Product Description
A compelling, authoritative, and superbly illustrated account of the rise and eventual domination of our species.

Human domination of the earth is now so complete that it is easy to forget how recently our role in the history of the planet began: the earliest apes evolved around twenty million years ago, yet Homo sapiens has existed for a mere 150,000 years. In the intervening period, many species of early ape and human have lived and died out, leaving behind the fossilized remains that have helped to make the detailed picture of our evolution revealed here.

This exciting, up-to-the-minute account is divided into three accessible sections. "In Search of Our Ancestors" examines the contexts in which fossilized remains have been found and the techniques used to study them. "The Fossil Evidence" traces in detail the evolution of apes and humans, from Proconsul to the australopithecines, and Homo erectus to the Neanderthals and Homo sapiens. The latest fossil finds at major new sites such as Dmanisi in Georgia and Gran Dolina in Spain are appraised, and new advances in genetic studies, including the extraction of DNA from extinct human species, are evaluated. "Interpreting the Evidence" reconstructs and explains the evolution of human behavior, describing the development of tool use, the flourishing of the earliest artists, and the spread of modern humans to all corners of the world.

The book is superbly illustrated with hundreds of photographs, diagrams, and specially commissioned reconstruction drawings by the artist John Sibbick. 430 illustrations, 175 in color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Good general overview
I purchased this book based on a recommendation of a university professor. The book has current information based on up to date data from field work. It is a good solid foundation of ape to man evolution. It reviews field and laboratory methods for dating finds. The book has a good writing style and is very readable with clear and relevant examples. The are also good diagrams and photos of the work and the bones and tools found. I recommend the book for anyone looking for a good overview.

Great book
I am not an expert in this area. I saw a TV series on Discovery channel and I got interested. This book offers SO MUCH information!! It is written rigorously like an academic book, but the wealth of pictures, photos, make it an interesting read. I learned a lot from this book. I also like the fact that they provide lots of facts, and not so much speculation. I'd recommend it to people who are interested in learning more about human evolution.

good introduction into the world of paleoanthropology
This book gives a good introduction into the origins and ancestry of the human species. It is divided into three parts.
The first part gives insight in how the research field operates with chapters about the geological timescale, human variation, analytical techniques, dating technologies, taphonomy, etc. What is especially good about this segment is that it also discusses six excavation sites so you get a real feel about what paleoanthropology is all about. This is all done in a short, understandable way, but without simplifying things.
The second part covers the fossil evidence and takes us on the trail of our origins. It covers some 30 million years of history. Beginning with the origins of primates, it takes you on a tour covering the fossils of amongst others Proconsul, Australopithecus Africanus, Homo Ergaster, Homo Erectus, the Neanderthals, Homo Floresiensis, Homo Sapiens. These are all discussed in short chapters doing justice to the scientific issues concerning them (and there are a lot, because all the evidence is scarce and incomplete). Other issues, what makes an ape, migration (multi-regional versus out of Africa), Neanderthal DNA, and others, are also discussed separately.
The third part interprets the evidence. Discussing locomotion in apes and humans, feeding habits, use of tools, art etc.
All in all this book gives a short but clear cut introduction into this field. It is well ordered, written clearly and accompanied by beautiful photography, illustrations and graphics. I also read Carl Zimmer's Smithsonian Intimate guide to human origins but prefer this one because it does more justice to the scientific difficulties and complexities that this field of research has to cope with. (But by all means read that one also! Or his Parasite Rex, which was great!)

The Complete World of Human Evolution"
Chris Stringer and Peter Andrews did a superlative job with the book. It is the best one I have read on the subject. It is beautifully illustrated with copious colored photos and drawings. The pages are of thick quality paper. The topic is covered thoroughly and competently. It is very up to date and educational. It would make a great gift, a great reference book, a great textbook for an anthropology course, or just a great read for yourself. I think that it is priced at only one-fourth of its real value and I love bargains.
Ralph Hermansen, March 7, 2007

World of Human Evolution
Excellent! Author deals with the subject in a articulate and coherent manner. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Compelling Thesis, Repetitive Presentation
The attitude we take toward human enhancement is one of the biggest policy choices we face in the coming years but it's one that rarely recieves any serious analysis.Harris, therefore, deserves credit not only for calling this issue to our attention but also approaching it in a rational objective fashion instead of relying on the eww factor or the emotional appeal of enhancement.

Unfortunately the book soon becomes rather repetitive.Each new chapter seems to do little than provide a new setting in which to propound his main points.These include:

1) Their is no principled distinction to be drawn between enhancement and things like vaccinations or preventative measures against cancer as both give us abilities we lack.

2) There is no principled reason to distinguish enhancement via good parenting and good schools from genetic enhancement.If we aren't willing to demand that rich parents/countries give up the permanent advantages arising from proper childhood nutrition we shouldn't treat the permanent advantages from genetic modification any differently.

3) Worries about safety and harmful side effects are reasons to proceed with caution and analyze individual proposals carefully but don't justify blanket rejection of the program of producing better humans.

Frankly the book gets boring quickly because the most visible opponents of genetic enhancement don't have an interesting responses to these points.Sandel seems to rely on confusing and vaguely worded polemics to defend what he is 'sure' must be right (and most philosophy grads I've asked can't decode a cogent argument from his stuff) and Habermas (sp?) is little better.Ultimately it seems to largely come down to the question of whether you take common negative reaction to the idea of enhancement to be decisive and only then try to build a theory around that or you take a more utilitarian/consequentialist approach and try to reach an answer from those principles.While the book does illuminate this divide there is little it can do to advance the argument after the first few chapters.

If you haven't thought of the issue much at all this book is a good prompt to thought but I don't know if I would read to the end.The only thing I got out of later chapters was a better sense of how people's reaction to this subject interfaces with government decisions in the UK but that's hardly the point of the book.

terrible book
This book is self-contradictory and self-righteous. You will learn very little from it because Harris simply calls whatever he disagrees with "wrong" and assumes that everyone shares his own value system.

correction of bad review
Anonymous (Katonah, N.Y.) on December 10, 2007 wrote: "His dismissal of the human and civil rights of those who are flawed, i.e. people with disabilities discussed in chapter 6 is perverse" etc, but he does not give a quote to prove his accusation. In fact on the first page of chapter 6 John Harris wrote:

"A thesis of this book is that all persons are equal and none are less equal than others." (p.86)

Amazingly, this is completely the opposite of what Anonymous wrote! Anonymous did not present an argument, but pure emotion.

Flawed Logic
Enhancing Evolution is more than just a bad book--it is proof that some medical ethics scholars have no conception, pun intended, of the real world. Harris book is elitist and caters to those who perceive themselves to be superior beings. Do not be fooled by the dust jacket that contains six over the top laudatory comments from other MDs. At heart, the book is a mean spirited justification to "improve" the human species. His dismissal of the human and civil rights of those who are flawed, i.e. people with disabilities discussed in chapter 6 is perverse and reminiscent of the Eugenics era that led to forced sterilization and institutionalization of hundreds of thousands of innocent people.

