Principles of Population Genetics, Fourth Edition

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.

Lectures on Nonlinear Evolution Equations: Initial Value Problems (Aspects of Mathematics Ser)

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Lectures on Nonlinear Evolution Equations: Initial Value Problems (Aspects of Mathematics Ser)
Reinhard Racke
Manufacturer: Ballen Booksellers Intl
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Knowledge Evolution: Expanding Organizational Intelligence

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A good book for leaders of knowledge-rich organizations.
Comprehensive, introductory text.
Excellent Framework for building and creating knowledge.
A penetrating look at the knowledge-organization connection.
Impressive integration of theory, innovation & practicality!

The Knowledge Evolution: Expanding Organizational Intelligence
Verna Allee
Manufacturer: Butterworth-Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Future of Knowledge: Increasing Prosperity through Value Networks
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ACADEMIC SELF: AN OWNER'S MANUAL
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The Mind Map Book: How to Use Radiant Thinking to Maximize Your Brain's Untapped Potential

ASIN: 075069842X

Book Description

The Knowledge Evolution offers a unique and powerful road map for understanding knowledge creation, learning, and performance in everyday work. This book reframes current thinking by delving into the hidden world of knowledge supporting both individual and organizational performance, laying the foundation for the emerging art of knowledge management. Packed with best practices from leading edge companies, essential guidelines, design principles, analogies, and conceptual frameworks, it serves as a practical guidebook for mastering the Knowledge Era. It will help managers make more intelligent decisions about knowledge creation, reduce wasteful technology investments and lead to new ease and confidence in applying knowledge and learning principles for themselves and for their organizations.

Verna Allee delves into current thinking and practice to unravel the genetic code of knowledge itself. This revolutionary approach has surfaced a simple and elegant knowledge archetype. She demonstrates how this archetype can help us deal with complexity and suggests ways of self-organizing that make profound sense in today's networked enterprises. From strategies for core knowledge competencies to the key components of individual expertise, The Knowledge Evolution zeroes in on the critical success factors for the knowledge-based enterprise. What emerges is an approach to knowledge management that is simple enough to communicate at every level of the organization, yet rich enough to encompass all the complexity of modern enterprises.

Verna Allee is the founder of Integral Performance Group, a consulting practice in California that specializes in the learning organization, knowledge competencies, organizational systems change, systems thinking, total quality and learning, benchmarking support, best practices research, and strategic development. She holds a degree in the Study of Human Consciousness and her work is informed by a deep interest in intelligence, human development, cognition, intuition and consciousness. She is the author of Learning Links: Enhancing Individual and Team Performance, Pfeiffer and Co-Jossey Bass, 1996.

Explains the best practices from leading edge companies.Contains a learning guide for TQM tools.Gives navigational aids for the Knowledge Era.

Customer Reviews:

A good book for leaders of knowledge-rich organizations........1999-05-08

It should come as no surprise that without knowledge, systems fail. In The Knowledge Evolution, Verna Allee focuses on an analysis of the role knowledge plays in contributing to the success of an organization. According to Allee, knowledge becomes of greater and greater importance as the validity and strength of an organization is called into question. Without a doubt, the availability of a strong knowledge base has, in many corporations, played a fundamental role in the company's survival.

Presently, workers at numerous companies are struggling with the concept of how knowledge becomes a driving influence within their organization. Because it is intangible and hard to grasp a common understanding of what organizational knowledge is, leaders are finding it hard to capture, organize, and use knowledge as a tool. Verna attempts to establish a frame-work which lends itself to this understanding and provides today's corporate leaders with the tools to better make decisions regarding organizational knowledge.

Allee provides a general understanding of how advancements in technology define corporate culture and how learning is effected by the widespread use of available technologies. Community relationships are also influenced by technology and leaders are being forced to rethink how organizations are structured and how knowledge is used to influence decision-making processes.

Current conditions indicate that the future of companies -- how well prepared they will be to compete in the global economy -- will be determined by how well they understand and use knowledge. Allee provides a management road-map to get companies where they want to be regarding knowledge.

Like it or not, the Knowledge Evolution is upon us. Allee identified some effective ways organizations should create, adapt and apply knowledge. This book is essential reading for leaders who want to win!

Comprehensive, introductory text........1999-05-03

At times, The Knowledge Evolution delved too much into semantics and ontology, in an attempt to develop a "common language". At the time of publication (1997) this may have been relevant but the prevalence of "knowledge management glossaries" reveals that indeed a common language has emerged, making this specific content a bit of an arduous read. Perhaps a second edition is needed, especially since the proprietary value of this book is still not being addressed in current knowledge management (KM) literature. Current KM books almost exclusively focus on data, information and knowledge (DIK). The Knowledge Evolution visions past DIK and adds complex dimensions of meaning, wisdom and philosophy to the knowledge framework.

If you do purchase this selection, I recommend writing unabashedly in the margins, or keeping a notebook on hand, connecting the theoretical constructs of knowledge and it's management discussed in the book to a personal context. By and large the scope of the book is very broad, looking inclusively at the field of KM. Since the writing of this book, specific sub-fields within KM have emerged i.e. data mining, group memory technologies, knowledge mapping etc. A reorganization of the content in this book along those lines (i.e. "procedural knowledge" with data mining, "functional knowledge" with knowledge mapping) was a worthwhile endeavor of this reader and would be a tremendous value-add to a second edition.

