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The Darwin Effect
by Dr Jerry BergmanDr. Miklos Nyiszli, an imprisoned doctor in the Auschwitz camp, wrote that Nazi doctors hoped studying twins would solve the problem of faster reproduction of superior races. Nazis hoped to have each German mother bear as many twins as possible.What Darwin influenced went far beyond the Nazi death camps: Shocking political, social, and scientific legacies of Darwin and his family Disturbing disclosure of how over 45 million Christians were killed in the 20th century because of their faith Revealing and layman-friendly presentation. This book is the result of 30 years of research and study carefully documenting the common destructive threads that tie some of history's most murderous dictators, uncaring capitalists, and aggressive social activists to the flawed concepts of Charles Darwin in an effort to change the world -- and how they succeeded. The extermination of races considered "lower" than others, the profound lack of empathy for less-advanced cultures, the corrupted atheistic justifications for taking the lives of millions -- all done to advance the agendas of social Darwinism at work in the world today. More than mere theoretical discussions, we have seen the horrifying evidence of the practical results when applying these destructive and misleading concepts to society in the last 100 years!
Darwin For Beginners
by Jonathan Miller Borin Van LoonTaking us through the upheavals in biological thought which made The Origins of Species possible, Jonathan Miller introduces us to that odd revolutionary, Charles Darwin -- a remarkably timid man who spent most of his life in seclusion; a semi-invalid riddled with doubts, fearing the controversy his theories might unleash; yet also the man who finally undermined belief in God's creation. Along the way we meet a fascinating cast of characters: Darwin's scientific predecessors, his contemporaries (including Alfred Russell Wallace, whose anticipation of natural selection forced Darwin to publish), his opponents, and his successors whose work in modern genetics provided necessary modifications to Darwin's own work. Splendidly illustrated, this clever, witty, highly informative book is the perfect introduction to Darwin's life and thought.
Darwin, Geodynamics and Extreme Waves
by Sh. U. GalievThis book examines the reasons behind the resonant amplification of seismic and ocean waves that have the capacity to destroy cities and ocean-going vessels. Using Charles Darwin's important geophysical research as a starting point, it provides insights into the interaction between earthquakes with volcanoes, seaquake, and tsunami formation. In particular, the author details the observations that Darwin made on a powerful earthquake that occurred in Chile in 1835, noting how the famous naturalist and geologist used the concept of earthquake-induced vertical shock to explain the event's devastating impact. The book then goes on to show how Darwin's concept relates to the catastrophic results of the shallow quakes that recently destroyed Port-au-Prince (Haiti, 2010) and severely damaged Christchurch (New Zealand, 2011). In addition, the author asks whether Darwin's ideas are endorsed by the discoveries of modern science and whether the results of destructive earthquakes can be modeled using strongly nonlinear wave equations. Coverage also proposes that similar equations can be used to simulate the dynamics of many objects on the surface of the Earth, and to model the origin of the Universe, dark matter, and dark energy as strongly nonlinear wave phenomena. The book will appeal to students as well as researchers and engineers in geophysics, seismology, nonlinear wave studies, cosmology, physical oceanography, and ocean and coastal engineering. It will also be of use to those who are interested in the phenomena of natural catastrophes as well as those who want to learn more about the life and work of Charles Darwin.
Darwin, God and the Meaning of Life
by Steve Stewart-Williams"If you accept evolutionary theory, can you also believe in God? Are human beings superior to other animals, or is this just a human prejudice? Does Darwin have implications for heated issues like euthanasia and animal rights? Does evolution tell us the purpose of life or does it imply that life has no ultimate purpose? Does evolution tell us what is morally right and wrong or does it imply that ultimately nothing is right or wrong? In this fascinating and intriguing book, Steve Stewart-Williams addresses these and other fundamental philosophical questions raised by evolutionary theory and the exciting new field of evolutionary psychology. Drawing on biology, psychology and philosophy, he argues that Darwinian science supports a view of a godless universe devoid of ultimate purpose or moral structure, but that we can still live a good life and a happy life within the confines of this view"--"Evolutionary theory answers one of the most profound and fundamental questions human beings have ever asked themselves, a question that has plagued reflective minds for as long as reflective minds have existed in the universe: Why are we here? How did we come to exist on this planet? In a lot of ways, this is a very ordinary planet"--
Darwin, His Daughter, and Human Evolution
by Randal KeynesIn a chest of drawers bequeathed by his grandmother, author Randal Keynes discovered the writing case of Charles and Emma Darwin’s beloved daughter Annie Darwin, who died at the age of ten. He also found the notes Darwin kept throughout Annie's illness, the eulogy he delivered at her funeral-and provocative new insights into Darwin’s views on nature, evolution, and the human condition. In Darwin, His Daughter & Human Evolution, Keynes shows that Darwin was not "a cold intellect with no place for love in his famous 'struggle for existence,' [but]. . . a man of uncommon warmth" (Scientific American). Creation: The True Story of Charles Darwin is now a major motion picture and the movie tie-in paperback is also available from Riverhead Books. .