Other related books may be more enlightening
Other books on this topic which readers may find more enlightening and persuasive include MORE THAN HUMAN by Ramez Naam, CITIZEN CYBORG by James Hughes, and LIBERATION BIOLOGY by Ron Bailey. ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive and perceptive look at the factors behind the rise and fall of civilizations. Quigley defines a civilization as "a producing society with an instrument of expansion". A civilization's decline is not inevitable but occurs when its instrument of expansion is transformed into an institution-that is, when social arrangements that meet real social needs are transformed into social institutions serving their own purposes regardless of real social needs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Just too simplistic
Carroll Quigley can be a very good writer when he deals with specific topics. But his effort to provide some scientific overview of historical development falls flat. It is overly simplistic and really stretches credulity in a number of places. In many ways it is a pathetic attempt to make historical research a "scientific" system, though he contradicts himself on this. The fact is that historical research is an art, requiring a thorough knowledge of human nature and how such nature interacts with the world around it. It is clear that Quigley had been spending too much time around his privileged and isolated ivory tower friends to understand the warp and woof of real life.In a number of places Quigley discusses the decline of a civilization but never actually provides the real causes. Everything seems to just "happen" out of thin air without the need for individual decisions that make such things occur. His description of Western Civilization, for an educated guy who can be quite smart, was quite frankly ludicrous.

There are sections that can be quite good. When he describes the transformation of an system from being an instrument to being an institution in a society, the concept is intriguing. Unfortunately, he fails to truly explain what happens when a group "institutionalizes." He says such groups strive to protect their status, but he never explains HOW they maintain their status. He gets so close... and then pulls back from launching over what he obviously interprets as some dangerous social destabilizing precipice.

This book reads much like Ibn Khalduns Muqaddimah, though Khaldun's work is far better with more direct analysis regarding human nature.

Worldview
Professor Quigley provides his world view on how history and events unfold.His methods have had a significant impact on a generation of Georgetown University graduates including Bill Clinton.The book is short by academic standards although it is well referenced.It presents a pholofophy of history that is probably more important than just the facts.

Brilliant - a milestone in philosophy
Perhaps one the most important, yet little known, events in human history was the denigration of Aristotelian philosophy. While this event took centuries to complete, it reached its final completion in the late 1950s early 60s. With this went the teaching of the Philosophia Perennis, the study of real truth, reason and logic as applied to wisdom. Perennial Philosophy was traditionally comprised of the seven spheres of knowledge, logic, rhetoric, math, etc. Part of the reason for The Philosophy's demise, I believe, was for centuries nobody had found a way of judging history that fit in with the system, thus protecting it from modernistic Idealism. One of many tactics opponents used to make the system obsolete was advancing the notion that history cannot be judged, it has no 'story' underneath to anchor truth: there is no truth - history is written by the winners - all truths are just cultural, etc.

In this work, Carroll Quigley has successfully found and supported what I believe is a legitimate 'eighth sphere', a means of assessing history according to Aristotelian standards. This is no small feat. Had this book been written in any other point of history, Quigley would have been heralded as one of the great philosophers. But alas, he wrote this book precisely at the very moment when The Philosophy was breathing its last.

If you are dismayed at the direction of modern society, take time and find the collected works of Fr. Celestine Biddle, read them, and then take in the fine wine of this book and see how society might have been had Quigley showed up sooner.

Before "Guns, Germs and Steel"...
Read Quigley's "The Evolution of Civilizations" carefully and you'll come away with new ways of thinking about the PROCESSES of history, and of approaching historical analysis and contemporary societal problems.

Well before Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs and Steel" Carroll Quigley was teaching Ancient History to young students at the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. He was not only a brilliant researcher, analyst, writer and lecturer on history and historical processes, but also a gifted instructor, who left his students with a memorable set of frameworks, tools, stories, examples and anecdotes that many carry with them for the rest of their lives. It's this latter quality that undoubtedly led President Clinton to name Quigley as one of the three people who most influenced his thinking... though I'm afraid Bill forgot a lot. (Another Clinton favorite, the late Professor Walter Giles, also taught at the School of Foreign Service.)

Even Quigley's tests were memorable. What other history prof, for example, would challenge his students as follows: "Imagine you are in the Athenian forum on a marketday morning in 450 BC. Look around you and tell me what you see.")

You've gotta love an instructor that good.

Usable but not recomendable
This work by the otherwise reknowned writer, does not come even close to potraying history as it unfolded over the periods treated in this book. Mr. quigley never looks at the periods before 6000 bc. as oceanic cultures but assumes that all there is, is inland movement. What a shame. Further, the first 100 pages or so are one big camel to swallow for anyone who is familiar with the philosophy of plato and aristotle and his equating of the two, pains me more than a little. Everybody should know that plato was a sublime excercise in dialectics and aristotle a categorical denounciation of the brilliant plato.
You could have some benefit from this, but you need a very thorough understanding of the hostory of ideas and of Lyndon LaRouches perspective of economics, to not be misguided.
Borrow in library, don't buy ... Read more

Product Description

A dragon artist’s guide to better drawing

Magnificent and powerful creatures, these dragons be, with bone-crushing jaws and razor-sharp teeth, it’s difficult to tell whether you’re dealing with a hotheaded nature or a wise and benevolent beast. Therein lies the trouble with drawing them from life. Make your dragon portraits more authentic (while avoiding loss of life and limbs) with the help of this guide. A follow-up to the fiercely popular DragonArt, this book features ALL NEW dragons and EVEN MORE detailed dragon anatomy instruction.

· 60+ step-by-step demonstrations cover a variety of dragons, including medieval, fairy and sea-dwelling varieties

· In-depth advice for drawing every part of the beast—eyes, ears, horns, wings, scale patterns, limbs and more

· Extra tips and tricks provided by your dragon guide, Dolosus

It’s everything you need to draw a variety of dragons—from enormous, ancient beasts with broken scales and fractured horns, to sleek, sinuous creatures with leathery skin and fancy frills. So steel your heart, prepare your trusty inking pen, and venture forth, brave artist … unleash the ferocious, extraordinary, original beasts that dwell within your fiery imaginings!

Customer Reviews (10)

another great book from Neon Dragon!
This book was as good as her first two books! It's concise, detailed, and easy to follow! Her illustrations were wonderful. The book had enough detail so that you didn't have to go back & look at it again if you didn't understand something. I would recommend it whole heartedly!

Bridget's Review
I'm not a very good artist but I do find drawing to be very relaxing.When I picked up this book, I wasn't quite sure it would be able to help me.I had never tried to draw something as in-depth as a dragon, but I wanted to give it a try.I was surprised at how easy it was.I drew some really incredible pictures and it was all fairly simple.The instructions are geared toward beginners, so this is the perfect book for those of you who are unsure of your drawing abilities.

Gorgeous and inspiring!
Although this isn't my typical kind of review book I accepted it in a hurry because it just sounded awesome!Well, I'm so glad I did!The pictures of the many many dragons are beautiful!Talk about some inspiring stuff!
I am a horrible artist.I liked art class because I like to do art, I'm just bad at it. This book has step by step instructions for each part of the anatomy of the dragons.You can go through and pick from hundreds (at least close to hundreds!) and pick which one you want to draw and it shows you the general shape and then how to fill it in piece by piece.
I had actually thought that my 5 year old daughter and I could draw a few and then give it to my 11 year oldnephew since he's a real artist (well, he took a special art class, so he's better then us anyway!), but my daughter loves the pictures so much she wants to keep it.I may end up buying a second book to give him though because the book is perfect.
I would say the difficulty level is definitely for older kids and adults.My 5 year old just gets frustrated.So we decided that she uses it for inspiration and then can go draw her own from her imagination.But for me it's great!I can draw a dragon that at least almost looks like an actual dragon!
Another bonus is that now we have something for older kids to do when they come visit and they don't have to stare at the TV the whole time.It's also something fun for the grandparents to do with the kids because it's actually something challenging for them instead of just coloring pages in a coloring book.

Fantastic book for fantasy lovers
I thought this book was unbelievably thorough in covering the basics and going into the anatomy and different types of dragons! It was a very good instructional book, and I would recommend it to anyone who love to draw fantasy and/or dragons.