By and large The Knowledge Evolution is a readable and comprehensive introductory text to the field of KM. The book is broad and encompasses so much of the theory and principles behind KM that the actual industry has yet achieve or implement everything discussed. With the enormous influx and popularity of KM books in the past two years I hadn't heard anything about The Knowledge Evolution and now having read it, I realize the book that all these current authors must have also read.

Excellent Framework for building and creating knowledge........1999-04-03

An excellent treatment of the subject matter. Provided insigts on knowledge learning and performance. Prepares us for the knowledge era, where knowledge is king. I wish she had included some material on creativity, having knowledge is nice but being creative is better.

A penetrating look at the knowledge-organization connection........1999-02-14

Taking an organic systems view, the author explores how organizations acquire, manage, and transfer knowledge. Covers: the nature, role and order of knowledge; best practices; types of organizational structures that support knowledge sharing; technologies for knowledge building; developing knowledge strategies; and efforts to measure results. An very impressive gathering and integration of ideas about organization in the Knowledge Era. A first-rate book on a cutting-edge subject.

Impressive integration of theory, innovation & practicality!.......1999-01-23

Verna quickly brings us all up to speedon the field of knowledge. As she reviews it, she compares and contrasts the current working theories and then integrates them into a working template that links knowledge, learning and performance. This template/model allows us to quickly apply the information to the organizations in which we live or to which we consult. She presents a developmental process for the different levels of knowledge that compares in scholarship and in practical use with Piaget's developmental intelligence, and Kolbergs developmental morality. She then follows up with 6 practical chapters where she more fully explores each level, helping us all to identify where our organization is, where it should be, and some methods to use to get us where we need to be. She writes in an exciting, clear and creative style giving us the basis for understanding more thoroughly what has gone before (giving consistent credit to the many minds that have worked in this field), what links knowledge management does and should have with other crucial systemic concepts such as systems thinking, organization learning, and organizational sustainability, and including us in the innovative ideas that occurred to her as she was doing such scholarly research. The bibliography and references are worth the price of admission themselves.

If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens... Where Is Everybody? Fifty Solutions to Fermi's Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life

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50 answers to a very good question
If a tree falls and no one hears it, does it make a noise?
chemistry
You can't judge a book by its cover
a survey for the layman

If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens... Where Is Everybody? Fifty Solutions to Fermi's Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life
Stephen Webb
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Rare Earth: Why Complex Life Is Uncommon in the Universe
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ASIN: 0387955011

Book Description

FROM THE REVIEWS: ¿Webb offers coherent, understandable, and sometimes humorous coverage of a diverse range of topics. He provides readers with non-trivial insights into research fields they may not have encountered previously . . . I think everyone who has ever considered the possibility that other intelligent civilizations exist elsewhere within our galaxy will enjoy Where Is Everybody? They will find much to agree with, and much to argue about, in this very accessible volume.¿ ¿SCIENCE During a Los Alamos lunchtime conversation that took place more than 50 years ago, four world-class scientists agreed, given the size and age of the Universe, that advanced extraterrestrial civilizations simply had to exist. The sheer numbers demanded it. But one of the four, the renowned physicist and back-of-the-envelope calculator Enrico Fermi, asked the telling question: If the extraterrestrial life proposition is true, he wondered, "Where IS everybody?" In this lively and thought-provoking book, Stephen Webb presents a detailed discussion of the 50 most cogent and intriguing answers to Fermi's famous question, divided into three distinct groups: - Aliens are already here among us. Here are answers ranging from Leo Szilard's suggestion that they are already here, and we know them as Hungarians, to the theorists who claim that aliens built Stonehenge and the Easter Island statues. - Aliens exist, but have not yet communicated. The theories in this camp range widely, from those who believe we simply don't have the technologies to receive their signals, to those who believe the enormities of space and time work against communication, to those who believe they're hiding from us. - Aliens do not exist. Here are the doubters' arguments, from the Rare Earth theory to the author's own closely argued and cogently stated skepticism. The proposed solutions run the gamut from the crackpot to the highly serious, but all deserve our consideration. The varieties of arguments -- from first-rate scientists, philosophers and historians, and science fiction authors -- turn out to be astonishing, entertaining, and vigorous intellectual exercises for any reader interested in science and the sheer pleasure of speculative thinking. Stephen Webb is a physicist working at the Open University in England and the author of Measuring the Universe.

Customer Reviews:

50 answers to a very good question.......2007-08-10

This fine book by Stephen Webb offers fifty different solutions for the Fermi paradox. In short, Enrico Fermi wondered that since universe is so big and should contain lots of life, where are they? Why haven't we seen any evidence at all of extraterrestrial intelligence?

Well, there are plenty of good explanations, as this book proves. The solutions are divided in three categories: "they're already here," "they exist but we can't communicate with them," and "we're alone". Since there's a real lack of proper knowledge about these things, reader will find plenty of educated guesses, hazy probabilities and that sort of thinking, but that's the nature of the whole question.

I'd definitely recommend this book to anybody who's interested in the existence or non-existence of extraterrestrial life. While there are no set answers, this book will give the reader a lot of material to chew on. (Review based on the Finnish translation.)

If a tree falls and no one hears it, does it make a noise?.......2007-05-15

Fermi gets all the credit from his own community for apparently making an observation nobody else had. However, that Fermi was the first to ask "Where is everybody?" is hardly proven, and really not worth the effort, brief though it was, that the author makes to paint Fermi as some sort of Second Coming. Fermi was good, but I doubt he was the first or only person to have thought about this "paradox" that now carries his name.

