patterns and evaluating the evolution of civilizations from hunting to aggrerian to imperialist societies, and onward.
However, I felt that Harris took a very naturalistic approach and underestimated the power of free will. He described everything as being systematic and, although he mentions free will in his conclusion, makes the evolution of civilization seem controlled solely by circumstance and necessity.
Nevertheless, he provides a plausible explanation for why civilizations evolve the way they do and why some advance faster or in different ways than others. I recommend this book for those interested in a possible explanation of cultural evolution. For those looking for a more introductory book to cultural anthropology that covers more ground (but is more brief), I recommend "Culture as Given, Culture as Choice" by Van Der Elst.
Cannibals and Kings: A Disorganized View of Culture.......2001-01-22
This book focused on several of the components of culture. It was disorganized because there is little continuity between topics and the general theme is that resources produce cultures. Complicated at times, the book was not difficult to read, but tedious. Another problem with Cannibals and Kings is its focus on female infanticide. It never clearly described why exactly females were killed insted of males. It answers the title by describing why there are/were cannibals in the world and later talk about kings and how kingdoms evolved. This book does give the reader a better understanding of how civilizations formed. The conclusion was inconclusive at best. The Epilogue explains that unless technology improves, the living standard will inevitably fall. Although this may be true, it does not account whether this will be true for the western world only or for the third world or both. This book is worth reading to get a better understanding of the connection between supply and demand and why cultures evolved.
Average customer rating:
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The Study of Human Nature: A Reader
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
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Ten Theories of Human Nature
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Who Are We?: Theories of Human Nature
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The Star Thrower
ASIN: 0195127153 |
Book Description
Now in a new edition, this exceptional anthology provides an introduction to a wide variety of views on human nature. Drawing from diverse cultures over three millennia, Leslie Stevenson has chosen selections ranging from ancient religious texts to contemporary theories based on evolutionary science. An ideal companion to the editor's recent book, Ten Theories of Human Nature, 3/e (OUP, 1998), this interdisciplinary reader can also be used independently. The Study of Human Nature, 2/e offers substantial selections illustrating the ten perspectives discussed in Ten Theories of Human Nature, 3/e--The Bible, Hinduism, Confucianism, Plato, Kant, Marx, Freud, Sartre, B.F. Skinner's behaviorism, and Konrad Lorenz's ethological diagnosis of human aggression. The Islamic tradition is represented by a selection from the 20th-century Iranian philosopher Ayatullah Murtaza Mutahhari. The 17th- and 18th-century philosophers Descartes, Hobbes, Hume, Rousseau, and Kant are also represented. Selections from Rousseau, J.S. Mill, and Nancy Holmstrom discuss alleged differences between women and men, and a paper by Henry Bracken deals with racial issues. Examples from E.O. Wilson's sociobiology and his critics are also included, together with material from Chomsky and from recent evolutionary psychology. This new edition includes more substantial selections from the Hindu, Confucian, and Christian traditions and provides more accessible extracts from Marx, Sartre, and Lorenz. An excellent reader for introductory courses in philosophy, religious studies, human nature, and intellectual history, The Study of Human Nature, 2/e, is also an essential resource for anyone interested in ancient, modern, and contemporary perspectives on human nature.
Customer Reviews:
Must Have.......2000-04-27
This fascinating book consist on a compilation of the best writing on the subject of what is to be human. Since the books included here are the bible , other sacred books, Decarte, etc, it is absurd to rate the writer's talents. They have been established a long time ago. Therefore all merit goes to the editor who has done a briliant job selecting what was worth showing.
Book Description
In The Origin of Species, Charles Darwin refused to discuss human evolution, believing the subject too “surrounded with prejudices.” He had been reworking his notes since the 1830s, but only with trepidation did he finally publish The Descent of Man in 1871. The book notoriously put apes in our family tree and made the races one family, diversified by “sexual selection”— Darwin's provocative theory that female choice among competing males leads to diverging racial characteristics. Though less well known than The Origin of Species, The Descent of Man continues to shape the way we think about what it is that makes us uniquely human.