Excellent Reference!!
This book touches further on dragon anatomy and stylization that the first one sort of skimmed over. The authors first book and this one pretty much make for a complete reference for drawing dragons. The book is rather cartoonish in it's style but the approach can be translated to a variety of styles if realism is more your thing. I highly recommend this title and a big thumbs up to Neon for adding in an asian dragon section, my personal favorite kind of dragon.Another book I highly recommend for Asian Dragons is "The Dragons of Horiyoshi III vol.1", it is rather expensive but it makes for a wonderful reference. ... Read more

Product Description
Three views on creation and evolution are presented in this popular format whereby the contributors provide their own articles and respond to those of their peers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Philosophical Word-play, not Three Views on Cre/Evo
I've got to be honest, I don't understand how this book has such high reviews.

I indeed enjoyed reading this book from cover to cover. While I did not learn much of what I expected to learn, I did learn things that I will enjoy knowing for future debates in this area of science/theology.

While the title asserts that this is a collection of essays on creation and evolution, it is more a debate on philosophical matters. While I have considered myself a progressive creationist, I found the first essay on Young Earth Creation to be astoundingly persuasive: not because they present great scientific or theological data (they hardly present any at all), but because they present some amazing philosophical concepts. These concepts, in effect, will influence how you look at the rest of the book. The essay on progressive creationism is an acceptable synopsis of one view, and does a better job of presenting the theses of this theory, but it severely lacks in 1.) scientifically supportive data and 2.) Biblically supportive scripture. As a reformed thinker I believe scripture to be breathed by God and to be the final authority. This essay (along with the other 2) severely lack any kind of Biblical reference. I enjoyed reading Newman's essay, and I have found some of his other writings to be quite persuasive as well as well-written, but it lacked the ability to sway a skeptic to his side.

On Van Till's essay - I want you all to know that I am an extremely open-minded person. I have never been quick to disagree with evolution, and I was hoping for some reason to believe that evolution and Scripture could indeed coexist. I approached this book with a 100% open mind, ready to be influenced by whatever data presented itself as truth. However, Van Till's essay literally made me want to rip it out of the book and light it up in flames. I have never seen such a horrible excuse for a Christian writer. I do not wish to ruin it for the reader, but it is almost insulting how he treats the Bible as second to naturalistic law and evidence. I cannot convey to you how horrible of an essay Van Till's was. Many people on here have said his was the most persuasive... give me a break, there is absolutely nothing persuasive in that essay, unless you wish to ponder on the meaning of his specific definitions every 2 pages. He spends more time contemplating what it means to say one thing versus presenting what he believes and then defending it. It is almost a joke of an essay, and the responses (as well as Van Till's own response) make it ever more clear.

I also disagree with people saying the responses lack quality. While they are horrifically short, and only focus on ~1 or 2 of the points in the essays, they present great points (most of the time). I especially enjoyed Dr. Poythress's responses. I believe Poythress had the best writing in the entire book.

But anyways, sorry for this poorly-written review, I am tired beyond comprehension.

If you want to read an acceptable philosophical work (and wish to see writers debate in their minds what one thing means to the world and then what it means to them) purchase this.

If you want an actual presentation of the different views on creation and evolution, I suggest you look elsewhere. There are much better books out there than this. I would almost suggest this book solely for reading the philosophical presentation by Nelson & Reynolds.

Christianity and the Nature of Science
An underlying theme in "Three Views" is that how one understands the nature of science is of primary significance for guiding where one ends up on the creation/evolution issue.Theistic evolutionists, along with secular and atheistic evolutionists, believe that methodological naturalism is a necessary component of science.Restricting science to natural categories of explanation, it is claimed, does not mean, however, that metaphysical naturalism as a worldview follows from that.The connection is supposedly spurious, the assumption being that the scientific theory of evolution is valid and supported by good, objective scientific evidence, and is not connected whatsoever to any form of evolutionism.

However, I believe that theistic evolutionists are mistaken about both methodological naturalism being a necessary part of science, and the separability of evolution from evolutionism.Science is not a strictly objective, metaphysically neutral, value-free activity:it operates, rather, as part of a paradigm, a way of looking at the world which includes a set of assumptions and questions that may or may not be asked.Currently a positivist (ie. materialist) paradigm reigns in biological science, with all the assumptions and limitations that we are told are part of the necessary nature of science itself.But prior to Darwin, biologists, or naturalists, as they were then called, practiced science within a paradigm of theistic science.In the former paradigm, it was entirely appropriate to integrate theological beliefs as part of scientific practice, and God's primary activity as part of an explanatory apparatus.Methodological naturalism became integral to biology only after the paradigm shift, and it would be wrong to say, in hindsight, that the previous generation of naturalists had not been practicing science because they had not adhered to that stipulation.

This new limiting of biology to the natural world was also not simply done to refine scientific practice and enable inquiry to go beyond the dead ends that sometimes occurred when scientists appealed to the mysterious purposes of God and would investigate no further, although there certainly was that element.The belief was also that if biology was to be a true science on par with chemistry and physics, it too had to be a closed system.There had to be the a priori working assumption that there was a physical explanation for everything in biology, and that God could not be active in the physical world.Darwin himself was very frustrated, not so much that there was resistance to his theory, but that many of those who embraced it thought that God guided the process.This indicated to him that they just didn't understand his theory:natural selection became superfluous as a driving force in evolution if God was actually in control of it.

Darwin wasn't promoting atheism per se, just atheism in the practice of biology.But the implications of this, even if not overtly raised, were clear.Theistic evolution was acceptable to secular biologists only if the theistic content was understood as consisting of no more than mere belief and subjective feelings, because an objective God would surely be objectively involved in the world, and positivist science disallowed that.Evolution, from Darwin himself and right on down to today, was and is understood by the scientific community to be a blind, purposeless, material process which did not have us in mind.In this sense "evolution" and "evolutionism" are indistinguishable.

So for theistic evolutionists to say that evolution is God's way of creating is to miss the process of reasoning to the Darwinian conclusion.Darwin's theory did not win out over its competitors because it better explained the facts of the natural world; it won because it most completely removed God from biology, and thus best fit the new positivist paradigm that biology had adopted.Critics who recognize this see how spartan the actual evidence is for evolution when it is precisely stated, that is, as a theory accounting for biological complexity solely by the mechanism of mutation and natural selection.That theistic evolutionists are comfortable with the scientific evidence is not surprising when they define "evolution" in a much more vague sense, such as "an observed increase in complexity of organisms over time."Furthermore, they insist that the scientific theory of evolution, strictly speaking, has no metaphysical implications, and, as I have explained, this is just false.

The attempts by theistic evolution to reconcile theism with evolution are too costly, for two reasons.First, it must redefine the word evolution.And second, the cognitive content of theism must be greatly limited.Richard Bube is comfortable that we are still "provided with evidence of God's activity when seen through the eyes of Christian faith" (p. 254) but in a culture that equates only science with reason and knowledge, this is mere personal belief and is therefore nothing to be taken seriously.

The positivist paradigm shift was a mistake for biology because it lacks the resources to deal with information, and information is the key to biology.Other nineteenth-century figures, namely Marx and Freud, who like Darwin attempted to explain reality in positivistic (materialistic) terms have since been discredited.A century and a half after Darwin it would seem it is time for a wholesale revision in how we view biology.