While full of science nuggets and amusing discussion, this book fails to prove anything, and or nothing, at the same time. As it should be.

Judging whether or not other life exists in the universe simply on the basis that WE haven't found it or been visited by it - YET - is hardly the science of Fermi and his colleagues.

So don't look to this as some sort of final decision on the existence of ET, you will be disappointed. It is as advertised: A collection of solutions to the Fermi's paradox, and the arguments for and against them.

Should provoke some great water cooler, fireside, morning commute in the car discussions.

chemistry.......2007-01-02

for anyone who has ever wondered "Where is everybody?" this book is for you. Stephen Webb explains Fermi's Paradox of extraterrestrial life and offers 50 solutions to it, including his own. this book may appear to be long at first glance, but reading it is no work at all. the main premise of the book, as evident by the title, is "are we alone in the universe?". webb tackles this subject head-on, dedicating about at least 2 pages per solution. he explains the technology and philosophy behind each solution in easy, non-sophisticated, terms so any average joe can read this book without any prior knowledge of technology such as gamma rays or math like Drake's equation. overall this book was highly fascinating and stimulates the reader into really considering each solution to the question "where is everybody?". not only is this book interesting and intelligent, but there are over 200 notes and recommended readings, so if there is a subject you become very interested in, the information to find more about it is right in the back of the book.

You can't judge a book by its cover.......2006-12-12

Initially, I assumed that WHERE IS EVERYBODY was a light, humorous little account of Fermi's paradox, a generalized description of the problem with humorous asides. My view was shaped by the cover art - a flying saucer with little green men whizzing by Earth. I could not have been more wrong since it is an extremely serious discussion on why we still have no evidence of extra-terrestrial intelligent life.

The author, who also wrote the excellent "Measuring the Universe" lists 49 solutions to why we have not heard from nor seen any evidence that ETCs (extra-terrestrial civilizations) exist. He then offers a final solution himself. The arguments fall into one of three categories: They are here, They exist but have not communicated or They do not exist. They range from the practical (#16 - They are Signalling but we do not know how to listen" to the silly (#1 -They are here and Call themselves Hungarians) to the chilling (#22 - Berserkers) to the thoughtful (#28 - They hit the Singularity).

The mood shifts as one reads and the reasons begins to mount. At first the author appears hopeful, positive, expectant but as the reader goes further the tone becomes doubtful if not hopeless. There are many practical reasons why we could have missed them and these are covered. If they do exist (extremely unlikely in my view) the most likely reason is that they are so technologically advanced that communication is impossible. Just a few hundred years ago smoke signals were a means to signal. Only a few decades ago computer tapes, VHS, LP records were the height of technology. The National Archives has a vast amount of data that cannot be referenced because the technology to read the data has vanished. Our ability to condense and send data grows at an exponential rate; we cannot imagine what a civilization a million years more advanced would do.

I am glad the author discussed cultural factors - a different mathematics or logic, the absence of language, the rise of science, the rarity of intelligence and toolmaking. Oddly, the idea of consciousness was only mentioned in passing. The author insists that the origin of life itself, non-living materials morphing to living creatures, may be a solitary occurrence. Repeatedly the author stresses the uniqueness of human beings and not just in the cosmos. On Earth, out of fifty billion species, we alone developed a true language, learned to use tools, invented a method for discovering the secrets of the universe.

The factors in the rise of humanity are (in my opinion) so random - the origin of life, the catastrophies that restarted evolution repeatedly, our huge moon, tectonics, the appearance of erukayote entities with defined bodies, our appearance at a stage when the planet was not hit with an asteroid - as to almost demand a cold, hard look at the probability that we are alone. The author offers the final and, in my opinion, the most logical, reason we have not heard from anyone: We are alone, at least in the galaxy. The old numbers game ("There are 400 billion stars therefore there must be intelligent life elsewhere") breaks down when one considers the incredible chain of events that led to the rise of our own species. Like any good scientist, he leaves the door open for a change of opinion. This is a though-provoking, provocative book that deserves attention. My grade - A

a survey for the layman.......2006-08-15

This book provides an extensive survey of popular ideas relating to Fermi's paradox. It does not try to validate any one hypothesis, so if you're hoping to find justification for your personal beliefs you may be disappointed. The author has the difficult task of trying to present contradictory solutions in a reasonable manner. He offers his opinion on the merits of each proposal without being heavy-handed. The addition of a little humor doesn't detract from the seriousness of the topic.

It's a fair treatment. Were the book to dispassionately present each theory without comment, it would make for dry reading. The reader would have to weigh every premise without the benefit of the writer's knowledge and understanding. Instead, it provides a basis for you to make your own judgment. The critique is fair and reasonably unbiased. The book gives insight into scientific debate and shows how competing ideas about extraterrestrial civilizations have developed. It can be appreciated from that standpoint and not as promoting one particular view.

Russian Banking: Evolution, Problems and Prospects (New Horizons in Money and Finance Series)

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Russian Banking: Evolution, Problems and Prospects (New Horizons in Money and Finance Series)

Manufacturer: Edward Elgar Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Russian Banking considers the rise of commercial market-oriented banks in Russia, their links with government and non-financial companies and their role as intermediaries in the provision of finance for investment.