Darwin in 90 Minutes
by John Gribbin Mary GribbinIn this easy-to-read series, eminent science writers John and Mary Gribbin look at the lives and work of eight major scientists. Each book is accessible enough to be read for fun but informative enough to appeal to students of science. The iconic Albert Einstein emerges as a dashing ladies' man and the greatest scientist of his time; but why did Charles Darwin wait for decades before going public with his ideas on evolution? How was Marie Curie's great work shaped by her childhood experiences of oppression under the Czars? And what was Edmond Halley, of comet fame, doing as Captain of a King's Ship and later spy for the Crown? An introduction and afterword places each scientist's work in the context of the development of their subject.
Darwin in Russian Thought
by Alexander VucinichThis title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1988.
Darwin Loves You: Natural Selection and the Re-enchantment of the World
by George LevineJesus and Darwin do battle on car bumpers across America. Medallions of fish symbolizing Jesus are answered by ones of amphibians stamped "Darwin," and stickers proclaiming "Jesus Loves You" are countered by "Darwin Loves You." The bumper sticker debate might be trivial and the pronouncement that "Darwin Loves You" may seem merely ironic, but George Levine insists that the message contains an unintended truth. In fact, he argues, we can read it straight. Darwin, Levine shows, saw a world from which his theory had banished transcendence as still lovable and enchanted, and we can see it like that too--if we look at his writings and life in a new way. Although Darwin could find sublimity even in ants or worms, the word "Darwinian" has largely been taken to signify a disenchanted world driven by chance and heartless competition. Countering the pervasive view that the facts of Darwin's world must lead to a disenchanting vision of it, Levine shows that Darwin's ideas and the language of his books offer an alternative form of enchantment, a world rich with meaning and value, and more wonderful and beautiful than ever before. Without minimizing or sentimentalizing the harsh qualities of life governed by natural selection, and without deifying Darwin, Levine makes a moving case for an enchanted secularism--a commitment to the value of the natural world and the human striving to understand it.
The Darwin Myth: The Life and Lies Charles Darwin
by Benjamin WikerIn The Darwin Myth, author Benjamin Wiker offers a critical analysis of Darwin's theories as well as the social, scientific, and religious implications of his work, leading us to the inevitable truth about Darwin's powerful - yet ultimately poisonous - legacy. Scientists often challenge conventional wisdom and spark debates that last for generations. But no scientist has fuelled more debate than Charles Darwin.To some he is the revolutionary 'father' of evolution. To others he is the perverse 'originator' of modern eugenics. And in The Darwin Myth: The Life and Lies of Charles Darwin, author Benjamin Wiker brings these conflicting identities to light. He offers a critical examination of Darwin's theories as well as the scientific, social, and religious implications of his life and work. In The Darwin Myth, Wiker reveals: How Darwin's theories were originally met by scepticism and criticism - much of which he couldn't refute and are still valid today; why Darwin didn't 'discover' evolution; and how science itself suggests God created the universe. Laying out the evidence and sound scientific arguments, Wiker illuminates the inevitable truth about Darwin's powerful - yet ultimately poisonous - legacy.
Darwin on Evolution: Words of Wisdom from the Father of Evolution (Cambridge Library Collection - Darwin, Evolution And Genetics Ser.)
by Charles DarwinThe father of evolution imbibed history with his controversial book On the Origin of Species. As a young scientist studying natural history, Charles Darwin set out on the HMS Beagle for a five-year voyage that would bring him in contact with animal species, plant species, and rock formations all over the world. This voyage established him as an eminent geologist, and his publication of his journal of the voyage established him as a well-known popular author. After continued, careful studying of his findings from his trip around the world, he published one of the most controversial books of history--The Origin of Species--which opposed the church’s theory that all species had come into existence at the time of the Creation. Darwin on Evolution contains quotes and wisdom from The Origin of Species, as well as from his other publications, pertaining to his theories of evolution and natural selection. Readers young and old alike will have the opportunity to learn more about his theories while also taking away important life lessons. As Darwin says, "In the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed. ”
Darwin On Trial
by Phillip E. JohnsonDarwin's theory of evolution is accepted by most educated Americans as simple fact. <P><P>This easy acceptance, however, hides from us the many ways in which evolution--as an idea--shapes our thinking about a great many things. What if this idea is wrong? <P><P>Berkeley law professor Phillip E. Johnson looks at the evidence for Darwinistic evolution the way a lawyer would--with a cold dispassionate eye for logic and proof. His discovery is that scientists have put the cart before the horse. They prematurely accepted Darwin's theory as fact and have been scrambling to find evidence for it. <P><P>Darwin on Trial is a cogent and stunning tour de force that not only rattles the cages of conventional wisdom, but could provide the basis for a fundamental change in the way educated Americans regard themselves, their origins, and their fate.