Intelligent design advocates are calling for another paradigm shift, one that does not rule out supernatural agency a priori.Notwithstanding the warnings of theistic evolutionists, we need not fear the "god-of-the-gaps" fallacy.For one thing, a gap existing in a closed system may disappear when we do not limit scientific explanations to the material world.Furthermore,John Mark Reynolds is confident that "even without the constraint of methodological naturalism, empirical inquiry will...govern itself.We need only trust that nature will talk back to us when we try to make her say something that isn't true" (p.59).If God has indeed spoken to us not only through Scripture but also through nature, then we should be able to apprehend this in an objective, verifiable fashion.

Somewhat informative but there must be better out there
A good and necessary book with lots of food for thought but it sometimes seems more like a precursor to a real debate - defining terms and worldviews - versus an argument for each position. Or perhaps it's rather like a post-debate conversation. The arguments have been hashed out for decades and are taken as givens by the writers, so they're moving on to philosophical topics. But the average reader would like to hear the evidence, please!

I also miss the round-robin rebuttal system used in the other books in this terrific series. The third party panel of critics are a distraction and are not clearly identified or categorized. They take up useful space that could used by the primary essayists to, well, present their case!

Not Very Helpful
In "Three Views on Creation and Evolution," several Christian thinkers defend differing approaches to the integration of science and theology, particularly with regards to Genesis and God's method of creation.

Paul Nelson and John Mark Reynolds support Young-Earth Creation, which argues that the account in Genesis should be taken literally and the `days' actual twenty-four hour periods of creation six to ten thousand years ago. Robert Newman defends the Progressive Creation view, which contends that the universe and the earth are very old, and the `days' referred to in Genesis are not to be taken as literal twenty-four hour periods, but rather as unspecified periods of time. Howard Van Til defends Theistic Evolution (or, Fully-Gifted Creation), whereby God created the universe with the capability to develop life. Additionally, a host of commentators, including J.P. Moreland, Philip Johnson, and Walter Bradley, offer responses to the individual essays or to the exchange as a whole.

Unfortunately, while I view the topic as a worthwhile one, I simply felt that this book did not contain enough meat to be valuable. Most of the authors spend the time trying to show that their view is consistent with a solid Christian faith or that it is, for some theological or practical reason, preferable. However, this does not really resolve the debate. The authors should have spent more time analyzing the relevant Bible verses and, especially, discussing the scientific evidence. This book does establish that all of the views, including theistic evolution, are quite compatible with a Christian faith and worldview, but it does not really advance the issue much further. Moreover, the authors of each section are not given the chance to respond to their colleague's essays. Instead, four separate authors offer responses. However, all of these reviewers are Progressive Creation advocates, which leads to a slightly biased presentation. If you are interested in the creation/evolution debate with regards to Christian theism, then Three Views on Creation and Evolution may be of some use, but is not highly recommended.

Pathetic
If you really want answers to questions of this nature study biology
instead of getting your head filled with this ideological non-sense. ... Read more

Product Description
Using evidence from psychology, anthropology, sociologyand other scientific disciplines, this book shows that there are atleast three biological races (subspecies) of manOrientals (i.e.,Mongoloids or Asians), Blacks (i.e., Negroids or Africans), and Whites(i.e., Caucasoids or Europeans). There are recognizable profiles forthe three major racial groups on brain size, intelligence, personalityand temperament, sexual behavior, and rates of fertility, maturationand longevity. The profiles reveal that, ON AVERAGE, Orientals andtheir descendants around the world fall at one end of the continuum,Blacks and their descendants around the world fall at the other end ofthe continuum, Europeans regularly fall in between. This worldwidepattern implies evolutionary and genetic, rather than purely social,political, economic, or cultural causes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (103)

Convincing overview but the vast panorama leaves a bit of doubt...
Highly recommended (and - maybe I shouldn't say this - an abbreviated version is downloadable; it appears to be a fifth or less than the unabridged version). I have a few doubts:--

[1] Geographical and biological: Is Africa benign, or dangerous? The climate is more manageable than the colder northern climates. But it's not only man that likes it - there are snakes, insects, parasites, poisonous and spiny plants, predatory animals that make books on African diseases horrific. Large parts have soil (as does Australia) that isn't much use for growing things - laterite, full of iron oxide. Does Africa encourage fast breeding with little parenting? Maybe. Or maybe not.

Much of the world is something like pure accident: some areas have dates, or rice, or crops able to be bred as maize, or wheat. Some seemed to have no staple. Some have clean springs of water; others presumably don't. Some have edible animals. Some have timber suited for building. Some have good soil. Some have specific raw materials: gold, copper, naphtha as in 'Greek fire'; some don't - I believe Australian soil is low in molybdenum. Some have earthquakes. Some have everyday aspects which have long-term risks. There must have been a huge element of luck in human development.

Because of the way inventions depend on other inventions, and because science is so recent, empiricism must have had a tremendous effect throughout human evolution. Fire, metal alloys, plants suited to make fabrics, ropes, easily-cut stone... pottery, knives, symbolic writing ... gunpowder, shipping.. This for example glass was unknown in China for centuries. Science was invented by a few westerners and this depended to some extent on inventions: lenses, weights and measures. It's easy to imagine the amazement of aborigines in Australia on entering a wooden sailing ship.

Another important distinction is defensibility: Europe is exceptional in having territories marked off by mountains, seas, snow barriers - to this day countries are identifiable by these geographical markers. But other areas are trackless and unbounded and vast - prairies, steppes, jungles. Any area unable to defend itself is at risk: imagine mediaeval London magically moved to Timbuktu or Turkey.

I'm just making the perhaps obvious point that environments have a vast effect. If China had had a calm inland sea like the Mediterranean, maybe they'd have colonised the world. If nobody had happened to find that urine could be used to make potassium nitrate, perhaps gunpowder would never have been discovered. It's as well to be cautious in speculation.

[2] Rushton considers blacks, orientals (these are 'yellow' - rather than Indian), and whites. As far as I can see, he doesn't face another taboo, of 'semites'. They appear to be completely omitted. Kevin MacDonald has filled this gap on analogous lines to Rushton, though his work is more ideas-based than biological. MacDonald's work is an important reminder of the importance of 'memes'. Rushton has an r-strategy, and K-strategy. MacDonald adds in- and out-group strategies for internal competition.

[3] Inheritance is a digital matter, but Rushton doesn't (I think) look at the cases where some characteristic definitely does, or doesn't, exist in an individual. For example, the ability to make enzymes that digest alcohol or milk. He concentrates on gross effects, which of course may be the sum of many genes. One has to assume that (e.g.) genetic tendency to violence can't be mental, but must be a function of hormones and musculature and quickness of irritability; reasonably enough, Rushton doesn't go into detail. However it's as well to be aware that the actual mechanisms are not known or not well understood, so this allows a loophole for environmentalists to criticise.

[4] AIDS. It's fairly well-known this is a mistake. (If you prefer, a fraud). Discount all this material!

Well-worth reading. Much of it in fact has a familiar, if remote, ring to it; surely you've heard it before? You have, and it's been censored or buried or evaded. Revise your outlook, therefore! It's too important to ignore.

Great litle book for a good price!
A questão da raça é extremamente bem explorada neste livro. Apresenta uma linha naturalista e defende o conceito biológico de "raça". O objectivo do livro - classificação da raça em em três grupos biológicos separados, mostrando que os factores genéticos são determinantes - é contestável e poderá mesmo dizer-se que acentua a ideia de Mill "contrato racial". Não há explicação do conceito de "hereditariedade", porém, o conjunto de estudos "raciais" são bastantes consistentes e mostram a existência de diferenças entre as diversas "raças". Eu considero o livro um clássico e de leitura obrigatória para quem inicia a temática biológica da "raça" ou se interessa pela construção do conceito como uma realidade. É excelente para filósofos, psicólogos, antropólogos, biólogos e todos os que se interessam pela questão de saber se a "raça" existe e se sim que relação possui ocm a biologia.