The contributors explore the legacy of the Soviet past and current functions of the Russian banking system, contrasting these with those in other post-communist societies and describing peculiarities such as informal networks and corruption.

The book also discusses the economic and global aspects of Russia's reform, focusing on financial crises, foreign depositors to Russian banks and the implications for Russian foreign debt.

This up-to-date and comprehensive account of commercial banking in modern Russia will appeal to those concerned with the economics of transition or comparative banking. Political scientists and sociologists with an interest in forms of capitalism and the roles of banks will also find the book to be a fascinating read.

Born Again
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Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Thoughtful examination of faith, doubt, and religion

If you hate Christians, you'll love this book.

The Third Hour of the Day

Not quite what it claims, but still good

Born Again
Kelly Kerney
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0156031450

Book Description

What happens when a Bible Quiz Champion takes on Darwin? Mel, a faith-filled Pentecostal, has the chance to escape Slow Rapids, Indiana, by attending academic summer camp. The only catch? She has to read forbidden tomes like The Origin of Species . So she forges the permission slip, promising God she’ll bring him a lost soul in exchange.

Mel conscientiously uses her Biblical expertise to argue Darwin’s theories, but meanwhile begins to realize that her parents, her pastor, and her church aren’t what she thought. She zealously battles demons every day—lascivious heathens at school, the Frederick’s of Hollywood catalog, her backsliding brother and sister. But now, suddenly, she must also conquer the doubts of her own heart.

Customer Reviews:

Courtesy of Teens Read Too.......2006-12-17

Starting this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. It deals with religion, so I thought it might be preachy. It talks about Darwin, so I was expecting some strong opinions on the subject--everyone has them. BORN AGAIN is Kelly Kerney's first novel, so I had no expectations as to the writing. In the quote on the back cover, Mel (the main character) talks about using the Bible to prove Darwin wrong. I, personally, am not a religious person and believe Darwin had the right idea, so I wasn't sure I'd be able to enjoy this book.

Wow, was I ever wrong. This book deals wonderfully with the admittedly heavy topics of both Darwinian science and religion (Mel belongs to an Evangelical Pentecostal family), without being at all preachy. Kerney isn't trying to convince the reader of anything; she is only showing one girl's search for the truth, and in that she raises some thought-provoking questions about science, religion, and life.

When the novel begins, Mel is an enthusiastic, religious, and smart teenager. She not only wants to do what's right in her own life, she wants to save everyone else, too. She believes every word from Pastor Lyle's mouth as if it came from God himself (which she believes it does). She would never dream of going against what the church and her parents teach her...Right?

When Mel receives a scholarship to academic summer camp, with that comes a reading list. She isn't sure that Pastor Lyle would approve of some of the books on it, like Wuthering Heights (Bantam Classics), but they're not on the "blasphemy list," so she reads most of the books.

And then she comes to Charles Darwin's The Origin of Species. She knows that her family and church would certainly not approve of her reading this. Secretly, she borrows a copy from her best friend, Beth, and starts to read. At first, Mel is determined to use the Bible to prove Darwin wrong. She's sure it can be done.

However, as she reads, what Darwin says begins to make sense. This, coupled with some discoveries about the past of her own family, has her doubting some of what she's been told. If what her parents have told her about their own lives is a lie, then who knows what else is a lie? Mel also finds that Darwin and God don't have to be mutually exclusive. This is an idea that has never occurred to her; this is not what she has been taught. Mel's beliefs are being challenged, and now she has to figure out exactly what she believes before she can defend or disprove anything.

BORN AGAIN is a fascinating and brilliantly written look inside the Christian fundamentalism that is so prevalent in America today. It is a thought-provoking story about one girl, but it addresses so much more than just what Mel is dealing with. The front cover blurb on the book says that BORN AGAIN is "enough to make an atheist pray--that this is not America's future," speaking of the Christian fundamentalism addressed in the book. It's true; these people are so sure of their beliefs and so extreme that it is a little scary at times. As Christian fundamentalism seems to become ever more popular in America, this book is a must-read.

Reviewed by: Jocelyn Pearce

Thoughtful examination of faith, doubt, and religion.......2006-10-26

It would be easy to have a knee-jerk reaction to this book and assume it's anti-Christian, but what makes this book great is how it examines a young girl's thoughtful evaluation of her beliefs, which is in no way the same as disregarding them. I am not religious myself, but this book made me have a greater sympathy with those who are and who approach their beliefs in an intelligent way.

If you hate Christians, you'll love this book........2006-10-25

This book is nothing but another Christian bashing book.

The Third Hour of the Day.......2006-10-09

Melanie, the narrator, is growing up Pentecostal in a family with an ex-alcoholic father, an obsessive-compulsive mother, a promiscuous sister and a delinquent brother. She starts off as a "Jesus freak" but is being seduced away from religion by reading Darwin, and by disillusionment with the adults in her life. Although it is intelligent and full of humor it does not poke easy fun at fundamentalists. Every character is complex and three-dimensional, and Kerney even allows persuasive apologists for old-time religion to have their say.
The narrative is at such a crackling pace, and the conflicts are so compelling, and the intellectual issues so interesting, that it's easy to miss the author's superb mastery of unobtrusive scene setting. Where a lesser writer might have just said that there were cornfields and it was spring and the narrator was on a bus, Kerney has " I watched my own reflection wandering over the cornfields ... the pumpkin patch , which was now nothing but a huge square of dirt studded by posts."
It was interesting to compare with Jeanette Winterton's "Oranges are not the Only Fruit" about a girl growing up Pentecostal in England, and with Pearl Abraham's "The Romance Reader" about growing up Hasidic in Rockland County.
At one time the Pentecostals were distinguished by "speaking in tongues" although these days you even get charismatic Roman Catholics who do that, and American Pentecostals are distinguished more by snazzy churches and jazzy services and high pressure proselytism and literal Bible belief. The practice of speaking in tongues is based on the Second Chapter of Acts. I've always been intrigued by verse 15, where Peter explains that "these are not drunken as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day." I suppose charismatics have to be careful about what time they hold their services