Darwinian Agriculture: How Understanding Evolution Can Improve Agriculture
by R. Ford DenisonHarnessing evolution for more sustainable agricultureAs human populations grow and resources are depleted, agriculture will need to use land, water, and other resources more efficiently and without sacrificing long-term sustainability. Darwinian Agriculture presents an entirely new approach to these challenges, one that draws on the principles of evolution and natural selection.R. Ford Denison shows how both biotechnology and traditional plant breeding can use Darwinian insights to identify promising routes for crop genetic improvement and avoid costly dead ends. Denison explains why plant traits that have been genetically optimized by individual selection—such as photosynthesis and drought tolerance—are bad candidates for genetic improvement. Traits like plant height and leaf angle, which determine the collective performance of plant communities, offer more room for improvement. Agriculturalists can also benefit from more sophisticated comparisons among natural communities and from the study of wild species in the landscapes where they evolved.Darwinian Agriculture reveals why it is sometimes better to slow or even reverse evolutionary trends when they are inconsistent with our present goals, and how we can glean new ideas from natural selection's marvelous innovations in wild species.
Darwinian Dominion: Animal Welfare and Human Interests
by Lewis PetrinovichThe controversial subject of this book is the permissible use of animals by humans. Lewis Petrinovich argues that humans have a set of cognitive abilities, developing from a suite of emotional attachments, that make them unique among species.
Darwinian Evolution
by Antony FlewIn little more than a hundred years the evolutionary theory of Charles Darwin has conquered the thinking world. No other body of ideas has enjoyed such unrivaled success. But precisely because of its scientific status, Darwinism has sometimes been invoked to sustain other ideas and beliefs with a much less solid foundation. Darwinian Evolution is a study of the historical background of Darwin's ideas, of their logical structure, and of their alleged and actual implications.Flew explores the Scottish Enlightenment, an important and often neglected aspect of Darwin's intellectual background. He compares Darwin with such figures as Adam Smith, Thomas Malthus, and Karl Marx, emphasizing not the similarities, but the differences between the natural and social sciences. Flew argues that social science must do what natural science does not: take account of individual choice. He examines the creationist controversy in Britain and the United States and discusses the possibility of a human sociobiology.In his new introduction, Flew updates his book by discussing relevant works that have appeared since it was published thirteen years ago. He discusses two different tendencies among both social scientists and those who develop or promote social policies according to various findings in the social sciences: (1) to assume there is no such thing as human nature; and (2) to take no account of the possibility that differences between sets of individuals may be genetically determined. Flew maintains that both these tendencies violate Darwin's theory. Darwinian Evolution is an intriguing study that should be read by sociologists, biologists, philosophers, and all those interested in the impact of Darwin and his work.
Darwinian Evolution of Molecules: Physical and Earth-Historical Perspective of the Origin of Life (Advances in Geological Science)
by Hiromoto NakazawaOn the basis of thermodynamic considerations and the Earth’s historical processes, this book argues the physical inevitability of life’s generation and evolution, i.e., Why did life generate? Why does life evolve? Following an introduction to the problem, the hypothesis “Darwinian Evolution of Molecules” is proposed, which explains how, when, and where life was instigated through successive chemical reactions and the survival of selected molecules. The individual processes described are all scientifically reasonable, being verifiable by experiment. The hypothesis is supported by extensive reference to the scientific literature published in academic journals, including some experimental reports from the author’s own research group. The readers of this book will learn that the decreasing temperature of the early Earth led to a reduction in its entropy, inducing the Earth’s materials to order, which entailed ordering of the light elements as organic molecules with subsequent further ordering (i.e., evolution) to systems that can be considered alive (i.e., life). Researchers and students, as well as the non-academic audience, interested in the interdisciplinary problem of the origin of life will find suggestions and possible approaches to the scientific and conceptual problems they may be facing.