Fearless and supported by evidence
This book is a fearless defiance of the pseudoscience that attempts to brush racial differences under the rug.Leftists like Gould and his ilk are no match for Rushton's intellect and especially they are no match for his data and analysis.

Reasoned Insanity Trying to Appear Sane
Rushton's theory is fundamentally flawed from the get go, which should already be apparent when racists and eugenists use the material to support their insanity.He uses this "objective" data super-subjectively from a bunch of socially constructed hoop hopping to infer innate intelligence capabilities and violent tendencies... seriously?If IQ tests involved being able to musically improvise then a good chunk of white people would fail miserably.Obviously they can't learn, as their genes have doomed them all to be hopelessly rhythmless.If crime rates could include the indirect crimes against humanity regularly committed by the rich against the poor, whites would be 'proven' to be morally inferior genetically.To think that genes are the primary causative force behind all of these behavioral end results is a dangerously vast oversimplification of what we know about the complexities of the human mind and society.

No matter how many correlations you pile up, it still doesn't equal causation.

Reality versus
PC garbage and politics .I don't know if every fact in this book is true (although it is well referenced), but Prof. Rushton certainly looks hard at the issues of race, IQ, behavior, etc., and thus offers a not unreasonable explanation of why things are the way they are in society today.I echo another reviewer here by stating that Prof. Rushton is a brave guy to look at the studies (numerous and well documented), draw his conclusions, and "stick to his guns" in the face of fanatical and irrational people who are locked into their own tight little worlds - or political agenda.

This book also offers hope in an indirect way, b/c by arguing that IQ and other negative behaviors are half genetics and half nurture, we are given possibilities to improve not just ourselves, but our entire species - and God knows it needs it. ... Read more

Product Description
Based on his life's research, the author of the bestseller The Psychology of Consciousness provides a provocative look at the evolution of the mind. He explains that we are not rational but adaptive, and that it is Darwin, not Freud, who is the central scientist of the brain. Photographs and line art throughout. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Precursor to Noetic Science
I bought this book in '93 and just read it now. There are useful discussions of the brain and the mind, their evolution.The language is at times hard to understand or resonate with, but I am impressed with the author's statements on the collective consciousness and urge for all of us to mine our consciousness for the collective survival of our species and common good. Unlike a previous review here, I feel hope and am awe of the author's foresight -we ARE capable of change for the better. While Dan Brown popularized noetic science, the author certainly contributed to this type of work/discussion almost 20 years ago!

outdated
I read this book with great interest because research on counsiousness has still a long way to go. After reading books like Dennet, Counciousness Explained and Phantom Limb of Ramachadran I think this book is a little bit of an old fashioned repeat. Even when you keep in mind that above mentioned books are from the same date of publishing. I would recommend this book for younger with litte knowlidge on this subject.

Misleading Title
This book does not describe the evolution of consciousness but rather the evolution of unconsciousness.It describes the work scientists have done in determining the limitations and inaccuracies in consciousness thought.This is useful in helping frame something as poorly defined as consciousness.However, mostly you can get this from your Psyc101 text.The worst is at the end where Ornstein introduces a sort of Sufi mysticism as a substitute for the reason he believes is so flawed.This is a poor substitute that falls apart at the first rational question, why should I believe this new system which has no evidence for it, as opposed to any other?You know the book is flawed when a single paragraph he quotes from William James "Varieties of the Religious Experience" has more insight than the rest of the book.Readers who are interested in what Ornstein is trying to commmunicate are better served by reading William James.

Great source for understanding the consciousness
I came across this book as I was searching for answers to the many questions concerning the consciousness of human beings and the enigmatic process of intelligent thinking. Subsequently, I was attracted to this book by the title and by the credentials of the author, who is a neuropsychiatric researcher and is the president of the Institute for the Study of Human Knowledge and a professor at the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco and at Stanford University. The author has done extensive research on the human brain and is the author of twenty books concerning the human brain. It wasn't difficult to realize that if anyone is to speak about the human consciousness, Dr. Ornstein is the one.

The book begins by shocking the foundations of your knowledge of the human brain. The first thing the author tells you is that "The mind is a squadron of simpletons. It is not unified, it is not rational, it is not well designed - or designed at all." And as you may have noticed by now, you must be a fan of the Evolution theory to even carry on after this sentence as the first third of the book discusses the steps that our ancestors had to evolve through for us to end up with the conscious mind. Dr. Ornstein discusses the most recent biological and paleontological findings that can help us reconstruct the history of the evolution of the human brain. Then, he takes a shot at answering one of the famous dilemmas of the human evolution theory that questions the reasons behind the evolution of the human brain. Why did a brain capable of landing humans on the moon, splitting the atom, painting the Mona Lisa, writing Hamlet, and composing Don Giovanni evolve at a time when human beings were barely working with stone tools? What brought about the ballooning of a Homo habilis' brain measuring 600-750 cubic centimeters to the Homo erectus' brain measuring775-1,225 cc? The author extends a surprising but logical argument in this case.

Dr. Ornstein proceeds to explain that the environment that shaped and influenced the evolution of our brains ceased to exist only very recently in evolutionary terms. Our brains are equipped to react to events and dynamics that are completely gone, and our brains were not given sufficient time to physically evolve to fit the environments that our own advancements brought about.

The author carries on in his campaign to render more common notions erroneous by explaining that the conscious mind is much weaker than what is publicly thought to be. He demonstrates how the unconscious mind influences our supposedly rational and logical thinking and even our free will. He does that while describing the mechanics of thinking, dreaming, and memorization. I learned many astonishing facts about the way our minds work. I learned how our unconsciousness gets wired up throughout our earliest years and how it continues to affect us for the rest of our lives.

After that, the author begins to define what is the "Self" and how it can be identified. This is a very exciting yet confusing part of the book as the author argues that there are many selves existing within us. He provides evidence proving that not one "I" exists within us, but many. Each "I" has its own priorities and skills and is brought into action by the subconscious when the situation is deemed to require that specific "I." He explains how the working of those minds-in-one affect our lives and how they are being taken advantage of by advertising agencies and politicians to name a few.

The last part of the book discusses the author's view of the future of humanity. He predicts a grim destiny based on the limitations of the human brain to think on a global scale when human activities began to have numerous global effects. The brain is equipped to work in a small environment and never had to deal with events and concerns that affect the world as a whole. He explains how our means of raising children and of education are enforcing these limitations upon our minds. But the author doesn't leave the picture at that. He suggests solutions as to how help the mind evolve consciously to fit our rapidly changing environment. He recommends methods to strengthen our conscious minds and to make us more aware of the workings of our unconscious minds. He concludes the book by saying that "Undertaking conscious evolution, with an understanding of the complexity of our myriad minds within, may be easier, closer at hand, and more liberating than we might normally think."

The book will definitely take you through a fascinating journey into the human brain and its origins. The author's writing style is very accessible to non-professional readers while maintaining a high level of sophistication. You can be assured that you will stumble across many new ideas that will raise your eyebrows in astonishmentand amazement. The book contains many drawings to help explain (and sometimes to prove) the author's arguments, though I found some drawings to be too silly and too obvious to be included.

However, you will come across many grammatical and spelling mistakes that might shake your faith a bit in the overall quality of the book as it did to mine.

In summary, this books addresses many questions about what consciousness is, how it affects our lives, and how can we advance it even further. If you find this topic to be interesting then this book is a must read.