Not quite what it claims, but still good.......2006-10-03

The promotion for this book interested me, as I haven't seen the whole faith vs. Darwin thing handled in this type of book before (at least not in a way I wanted to read). Midway through the book, I realized that those blurbs were misleading - it's not Darwin that shakes up this little girl's faith, it's her disaster-filled family. By the end, I was skipping the journal entries about Darwin to stay with the story...the book is a great read, but not on the terms advertised.

George G. Higgins and the Quest for Worker Justice: The Evolution of Catholic Social Thought in America

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Concise account of American Catholic social justice history

George G. Higgins and the Quest for Worker Justice: The Evolution of Catholic Social Thought in America
John J. O'Brien
Manufacturer: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0742532089

Book Description

George G. Higgins and the Quest for Worker Justice: The Evolution of Catholic Social Thought in America is a comprehensive and fascinating examination of the Catholic Church's involvement in social issues from the late 19th to the end of the 20th century through the lens of the life, career, writings, and ministry of the legendary Monsignor Higgins. Much more than a limited biography, John O' Brien offers a sweeping history of the social questions facing America over the past 100 years, the thought behind one of the leading figures in the worker justice movement, and a moving application of the rich heritage of Catholic Social Thought.

Customer Reviews:

Concise account of American Catholic social justice history.......2005-01-05

John O'Brien has produced a labor of love in which he concisely recounts the history of the American Catholic church in the pursuit of economic and social justice through the writings and deeds of its most articulate and tireless advocate, Msgr. George G. Higgins. O'Brien discusses the movement from civil religion to public theology, the historical development of American Catholic social teaching, and Higgins' work in the social apostolate both as a labor mediator and public commentator. O'Brien presents a careful study of the latter role through analysis of Higgins's syndicated column, The Yardstick, for 1945-1994, and the annual Labor Day Statements for 1946-2001. This study is a fitting tribute to a great man and a great resource for scholars, students, and the general public. The appendices are especially good though one wishes that a selection of photographs were included.

Semi-Linear Hyperbolic Problems in Bounded Domains (Mathematical Reports, Vol 3, Pt 1)

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Semi-Linear Hyperbolic Problems in Bounded Domains (Mathematical Reports, Vol 3, Pt 1)
A. Haraux
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Problem of Forming Social Capital: Why Trust? (Political Evolution and Institutional Change)

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The Problem of Forming Social Capital: Why Trust? (Political Evolution and Institutional Change)
Francisco Herreros
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1403964823

Book Description

Herreros examines from the ground up, and from first principles, how social capital is formed. He gives special attention to "particularized trust," the byproduct of associational participation, and its relationship to generalized social trust. He argues that social capital, the resources drawn from obligations of reciprocity and information, derives from participation in social networks, including voluntary associations. The book uses game theoretical models to highlight mechanisms facilitating the formation of trust and, in contrast to many theorists, Herreros places emphasis on the role of the state in the creation of social capital. The theoretical arguments are tested empirically using survey data and historical cases. This sophisticated analysis is sure to generate debate.

Darwins God: Evolution and the Problem of Evil

Average customer rating:

Thoroughly off base
A Presuppositional Look at the Origins Debate
An enjoyable read
Was Evolution Founded Upon Evidence or Mere Anti-Religious Arguments?
Darwinian metaphysics.

Darwins God: Evolution and the Problem of Evil
Cornelius G. Hunter
Manufacturer: Brazos Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

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Darwins Proof: The Triumph of Religion over Science
Science's Blind Spot: The Unseen Religion of Scientific Naturalism
Doubts about Darwin: A History of Intelligent Design
Evolution: A Theory In Crisis
Uncommon Dissent: Intellectuals Who Find Darwinism Unconvincing

ASIN: 1587430533
Release Date: 2002-06-01

Book Description

A study of Darwin that argues that he was driven by theological concerns and the prevailing ideas about God of the time in his formation of his theory of evolution.

Customer Reviews:

Thoroughly off base.......2007-01-15

There have been indeed been some scientists who have thought of evolution as a means to demean religion, but they are in the vast minority. Darwin himself struggled with the implications of evolutionary thought, especially with respect to the Judeo-Christian-Islamic God of Genesis. Darwin had been a Christian -- at one time considering the ministry -- and only started to waiver with the overwhelming evidence of nature itself. Darwin sought out any possible objection to his theory, and noted that it had many points that need clearing up. Evolutionary biologists have been filling in the blanks for the past century and a half.