A Darwinian Left
by Peter SingerIn this ground-breaking book, a renowned bioethicist argues that the political left must radically revise its outdated view of human nature. He shows how the insights of modern evolutionary theory, particularly on the evolution of cooperation, can help the left attain its social and political goals.Singer explains why the left originally rejected Darwinian thought and why these reasons are no longer viable. He discusses how twentieth-century thinking has transformed our understanding of Darwinian evolution, showing that it is compatible with cooperation as well as competition, and that the left can draw on this modern understanding to foster cooperation for socially desirable ends. A Darwinian left, says Singer, would still be on the side of the weak, poor, and oppressed, but it would have a better understanding of what social and economic changes would really work to benefit them. It would also work toward a higher moral status for nonhuman animals and a less anthropocentric view of our dominance over nature.
Darwinian Misadventures in the Humanities
by Eugene GoodheartIn recent decades the humanities have been in thrall to postmodern skepticism, while Darwinists, brimming with confidence in the genuine progress they have made in the sciences of biology and psychology, have set their sights on rescuing the humanities from the ravages of postmodernism. In this volume, Eugene Goodheart attacks the neo-Darwinist approach to the arts and articulates a powerful defense of humanist criticism. E. O. Wilson, the distinguished Harvard biologist, has spoken of converting philosophy into science, substituting science for religion, and formulating a biological theory of literature and the arts in Consilence: The Unity of Knowledge. Goodheart demonstrates that Wilson's efforts, and those of his colleagues Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker, and Daniel Dennett among others, have resulted in scientism rather than science. If, for example, Dawkins had contented himself in The Selfish Gene with the claim that Darwinism had made worthless other answers to the question of how we have evolved, he would have given offense only to creationists, but questions of meaning and purpose are of another order. Contemporary Darwinist critiques err in assuming that art and traditional criticism aspire to truths that can be codified in terms of scientific laws. If this were so, we would have to regard the speculations of Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Montaigne, Shakespeare, and Rousseau as worthless. Goodheart exposes the philistinism of literary Darwinism, the bad faith and inverted fundamentalism of the Darwinian approach to religion, and the dangers of the eff ort to create a Darwinian ethical system. Taken together, Goodheart's arguments show that in moving beyond their area of competence, the neo -Darwinists commit an ideology, not a science.
The Darwinian Revolution (Elements in the Philosophy of Biology)
by Michael RuseWhat is the Darwinian revolution and why is it important for philosophers? These are the questions tackled in this Element. In four sections, the topics covered are the story of the revolution, the question of whether it really was a revolution, the nature of the revolution, and the implications for philosophy, both epistemology and ethics.
Darwinian Social Evolution and Social Change: The Evolution of Nationalisms
by William KerrThis book introduces the value of a Darwinian social evolutionary approach to understanding social change. The chapters discuss several different perspectives on social evolutionary theory, and go on to link these with comparative and historical sociological theory, and two case-studies. Kerr brings together social change theory and theories on nationalism, whilst also providing concrete examples of the theories at work. The book offers a vision of rapprochement between these different areas of theory and study, and to where this could lead future studies of comparative history and sociology. As such, it should be useful to scholars and students of nationalism and social change, sociologists, political scientist and historians.
A Darwinian Survival Guide: Hope for the Twenty-First Century
by Daniel R. Brooks Salvatore J. AgostaHow humanity brought about the climate crisis by departing from its evolutionary trajectory 15,000 years ago—and how we can use evolutionary principles to save ourselves from the worst outcomes.Despite efforts to sustain civilization, humanity faces existential threats from overpopulation, globalized trade and travel, urbanization, and global climate change. In A Darwinian Survival Guide, Daniel Brooks and Salvatore Agosta offer a novel—and hopeful—perspective on how to meet these tremendous challenges by changing the discourse from sustainability to survival. Darwinian evolution, the world&’s only theory of survival, is the means by which the biosphere has persisted and renewed itself following past environmental perturbations, and it has never failed, they explain. Even in the aftermath of mass extinctions, enough survivors remain with the potential to produce a new diversified biosphere.Drawing on their expertise as field biologists, Brooks and Agosta trace the evolutionary path from the early days of humans through the Late Pleistocene and the beginning of the Anthropocene all the way to the Great Acceleration of technological humanity around 1950, demonstrating how our creative capacities have allowed humanity to survive. However, constant conflict without resolution has made the Anthropocene not only unsustainable, but unsurvivable. Guided by the four laws of biotics, the authors explain how humanity should interact with the rest of the biosphere and with each other in accordance with Darwinian principles. They reveal a middle ground between apocalypse and utopia, with two options: alter our behavior now at great expense and extend civilization or fail to act and rebuild in accordance with those same principles. If we take the latter, then our immediate goal ought to focus on preserving as many of humanity&’s positive achievements—from high technology to high art—as possible to shorten the time needed to rebuild.
