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From Gaia to Selfish Genes is a different kind of anthology. Lively excerpts from the popular writings of leading theorists in the life sciences blend in a seamless presentation of the controversies and bold ideas driving contemporary biological research. Selections span scales from the biosphere to the cell and DNA, and disciplines from global ecology to behavior and genetics, and also reveals the links between biology and philosophy. They plunge the reader into debates about heredity and environment, competition and cooperation, randomness and determinism, and the meaning of individuality.From Gaia to Selfish Genes conveys the technical and conceptual roots of current scientific theories beginning with the planetary perspective of James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis and concluding with the reductionist views of Richard Dawkins and E. 0. Wilson. The contrasting worldviews, coupled with excerpts drawn from critics of each theory, encourage readers to examine their own presuppositions.In addition to the scientists' portrayal of the Gaia hypothesis, symbiosis in cell evolution, hierarchy theory, systems theory, game theory, sociobiology, and the selfish gene, the text is rich in autobiographical passages and biographies. By presenting the human side of research, From Gaia to Selfish Genes reveals the social context and interactions, the motivations and range of cognitive styles that comprise the scientific endeavor. Concluding essays written expressly for this book by Lynn Margulis, John Maynard Smith, W. Ford Doolittle, and others underscore the importance of such diversity.Connie Barlow is a science writer currently living in New York City.The scientists include: Robert Axelrod. Richard D. Alexander. Ludwig von Bertalanffy.
Leo W. Buss. Francis Crick. Richard Dawkins. W. Ford Doolittle. Douglas Hofstadter. Julian Huxley.
Leon J. Kamin. Philip Kitcher. Richard C. Lewontin. James Lovelock. Lynn Margulis. Ashley Montagu.
Leslie Orgel. Steven Rose. Carmen Sapienza. John Maynard Smith. Lewis Thomas. Gerald Weinberg. E. 0.
Wilson. Robert Wright. The science writers include: Lawrence Joseph. Arthur Koestler. Francesca Lyman. Jeanne McDermott. Richard Monastersky. Dorion Sagan.
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Jean Roy
reviewed From Gaia to Selfish Genes: Selected Writings in the Life Sciences on April 27, 2013
From Gaia to Selfish Genes
Very frustrating, in the sense that the author does a far better job in attacking the views of others rather than in presenting his own. What he is doing is not so much making a case FOR amorality, as he is making a case AGAINST any sort of a priori, Natural Law, hell against sort of system of thought where specifics can be drawn from generalities.
As an example: he criticizes the US invasion and occupation of Iraq. And then criticizes it again, and then again. All fine by me, in fact I think we may even be on the same page there. But that's where he stops. Is this how you "make a case?" Isn't he supposed to be, well, presenting how the "amoral" would have gone about things in a post 09/11 world?
I felt like I couldn't evaluate amorality in this text, for the simple reason that it is never actually presented. Very odd text, indeed.
Oh, yes. And though I claim no great expertise on Daoism, I'm fairly sure they had no strenuous objection to the death penalty, had a decidedly mixed view of homosexuality, and over time degenerated into a syncretized blob of Buddhism, Chinese folk religion and who knows what else.Moeller hippity-hops past that bunny trail entirely, presuming a Daoism unchanging and ahistorical. And we never get his comments on how a leader is advised to keep his people's bellies full and minds empty (per the Tao de Jing), which is a pity.
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