A great many practicing professional biologists, who nearly all consider evolution to be a fact, are Christian. They are not fundamentalists who accept the literal truth of scripture, but St. Augustine and other church fathers warned against literalism as well. I would imagine that 99.99% of the professional biologists never have thought of justifying evolution on the basis of religion. Evolution is no more a religion than is astronomy, geology, physics, chemistry, and so forth. Of course, Hunter and many of the reviewers here would likely argue that these sciences too are expressions of an underlying religious belief. But if they consider every science as a religion, the notion of religion, as well as science, looses its meaning.

Read the new Evo Devo material [Sean Carroll's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful (2005)" and the new "The Making of the Fittest" (2006)] and learn what evolution really is, and how it is currently being understood. Carroll's second book is thoroughly convincing on strictly scientific grounds, and not one mention of God or religion is to be found. Kirschner and Gerhart's "The Plausibility of Life: resolving Darwin's Dilemma" is another Evolutionary Development (Evo Devo) book that is based completely on nature itself - no word of God or Jesus. Or read Jennifer Clack's "The Origin and Evolution of Tetrapods", or Ward's "Out of Thin Air", or Hallam and Wignall's "Mass Extinctions and their Aftermath" or Knoll's "Life on a Young Planet" for a varied look at how life has evolved on Earth - all without mention of God, design, or religion of any sort. It's just pure empirical investigative science.

I'd like to suggest other reviewers -- and Hunter himself (but this is unlikely) -- read Ruse's "Darwinism and Its Discontents" and Shermer's "Why Darwin Matters". Yes, God and religion is discussed in these, but to show how utterly mistaken ID adherents and others who make stupid statements are about what evolution maintains. One reviewer here states that evolution asserts that humans are basically good. Where does this come from? Other statements about supposed gaps in the fossil record show an utter misunderstanding of geology and science. There is such overwhelming evidence for evolution that over 99% of the professional biologists in the US (with a near 100% in Europe) consider it a fact. What is theory is determining exactly how it occurs -- and that is the science of it.

To think that evolution is currently accepted in the scientific community as a fact is due to anti-religious sentiments is thoroughly ridiculous. Again, many of these same scientists are themselves practicing Christians. Kenneth Miller is a case in point. Some of course are not. Certainly evolution seems to undermine the traditional design argument for God's existence; but many folks, including scientists, base their belief in a God, or in Christianity, on other grounds. It's another matter that there are a host of conflicting religions and religious beliefs. Many adherents of one religious persuasion consider those believing differently to be atheists, or at best heretics. Science remains aloof from the fray; believers in most any of the conflicting religions, as well as atheists, can be good scientists.

It's really quite a shame that there are those who want to undermine science and what it has found by careful dispassionate investigation because it conflicts with certain religious beliefs. They will go to most any length, no matter out outlandish, to twist and misrepresent facts in order to undermine what has been discovered, and what is the most likely explanation of what has been discovered, by careful empirical investigation for the purpose of advancing their particular religious belief. The same reasoning was advanced against those who sought to show that the Earth circles the Sun rather than the reverse, that germs are a cause of disease rather than the devil or God punishing the afflicted, or that lightening had a natural explanation, etc., etc., etc. Hunter should be regarded as belonging to this anti-science tradition, and his book should be read with the understanding that it purposefully misrepresents the facts in order to support a fundamentalist-oriented Christian belief.

A Presuppositional Look at the Origins Debate.......2006-12-24

Cornelius Hunter does a job virtually no one else in the Origins debate has done: reveal the theological influence that led to naturalistic evolution.

After the Puritans took over England, so did their theology. They taught the Biblical doctrines of Original Sin and the subjection of the natural world to futility (Romans 3:9-18, 8:20). As a result of their belief in man's fallen state (which included his belief-forming faculties), they emphasized the Reformed belief that Scripture alone was the guide to theology, anthropology, morals, philosophy, and a general worldview.

When the Puritans were thrown out of England, there was a strong reaction to their Biblical theology. The Anglicans rejected the belief that man was so fallen that he could not acquire Divine Truth apart from Scripture. Thus, they replaced the doctrine of "Scripture alone" with a mixture of Scripture and "Enlightenment" philosophy. This form of "Enlightenment" philosophy, which sought to give credence to Christianity, was called "Natural Theology". It sought to determine Divine Truth using unaided, autonomous human Reason independent of Scripture. [Notice that I used the capital "R" which refers to the Enlightenment philosophy rather than the lower case "r" which refers to logical reasoning in general.] However, just like the Continental form of Rationalism, "Natural Theology" was shown to be personal, subjective, and emotive rather than logically necessary. The resulting theology was: a.) the belief in a God that created everything to maximal perfection *and remains so in its current state* [remember: the post-Puritan Anglicans rejected the full effects of the Fall] and b.) the belief that God wants the absolute best for his creatures including man. So, instead of the Puritan belief in the subjection of nature to futility, Natural Theology stated that God sustained nature in beauty and perfection and "wishes the happiness of His creatures" (Paley). In place of the Westminster Catechism's statement that "man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever" (but fails to live up to it), Natural Theology gave David Hume and other enemies of the Faith ammunition when it stated that "God exists for the felicity of man". After Newton, it added the belief that God's creation would be more glorious if God set it in motion and never had to tinker with it afterward. Thus, instead of the Reformed belief that God primarily created the world with His eternal decree and story of Redemption in mind (along with aesthetics), Natural Theology truncated God's purpose in creation solely to aesthetic reasons. Lastly, it also entailed non-Biblical, philosophical speculations like the "fixity of species".