Evolution of consciousness...and, maybe, conscious evolution
Trying to do scientific reading on consciousness studies can often be as pleasant as pulling teeth, the stuff of nightmares for those who are not biology majors. For all those interested in the subject but yearn for an authoritative scientist who speaks layman's English, this book is for you. Dr. Ornstein was one of the groundbreaking researchers in hemispherical differences in brain functioning (right v. left), and here he treats the reader to an eminently enjoyable exploration of how--and why--human consciousness likely evolved, what its true properties are, and what these mean for understanding ourselves. The illustrations in the book are priceless and hilarious (much in the tradition of Macaulay's "The Way Things Work), along with Ornstein's witty writing style and easily digestible prose to communicate complex ideas and concepts in a lucid, exciting manner.

His euphemism "a squadron of simpletons" is a common and welcome refrain--he shows us a human brain equipped with more non-specialized neurons than it will ever need, adaptable to more habitats and social situations we can ever imagine. His tie-in of Freud to Darwin is ingenious, and proves his point that much greater: fundamentally the human brain, he argues (echoing colleagues like Gerald Edelman, etc.), is not a rational mechanism like a computer; it was never designed to be. Instead, it is adaptive: the ultimate gift of evolution to our species of the ultimate survival adaptation--evolution becoming conscious of itself. This book does indeed clear one's mind in a rather "zen"-like fashion, once you understand the transitory and fragmentary nature of ordinary consciousness and the revisionist nature of memory. In the end, Ornstein suggests, such an account of the evolution of consciousness can help our species adjust to its next, possibly final adaptation: conscious evolution, utilizing what we know about human consciousness to better inform our interactions with our species, and with the larger world. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Essential reading for those interested in anti-essentialism
This is a collection of essays that advances the interesting arguments of Oyama's earlier work: `The ontogeny of information'.Oyama helps us to rethink in subtle and complex ways the concepts of `biology',`inheritance', `nature', `evolution', and so on and she also reconfiguresthe relationships between them.Together the reworkings of these ideasprovide a sophisticated framework which eschews various forms ofreductionism and determinism whilst emphasising contingency, history, andcomplexity.Her discussions of developmental systems are essential readingfor anyone seeking a more complex way of engaging with the complexity oflife and our understanding of it. ... Read more

Product Description

This is the story of the man without whom the name Charles Darwin might be unknown to us today. That man was Captain Robert FitzRoy, who invited the 22-year-old Darwin to be his companion on board the Beagle .

Customer Reviews (12)

outstanding
My 1940 published book was in excellent condition and arrived prior to the date that it was expected.I cannot recommend this seller too highly.

A remarkable story, very well written
When I was a kid I lived in the city of Punta Arenas (Chile), in a neighbourhood known as Fitzroy. I didn't know much about this name until I read "The voyage of the Beagle" by Darwin a few years ago, and truth is the book really made an impression on me. But I was eager also to know more about captain Robert Fitzroy and especially the years he spent in the southest part of my country, surveying all the islands and having contact with the natives of this zone, either Yaghan, Ona or Alacalufe.

The life of Robert Fitzroy is so interesting and fascinating. In his first voyage he took three natives back to England and they spent two years there until the second voyage, where these natives were brought back to their "countries" and also was the moment for Darwin to accompany Fitzroy as a naturalist. The story of these yaghans, the descriptions of its life and customs, the time spent in England and how they were put back with his people make this story worthy of admiration, worthy for a PBS/BBC documentary.One of these indians lived in Navarino Island, a place my mother lived in the 1960s, in the little Chilean city of Puerto Williams -- another reason for reading this book. I can only recommend all the readers to travel to the south of Chile, you can go to Punta Arenas and from there to know the Magellan Strait, cross to Tierra del Fuego and even go to Navarine island and to know the Beagle Channel ... those are just captivating and precious landscapes., you won't be regretted.

In my opinion, Fitzroy should be known more in my country, he is part of it, and this book or another biography is for sure a pleasant reading. This book is precious, commendable for lovers of exploration and the reading is fluid. I wish I could take a course in "creative writing" with this author.

The lives of Robert FitzRoy
Robert FitzRoy was a brilliant, fascinating and complex man. While this book focusses primarily on his role as the Captain of 'HMS Beagle' during two voyages (the second included Charles Darwin), it includes other aspects of his career and life.

Mr Nichols presents the facts- especially those related to the voyages of HMS Beagle- well.While acknowledging the later differences between Darwin and FitzRoy, the facts are presented impartially.In summary, we owe a great deal to the collaboration between Darwin and FitzRoy. The fact that their complementary skills and intellects were only combined through a form of coincidental opportunities is the purest serendipity.

Highly recommended to those who would like to know more about the events and circumstances behind Darwin's voyage on HMS Beagle as well as the voyage itself.

I am currently reading as much as I can about Robert FitzRoy, and can recommend the following two books as well:

This is a novel about Robert Fitzroy:
This Thing of Darkness
This is a biography of the HMS Beagle herself:
HMS "Beagle" (Voyages S.)

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

A stormy life
Britain's Royal Navy has had many figures worthy of note.Some of these have inspired good works of history, while others prompted novelists to produce stirring tales of more or less believable adventures.Captain William Bligh almost immediately comes to mind, as does Patrick O'Brian's lengthy series on Jack Aubrey.One real figure, who should stand out for many accomplishments, has been quietly relegated to the shadows - if not scorned for holding rigid views.Robert FitzRoy, however, was a man of many parts who deserves better treatment.Peter Nichols provides that assessment in this fine biography.The title, however, gives the game away.FitzRoy's name was overshadowed by the passenger he carried for five years, Charles Robert Darwin.

FitzRoy's ascent to the captaincy of HMS Beagle seemed ill-omened.His predecessor, Stokes Pringle, overwhelmed by the enormity of his assignment, put a bullet in his head, taking a dozen days to expire.The task, mapping a channel through Tierra del Fuego in an effort to smooth the path of empire, was taxing enough to make the bravest quail.The 500 kilometre strait might require sailing five times that distance to traverse it - if you made it at all. FitzRoy, although unaccountably young for the mapping job, took it over and pursued it with determination.During the survey, a whaleboat stolen by the Fuegians proved a pivotal point in his life.In attempting to recover the boat, FitzRoy abducted four of the natives, returning them to England as a means of raising them to become civilised Christians.Nichols seems sympathetic to this concept, even while knowing it was doomed to failure.

The world knows the subsequent events: while preparing for the next voyage, FitzRoy brought on board a "companion", Charles Darwin.Not Navy, and not the official "naturalist", Darwin was a gentlemen who could converse with the isolated officer.As a "gentleman", Darwin had less regard for the Fuegians than did FitzRoy, yet condemned slavery while the captain viewed the practice as a civilising force.This discussion was set aside when the pair observed the obvious effects of running water far from the sea.A Noachean Flood, or an ancient Earth?There were clashes and apologies, FitzRoy driving Darwin from his cabin, only to lure him back.The captain's moods were an on-going topic of the ship's officers.The dismal end of his predecessor also may have preyed on FitzRoy's mind when the Beagle beat up the Chilean coast.He believed the mapping inadequate and wanted to return to the Strait for more surveys.Distraught, he actually resigned his command, but was talked out of it by his officers.

At the end of the survey voyage, FitzRoy went through several roles.Unable to gain a ship, he was a Member of Parliament briefly and was sent to New Zealand as its governor.Empire building is fraught with risks and Nichols is only mildly sympathetic with FitzRoy's disastrous role there.The new governor was shipped home after but two years.Back in England, FitzRoy's command skills brought him to a novel task - weather forecasting.The science was just beginning and FitzRoy initiated a reporting and prediction system across the British Isles.At the height of his success at this venture, the Admiralty shut it down, even in the face of the fishing fleet's demands to sustain it.A see-saw career if there ever was one.