Customer Reviews:
Freed our minds for relativity.......2006-12-12
Just as "Origin of Species is misunderstood, I believe "Descent" to be also, although the latter is a more entertaining read. "Descent" fails to concentrate on man without deviating. It is a book of observations and study. It concentrates on how animal life, has, by sexual selection, brought forth the variety in the species we see today, through millions of years. Darwin covered his beloved pigeons in depth in "Origins" and continues at length on many other bird species in "Descent". I agree with him that all the different types of birds we see today probably came from one ancestor of the pigeon. This is called variation of kind. We see this in just about every living creature and flora. The problem arises when the next step is taken, the rise of one species turning into another (reptile to bird). Throughout the book Darwin does admit to this fact, but he still maintains that it must be, with much difficulty. He does hint to nature having some "power of thought", where does this come from? How does nature make these choices? Why did Darwin focus so on the black tribes: their practices, looks, sexuality, if he did not believe them a lower race? Of course he only hints at this, and his belief of evolving from apes is scant, but obvious. Does not the use of race to distinguish only separate? His theory on idiots as somehow lower is also disturbing. And what of the rudimentary parts and vestigial organs. As we progress in our scientific study we understand more on their uses, and there may be much we will never understand. In the end he gives a poor argument, and a convoluted book.
There is no doubt there is a tremendous amount of work that went into his book. It is a difficult and painful read, although there are many interesting and detailed observations. One does need to know his enemy. Darwin is not the originator of "evolution." There are many who came before him, since the dawn of time. He was influenced by numerous men of his time, some being more radical. Darwin was nothing new, he just maid it "hip." What he started has turned into the secular humanism the world has adopted. I don't think he meant for this disease to spread like it has. From his writings I understand him as an agnostic, but doubtful. I believed he struggled with the possibly of a deist. It is safe to say it was his only ambition till his dying day to prove "evolution" as proof of our existence. What of the missing fossil record?, he new they would be found. He was a confusing man.
150 years later and there still has been no intermediate fossils found to prove the case. In fact we are discovering more that validates creation.
Why don't we see a scale or a feather erupt occasionally on man? Is it because it is not in our DNA, and never was?
The theory of evolution caused Darwin to loose his faith and his experience has been repeated in countless lives. Evolution is an acid that eats away at the mind, a cancer.
One only needs to open the pages to Michael Behe's book, "Darwin's Black Box", to understand the futility of the evolutionary theory. The engines of life at the molecular level are so complex that there leaves no other possibility than a creator of the universe. There should be no excuse.
Charles Darwin: The English Da Vinci and a Valid Heretic........2006-11-28
The 'Descent of Man' is really the better of his two earth-shattering books.He unleashed 'The Origin of the Species' book for the scientific rebels and christian theologians to chew on and debate.And then came ,'Descent of Man', and the book continues to fire mass debates everyday.The other great thinker of his day,was Karl Marx.And both men had their writings misunderstood and exploited by ruthless montebanks.I read some of the reviews for the 'Species' book.For the record,Hitler was an 'Anglo-phobe' and hated anything that was British.Hitler saw the writings of Darwin as 'English-Jewish Non-sense'.Hitler felt that his Aryan people were the true 'children of God',and uniquely seperate from other human pagan races. Hitler was an uneducted insane Christian,who almost enslaved the world with his 'Kernwaffen' and almost imposed his self-styled christian views on the planet.After 150 years of discussion,this Darwin book has freed the minds and hearts for all rational people. And this book continues to irritate the filthy apes that live in darkness and fear.
How is possible that I am the first to review this important book?.......2006-10-31
This book takes off where "Origin of the Species" leaves off. In Origin, Darwin does not present his hypotheses on the origin of man, but in this book he states categorically that the human race is descended from earlier species of apes, which were descended from much more primitive life forms. The book is the work of a naturalist, and it is surprising how perceptive Darwin was, considering that this book was written in 1871. It faced a storm of rejection and tremendous furor. The book caused a storm of controversy throughout the entire world. Darwin sets out his facts as dispassionately as possible, but that did not stop many nations from banning the work. Darwin also clearly states in this important work that man is continuing to evolve. In this book Darwin states that the two main forms of selection that helped to shape the animals and humans the most through time are the theories of natural selection and sexual selection, and he explains the difference between these two often throughout the book. Even though the book is actually quite readable, I found it not an easy book to read. Even now these theories seem too much to be believed in some spots, but I do not argue at all with Darwin's theory. It is in fact the only way that the human race could have evolved. Definitely a must-read for anyone interested in "ground-breaking" literature.
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