The Darwinian Tradition in Context: Research Programs In Evolutionary Biology
by Richard G. DelisleIt is the main goal of this volume to put in context the Darwinian tradition by raising questions such as: How should it be defined? Did it interacted with other research programs? Where there any research programs whose developments were largely conducted independently of the Darwinian tradition? Contributors to this volume explicitly reflect upon the nature of the relationship between the Darwinian tradition and other research programs running in parallel. In the wake of the Synthetic Theory of Evolution which was constituted in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, historians and philosophers of biology have devoted considerable attention to the Darwinian tradition, i. e. , linking Charles Darwin to mid-Twentieth-Century developments in evolutionary biology. Since then, more recent developments in evolutionary biology challenged, in part only or entirely, the heritage of the Darwinian tradition. Expectedly, this was followed by a historiographical "recalibration" by historians and philosophers towards other research programs and traditions part of evolutionary biology since Darwin's time. In order to acknowledge this shift, papers have been arranged along two main threads: Part I: The view that sees Darwinism as either originally pluralistic or acquiring such a pluralism through modifications and borrowings over time. Part II: The view blurring the boundaries between non-darwinian and darwinian traditions, either by holding that Darwinism itself was never quite as darwinian as previously thought, or that non-darwinian traditions took on board some darwinian components, when not fertilizing Darwinism directly. Between a Darwinism reaching out to other research programs and non-darwinian programs reaching out to Darwinism, the least that can be said is that this criss-crossing of intellectual threads blurs the historiographical field. This volume aims to open new thinking avenues about the development of evolutionary biology.
Darwinism And Its Discontents
by Robert J. Richards Michael RusePresenting an ardent defence of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution, this book offers a clear and comprehensive exposition of Darwin's thinking. Michael Ruse brings the story up to date, examining the origins of life, the fossil record, and the mechanism of natural selection. Rival theories are explored, from punctuated equilibrium to human evolution (including the recently found 'hobbits', Homo floresiensis). The philosophical and religious implications of Darwinism are discussed, including a discussion of Creationism and its modern day offshoot, Intelligent Design Theory. Ruse draws upon the most recent discoveries, writing with a minimum of jargon in order to appeal to all readers, from professional biologists to those concerned that Darwinism is a naturalistic religion that is forced on school children despite their own Christian convictions. Openly revealing his own beliefs, Ruse presents readers with all the information and critical tools they need to make an informed decision on evolutionary theory.
Darwinism and Pragmatism: William James on Evolution and Self-Transformation (History and Philosophy of Biology)
by Lucas McGranahanCharles Darwin’s theory of natural selection challenges our very sense of belonging in the world. Unlike prior evolutionary theories, Darwinism construes species as mutable historical products of a blind process that serves no inherent purpose. It also represents a distinctly modern kind of fallible science that relies on statistical evidence and is not verifiable by simple laboratory experiments. What are human purpose and knowledge if humanity has no pre-given essence and science itself is our finite and fallible product? According to the Received Image of Darwinism, Darwin’s theory signals the triumph of mechanism and reductionism in all science. On this view, the individual virtually disappears at the intersection of (internal) genes and (external) environment. In contrast, William James creatively employs Darwinian concepts to support his core conviction that both knowledge and reality are in the making, with individuals as active participants. In promoting this Pragmatic Image of Darwinism, McGranahan provides a novel reading of James as a philosopher of self-transformation. Like his contemporary Nietzsche, James is concerned first and foremost with the structure and dynamics of the finite purposive individual. This timely volume is suitable for advanced undergraduate, postgraduate and postdoctoral researchers interested in the fields of history of philosophy, history and philosophy of science, history of psychology, American pragmatism and Darwinism.
Darwinism in America
by Ronald L. NumbersCompelling history of the legacy of Darwin's ideas in 19th and 20th century America.
Darwin's Apprentice: An Archaeological Biography of John Lubbock
by Janet OwenThe fascinating story of Charles Darwin&’s friend, fellow scientist, and champion. Sir John Lubbock was an important Darwinist, witness to an extraordinary moment in the history of science and archaeology—the emotive scientific, religious, and philosophical debate which was triggered by the publication of Darwin&’s On the Origin of Species in 1859. Darwin&’s Apprentice looks at Lubbock&’s critical yet often overlooked role in the Darwinian campaign, including the ways in which Lubbock&’s archaeological and ethnographic collections shaped both his work and personal life. It offers an enlightening view not only of the beginnings of Darwinism, but of the scientific world of late nineteenth-century Britain.