The final chapter of the Captain's life [by which time he was a Rear Admiral] was one of fundamental challenges.Already a religious man, FitzRoy became steeped in the Bible's words, becoming convinced it would brook no challenges.Changes observed in the natural record were manifestations of the divine, FitzRoy believed.His notions were reinforced by various commentators like Philip Gosse, who viewed the growing sciences of geology and biology with fear and loathing.In 1859, however, all those declaring Nature could be unravelled by Biblical study were directly refuted by the publication of Darwin's opus, "On the Origin of Species".Reason and evidence triumphed over superstition and dogma.FitzRoy was outraged, and expressed it at the famous British Association meeting the following year.

It's not known how much this revelation led to FitzRoy's taking his own life, but it can hardly have been insignificant.Nichols concludes that Darwin's work was but one symbol of a rapidly changing time.The author examines British society at this point in FitzRoy's with a perceptive eye.Civilisation was moving forward and the author concludes FitzRoy felt left behind.The fear of social upheaval was already being overtaken by events - Darwin's natural selection had little, if anything, to do with it, notes Nichols.It's a worthy thesis, lacking only a more thorough analysis of its roots.We never learn of the early foundations of the captain's thinking. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Evolution's Captain
This was bought as a gift and I only leafed through it ... The recipient was delighted and I intend to borrow the book as soon as possible.Very interesting !! ... Read more

Product Description
Often used as a college text, Yoga and Psychotherapy provides an in-depth analysis of Western and Eastern models of the mind and their differing perspectives on such functions as ego, instinct, and consciousness. The authors present thorough scientific research on the results of biofeedback and yogic practice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Read this book before you die!
I have read many books concerning eastern and western philosophy, psychology, psychiatry, and religion. 'Yoga and Psychotherapy' ranks among the best. This book describes the human psyche from the perspective of Indian thinkers and Western thinkers. An especially fascinating section of the book is a detailed description of the chakra system. Also, there is a discussion of how Western psychiatrists, and their psychiatric systems, typically correspond to one specific chakra level. This book deeply touched my heart, mind, and soul. I have also purchased other Swami Rama and Swami Ajaya books. The ones that I have read so far, including 'Living With the Himalayan Masters', are excellent. Definitely, obtain and read this book. It is consciousness raising.

Great aproximation between east and west
I've bought this book as an Iyengar yoga student and an art therapist, interested in aproximate the views I've already studied in psychology and the wonderful things I'm living in yoga. The book is great! It's very clear and deep at the same time. We can find a critical point of view of the limitations of psychological approaches if compared with the ancient knowledge of yoga.I really reccomend the book.

A revolution in psychology.
Really an amazing book, which opens your mind to completely new dimensions. By simply reading it you can get cured of various misunderstandings about the nature of your mind and incorrect reasoning. Through binding the ancient Indian way of understanding mind processes with the modern psychology of Western kind it widens the horizons of modern psychology and psychotherapy - which since is no more binded and kept away from the spiritual sheath.

Yoga and Psychotherapy
A highly insightful discussion of the relationship between the two. A pleasure to read and essential for any psychotherapist interested in more than 'the surface'.

An extraordinary synthesis of Eastern and Western thinking
It's easy to get overwhelmed in the study of the structure of consciousness. We can start with the symbolic and highly poetic images from the Bhagavad Gita and Rumi. We can plunge into the esoteric, nearly impenetrable treatises on the arcane aspects of yoga and meditation with all the chakras and sheaths and such. We can lose ourselves in the wealth of western psychological advice about self-actualization, avoiding neurotic behavior, and disciplining our self-talk. We can vicariously sit in on those immensely profound conversations with Krishnamurti, trying to learn from his cool, intellectual analysis of the real and the unreal.

But the question remains. How can these wildly divergent sources of help be woven together into a comprehensible whole?

One way is to get two swamis and a western-trained medical doctor together to create a blended presentation of all these traditions. That is exactly what this book provides.

The authors describe how they worked through their own confusion, often staying up all night in the process. The result is "a comprehensive theory of personal evolution which incorporates the best of both systems [east and west]."

I thank them for overcoming their confusion because the book helps me overcome mine. This book is dense and challenging, but it rewards the hard work of anyone who studies it diligently. I recommend it highly. ... Read more

Product Description
Text tells the story of evolution, from the history of the study to the most recent developments in evolutionary theory. For undergraduate students. Previous edition: c1996. Softcover. DLC: Evolution (Biology). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

A must read
I am an amateur (an equity investor by profession) with deep interest in evolutionary biology.I have been doing a lot of reading by Dawkins, Gould, Carroll and others on evolution.But I had always wanted to read a book that encapsulated all the basic principles of evolution, and also laid out various points of view of experts.For example, when one reads Gould and Dawkins on punctuated equilibrium, it is hard to reach a point of view given their extreme positions.

Mark Ridley has done an amazing job of this encapsulation.Apart from being exhaustive and informative, I liked a few other things about the book that seemed insignificant in beginning, but enhanced reading pleasure a lot: (1) its ubiquitous references to specific page numbers and sections when discussing a concept that enables to reader to stay updated and current with the vast range of topics covered.For example, if he discusses postzygotic isolation in Chapter 23, just to remind us what it means, he will make a reference to Chapter 12 (page X, section Y) where it was initially discussed, (2) he discusses many contemporary and interesting issues in a "box" format in various chapters, (3) the chapters are short and one gets a sense of accomplishment after finishing one, (4) there is a great section on conclusion, and another one on summary after each chapter - a great idea that very few authors implement, (5) the reading list at the end of each chapter is very well explained.

Overall, I am very happy that I bought this book, and it is riddled with my notes on the pages (that have ample space for people like me who like to scribble!).

My opinion about Ridley Evolution
A great book for Evolution topics. It can be read easily and has good and clear information.

An absolute inspiration
I always thought biology was no more than stamp collecting and memorization of names in a dead language. This book changed my mind. The book is thoughtful, full of examples and results from other studies. The writing is smooth and easy to understand. I particularly like the part on evolutionary genetics. Here Ridley made the insights from evolution theory rigorous by introducing some simple models from population genetics. Simple yet rigorous. Anyone with highschool math can understand.

I think it's a very good place to start when you want to learn more beyond those popular science books on evolution.

Superb
The price of this book is well worth it -- A book of this nature is no small task to assemble. Broad in scope, Ridley had done a very thorough job on comprehensively covering technical topics, leaving out opinion and covering subjects from multiple perspectives.
However, it is a fairly technical read, and lengthy, which should only be undertaken by those who take the subject seriously. Each topic has a multitude of citations and the chapters end with recommendations for further reading. A true work of scientific literature by an author who cares about educating his reader.

A thorough and clear book
I have used this book through my undergraduate and early graduate years and have been very pleased with the layout, the content, and the writing.I would recommend this text to anyone who has taken a first year biology course and wants or needs to learn more on the background for much of the current work in evolutionary science. ... Read more

Product Description
Professor John Maynard Smith has written an account of a new way of thinking about evolution which has been developed in the last ten years. The theory of games, first developed to analyse economic behaviour, is modified so that it can be applied to evolving populations. John Maynard Smith's concept of an evolutionarily stable strategy is relevant whenever the best thing for an animal or plant to do depends on what others are doing. The theory leads to testable predictions about the evolution of behaviour, of sex and genetic systems, and of growth and life history patterns. This book contains the first full account of the theory, and of the data relevant to it. The account is aimed at senior undergraduate and graduate students, teachers and research workers in animal behaviour, population genetics and evolutionary biology. The book will also be of interest to mathematicians and game theorists; the mathematics has been largely confined to appendixes so that the main text may be easily followed by biologists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Classic and Still Great and Readable Book
With this book, John Maynard Smith initiated a major strand of modern theoretical biology! The book does not require sophisticated mathematical preparation, but it operates on a consistently high level of analyticalrigor. It is also very nicely written, with lots of biological examples.