These are the beliefs in which Charles Darwin grew-up and was taught to believe were THE doctrines of Creation. However, when his experiences out in the wild easily dispelled the notions of his post-Puritan, Victorian era, idealistic Natural Theology, he rejected the Christian doctrine of Creation altogether. He saw that there was much suffering in nature such as parasitism, disease, and, especially, death. He saw that contrary to Linnaeus' belief in the "fixity of species", organisms changed with their environment. So idealistic were his views of nature that he even came to doubt creation because of all the wasted reproductive seed such as pollen! With all this combined, Darwin argued that God had nothing to do with the universe after He created it. This was because (according to Darwin's teddy-bear conception of God) God would not allow his created organisms to suffer if He indeed had created them. So, instead of ditching Natural Theology for the Reformed Theology of Original Sin and the subjection of nature to futility, Darwin opted for Deism.

As Hunter ably points out, modern defenders of Darwinism still operate under the assumption that the doctrines of Natural Theology are THE Christian doctrines of Creation. Many of them accept evolution simply because they believe that the doctrine of Creation (as made up by Natural Theology) is contrary to what nature is actually like. Thus, no matter how much evidence is piled up against neo-Darwinian evolutionary theory and common descent, the problem of natural evil and other "[my made up, Natural Theology version of] God wouldn't have done it that way" style arguments are always the weights that tip the scales back in favor of naturalism.

For example, take homology and the common genetic code. The naturalistic solution is to say that creatures had a common ancestor. The creationist solution is to say that they had a common designer. Now, on the face of it, one cannot argue for either solution without begging the question (i.e. circular reasoning). However, in order to tip the scales, the Darwinists would argue that the common designer hypothesis can't be true since (according to their idealistic Natural Theology view of God) God would never repeat a pattern but rather make everything different and beautiful. Of course, the argument: a.) is personal, subjective, and emotive, b.) is an argument against a rival theory rather than for the proposed theory [making it a "god-of-the-gaps" (or shall I say "chance-of-the-gaps") argument], and c.) assumes that God's sole purpose in Creation was aesthetic.

I would now like to respond to a few negative reviews below. One (i.e. Mark E. Miller) stated that Hunter's thesis was all wrong: "The numerous quotes he gives in the book of metaphysical musings by evolutionists, are, in the main, reflective of attempts to reconcile their own metaphysical views with the facts their investigations have uncovered, and are *not* the motivating principle behind their conclusions - which are based solidly on those facts."

However, it is indeed the other way around: major evolutionists (including Darwin himself) eliminated Creationism altogether because of the problem of evil and other "[my made up, Natural Theology version of] God wouldn't have done it that way" style arguments. For instance, during the Peter Ward (Darwinist) vs. Stephen Meyer (I.D.) debate, one of Ward's major arguments against I.D. was that there were millions and millions of extinct species, and of course, he asked: if there was a God who created these creatures, why didn't he take care of them? [The answer, of course, is that God subjected nature to futility because of man's sin, but you'd never know that with a Natural Theology mindset.] In my personal experience with Darwinists, I have found that they will often use theodicy and other old, Natural Theology arguments against Creation as their reason for believing in Darwinian evolution. One example was when an atheist argued that, if God really had created us, then he would have given us better defense mechanisms such as wings to quickly fly away. This, he argued, is proof that man was not created, but rather, he evolved through a blind, natural process of random mutation and natural selection. [Of course, the atheist was assuming that God originally intended man to be out in the wild amongst predators instead of in a secure enclosed garden (which he was then expelled from when he fell into sin).]

Whenever you back a Darwinist into a corner by refuting his mainstay arguments for NDET or common descent, he will always resort to the problem of evil and other "[my made up, Natural Theology version of] God wouldn't have done it that way" style arguments. At bottom, after you remove the thin scientific wrapping, the main reason for believing in evolution (whether consciously or unconsciously) is theodicy with an old, Victorian era, un-Biblical view of God.

Another criticism of this book (found below) is that it fails to provide an answer to the "Why would God create 15 different species of elephant? He sure must have been busy!" style argument by Kenneth Miller. Of course, if the reviewer had read the book more closely or actually read *modern* Creationist literature, he would know that NO MODERN CREATIONIST BELIEVES IN THE FIXITY OF SPECIES!!! In fact, the newest Creationist movement, called Baraminology, states that many species have evolved from an ancestor within their "kind". So, a modern Creationist would say that those 15 species of elephant micro-evolved as they migrated to different climates of the earth (through a process that was pre-programmed into their genes) from a common elephant ancestor that God had created.

The last criticism that I would like to deal with comes from the review by Ken W. Daniels below: "Whatever else might be supposed about God's nature, it is generally agreed that, if He exists, He is not deceptive. This is why many creationists are now abandoning the young-earth creationists' "appearance of age" theory. Yet Hunter is disturbed when evolutionists provide evidence for evolution and assert that "God would not have done it that way." Perhaps He did do it that way, but at the risk of introducing the strong appearance of evolution."

First of all, this is a common straw-man version of the "appearance of age" argument. No Creationist that I know of believes that God created the world with an appearance of age *for the purpose of* making it look old. Rather, God created it that way for utilitarian purposes. For example, He intended a fully-formed tree to be used as a dwelling place for animals or firewood for humans rather than to be used as a clock by scientists many years later. Second, Ken's argument for common ancestry from pseudogenes is constantly being debunked with new research. Scientists are finding out that pseudogenes do, in fact, have a function, and they also have an insertion bias (which dispels the need for a common ancestry conclusion). Like the list of vestigial organs, the arguments for NDET and common descent grow smaller with each new scientific discovery.

