The structure of evolutionary theory

The Resource The structure of evolutionary theory
Label
The structure of evolutionary theory
Statement of responsibility
Stephen Jay Gould
Creator
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
"With attention to detail, Stephen Jay Gould first describes the content and discusses the history and origins of the three core commitments of classical Darwinism: that natural selection works on organisms, not genes or species; that it is almost exclusively the mechanism of adaptive evolutionary change; and that these changes are incremental, not drastic. Next, he examines the three critiques that currently challenge this classic Darwinian edifice: that selection operates on multiple levels, from the gene to the group; that evolution proceeds by a variety of mechanisms, not just natural selection; and that causes operating at broader scales, including catastrophes, have figured prominently in the course of evolution. Then, in a stunning tour de force that will likely stimulate discussion and debate for decades, Gould proposes his own system for integrating these classical commitments and contemporary critiques into a new structure of evolutionary thought." "In 2001 the Library of Congress named Stephen Jay Gould one of America's eighty-three Living Legends - people who embody the "quintessentially American ideal of individual creativity, conviction, dedication, and exuberance." Each of these qualities finds full expression in this peerless work, the likes of which the scientific world has not seen - and may not see again - for well over a century."--Jacket
Cataloging source
DLC
Dewey number
576.8
Illustrations
illustrations
Index
index present
LC call number
QH366.2
LC item number
.G663 2002
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
NLM call number
  • 2006 M-249
  • QH 366.2
NLM item number
G698s 2002

Context

Context of The structure of evolutionary theory

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