I highly recommend Cornelius Hunter's book, Darwin's God. It is a great look at the metaphysical presuppositions of common Darwinian arguments.

An enjoyable read.......2006-08-21

Darwinian evolution teaches that all humans are inherently good. The problem, as stated clearly in the book's subtitle, is that evil exists in this world and many humans bear responsibility for causing and condoning the suffering of others. When evolutionary evidence is examined with an open mind, the metaphysical and philosophical aspects of the theory really come into the open. Unfortunately, the evidence is rarely examined in this matter in our nation's primary schools or universities.

Was Evolution Founded Upon Evidence or Mere Anti-Religious Arguments?.......2006-06-22

Biophysicist and Discovery fellow Cornelius Hunter scrutinizes the evidence used to support Darwinian theory. Not only does Hunter find that the scientific evidence for Neo-Darwinism is weak, but he exposes that much of evolutionary theory has historically been built upon dysteleological arguments against design. In other words, evolution grew in popularity because it argued against a particular theological position, not because of its overwhelmingly powerful evidence.

Darwin argued that the best way he could explain suffering in the natural world was through natural selection. Darwin's theological motivations behind evolution are revealed when he asks "what advantage can there be in the sufferings of millions of lower animals throughout almost endless time?" This theological objection is the "problem of evil," which theologians have been addressing for millennia.

Modern biologists have repeated dysteleological arguments, writing that a creator would not re-use the same genetic codes in different organisms. Questioning this assumption, Hunter also finds that the very existence of a genetic code "implies that two distinct entities--the sender and receiver--must know the code before the message is sent." This in itself strongly challenges an evolutionary explanation.

A similar pattern is seen in the arguments for evolution from the fossil record. Darwinists have claimed that the fossil record shows a progression of complexity which "cannot be reconciled with creationism." Yet Hunter recounts that progression or not, the fossil record contains many transitionless jumps in biological form which challenge Darwin's theory. Darwinist speculations are "religious, not scientific" and they "hinge on one person's concept of God." (pg. 84)

Hunter also tackles tough objections to design. Pseudogenes have been called by Darwinists the "proof" that humans share a common ancestor with apes. But here again, dysteleology fills the mind of the Darwinist. Darwinists assume that these pseudogenes are nonfunctional, and that their nonfunctionality arose in a common ancestor. Most importantly, they say a designer "Wouldn't do it that way."

Right or wrong, Hunter reveals the large number of theological arguments that Darwinists make to bolster their theory. This intriguing book shows that Darwinism really does have a large interest in theology and that even Darwinists don't always treat Darwinism as a science.

Darwinian metaphysics........2004-01-22

Charles Darwin's storied "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life" (1859) featured an appropriately long name. Darwin characterized it as "one long argument," and his recurring metaphysical assertions continue to be argued today, whether by Ken Miller, Mark Ridley, or the producers of PBS videos. The "long argument" has continued for a century and a half.
In this volume, biophysicist Cornelius Hunter examines these persistent metaphysical assertions. While metaphysical presuppositions are woven into Darwinism / neo-Darwinism, it remains that metaphysical assertions are not themselves within the logical domain of any physical science. "God wouldn't have done it that way" is not a scientific argument, it is a metaphysical -- more precisely, theological -- argument. This is the whole of Hunter's thesis here, and while some reviewers may be disappointed that the discourse is so narrowly defined, it is a philosophically important treatment. If Darwinian theory is scientifically sound, why the persistent usage of such an obviously questionable, perhaps even naïve, theological justification? Readers familiar with Darwin's writings will find that his arguments are reflected quite accurately in Hunter's examination. The author isn't wrestling with straw men here, but the reader will find many reasons to wonder what Hunter's theological ideas may be. Ultimately, this question isn't important, Hunter isn't the one whose metaphysics are under consideration, nor, unlike Darwin and his apologists, does the author misrepresent his own metaphysical views as being science. Mark Ridley, in his textbook (Evolution, 1993) says, "Positing a God merely invites the question of how such a highly adaptive and well-designed thing could in its turn have come into existence." Hunter reflects on the metaphysical presuppositions and logical poverty concomitant to such (often repeated) arguments, suggesting: "It is little wonder that many people do not believe in evolution. Whether coming from Le Conte in 1888 or Ridley in 1993, these sorts of metaphysical meanderings say more about evolutionists than they do about evolution. . . But Le Conte's and Ridley's premises, that only natural explanations are rational and that God was designed, respectively, are nonscientific. They are statements of personal belief." (p90). This criticism is rather kind. Ridley effectively demands an infinite regress of causes, in which case all explanation, including his own Darwinian one, is epistemologically meaningless.
This volume doesn't assume a judgment on Darwin's conclusions so much as it questions Darwin's logic. Judgments on whether Darwin's conclusions are right or wrong will today need to be oriented toward mathematical arguments. Darwin said that natural selection must act upon variations (mutation is our only candidate here) which he recognized must occur in "inconceivably great number". If 50-100 billion species ('conservative' numbers often cited) are to have been mechanistically generated in less than 4 billion years, then Darwin understated his "inconceivably great" problem. These mathematical concerns are not treated here.

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