Games
All you want to know about theory of games ... Read more

Product Description
The sixth edition of author Daniel Wren's classic text provides a comprehensive understanding of the origin and development of ideas in management.  This text traces the evolution of management thought from its earliest days to the present, by examining the backgrounds, ideas and influences of its major contributors. 

Every chapter in the sixth edition of The Evolution of Management Thought has been thoroughly reviewed and updated to convey an appreciation of the people and ideas underlying the development of management theory and practice.  The authors’ intent is to place various theories of management in their historical context, showing how they’ve changed over time.  The text does this in a chronological framework, yet each part is designed as a separate and self-contained unit of study; substantial cross-referencing provides the opportunity for connecting earlier to later developments as a central unifying theme. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

True Fondation of Management
Upon review of this entire book, I have gained a real fondation of how management evolved.The theories made by each of the contributors, are used by society in business today.Therefore, to understand the real history of where management began and see where it has evolved now will help managers, employees and organizations understand their roles and responsibilities in the work place today.

I recommend that readers who are in management positions read this book so that they understand where the need originated to have systems, processes and managerial roles in place so they can become more accountable.Also, organizations will appreciate their managers and employees more as they see how society has a need to feel secure on their jobs, especially when they know the effects of an unstable economy that took place such as the Great Depression.Lastly, employees need to read this book to gain a new repect for systems, processes and job performance so they understand their importance and reasons for them to exist in organizations. Also, so that they become energized and motivated to perform well and provide good customer service to their organization now that they understand their importance and real value.

fast delivery
i ordered bybook on aThursday for a class thatwas to start on monday. I usedstandard delivery and still got mybookwithin three days . The book was used andsaid to be in good condition , but it might as well have been new .I willdefinetly order from thisvendor again.

Amazon Rating
This was an excellent buy because everywhere wlse the book was priced over $100.This book is in excellent condition looks like it is new.Thanks Amazon.

Useful management resource
This book and it's consistent updates is a useful history of management. In my view, management thought has been destroyed since the unnecessary split between management and 'leadership'. There's a lot of money in 'leadership' but it is largely a sham.
I've recently been spelling out, in a web-based discussion thread, my frustration and concern about the concept of leadership and how it is used and marketed. Management needs to be redeemed from the unhelpful dichcotomy.

1. The concept of leadership is based on a false foundation. It can be traced back to researchers who constructed a concept from what they thought leaders and leadership were - after a statistical analysis of questionnaire responses - a self perpetuating myth. It beggars belief that we would accept this as a useful construct in this day and age. How can leadership be a defensible account of effective organisational practice?

2. Connecting "facilitatory", "participatory", "transformational", etc. to the word "leadership" is emotive but unhelpful because there is no agreement on what leadership (or a leader) is.

3. Amalgamating weak (in terms of empirical work) theories of leadership does not produce a good theory. It may produce big books - but how constructive and instructive are they?

4. The leadership theory as it has primarily developed to date has predominately come from the sentential view - that all cognitive ability is language-based. (Descriptive accounts, self reporting or observations of others, of a "great leader" - whatever that is.) It has overlooked the tacit components of knowledge and learning.

5. A theory of "learning" and "knowledge" appears to be assumed in all theories of leadership. Which further weakens the already weak theory.

6. Change tack. Seek to understand what learning is, what knowledge is and what organisational learning is (as distinct from The Learning Organisation - Senge). There is much more fruit to bear in this realm of thought to construct effective organisational practice.

7. Quite enough time has been wasted on leadership. It's about the way everyone influences each other in situation, content and environment. Just as managers and employees do. A child does it when it is hungry or wants something. We need to "get real" and stop flogging a dead concept.

Expecting Much More from the 4th and 5th Editions
Also tends to ignore known contradictions, known weaknesses, and known pitfalls in Management Thought.

In terms of scholarship, it tends to be more sophisticated than Claude S. George, Jr's text of the same name.

Still, the absence of important, significant, and well-known facts about certain management gurus that I know very well (facts, not the persons themselves) makes me somewhat to very skeptical as to the utility of the ideas prensented about others I don't.Take two examples: Wren's discussion of Herbert Simon and Wren's discussion of Elton Mayo.While Herbert Simon actually won a Nobel Prize in Economics, Wren mentions him on all of 4 pages and 2 of those have only about a sentence on him.This coverage contrasts sharply with Elton Mayo who Wren mentions on 14 pages a third of one having Mayo's picture (whereas no picture of Simon appears in the book).The sad fact is that Mayo is a very controversial figure: many of his conclusions from his work on the Hawthorne study have been shown to be bunk by reputable scholars (MONEY is an extremely good motivator for people, just as Taylor thought).So this is an example of how Wren tends to emphasize the academic influence of figures more than the comparitive utility of their ideas. Despite his continuing influence on many academics, Mayo's ideas have long since been shown to have little utility (he's even been accused of charlatanism by reputable scholars). In contrast Simon's ideas have been shown to have much more utiltity (usefulness), so much so that he was awarded a Nobel prize in 1978.

So when I read Wren's sections on Max Weber, Chester Barnard, Mary Parker Follett, Peter Drucker, and all the rest, I take them with a healthy dose of salt and make plans to get others sources to fully understand whether the nature of a figure's ideas are influential or useful or both.

(My suspicion is that most management scholars tend to ignore Simon because working with his principles is a lot more work than working with the principles of a probable charlatan like Mayo.)
... Read more

Product Description

Diamond is officially a physiologist at UCLA medical school, but he's alsoone of the best birdwatchers in the world. The current scientific consensus that "primitive" humans created ecological catastrophes in the Pacific islands, Australia, and the New World owes a great deal to his fieldwork and insight. InDiamond's view, the current global ecological crisis isn't due to modern technology per se, but to basic weaknesses in human nature. But, he says, "I'm cautiously optimistic. If we will learn from our past that I have traced, our own future may yet prove brighter than that of the other two chimpanzees." --Mary Ellen Curtin ... Read more

Customer Reviews (112)

Fascinating thoughts on the origin and developement of humans
The Third Chimpanzee is one of the most interesting, wide ranging and informative books about human development on Earth that I've ever read. Jared Diamond thinks as a scientist, obviously, but amazingly writes for the lay person. He explains why anthropologists, paleontologists and linguists have developed the concepts about the origins and spread of Homo Sapiens that they currently hold. It's a must-read book for anyone curious about our roots in the animal world and why we are as we are.

How we came to be and may come to naught
Jared Diamond has established his reputation as a keen observer of the sweep of human history in two more recent books, Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies and Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. (See my reviews). This 2006 reissue of his 1993 original offers readers of his better known works a glimpse of the seminal thinking that led to those excellent volumes.

The Third Chimpanzee offers Diamond's insight into the animal origins of many of the traits that we think make us human, and a few that we wish did not. His thoughtful consideration of the evolutionary background of genocide, sex practices, racial discrimination, and other knotty problems are thoroughly illuminating. His explanation of human development and diaspora are helpful, even if you are long familiar with our history. As in any scientific inquiry, some theorizing here has been surpassed by later discovery: for instance the 2010 discovery that Neanderthal did mate with Cro-Magnon, as evidenced by DNA analysis. (Diamond surmised that we eschewed each other as mates, but that we survivors probably killed off our bigger brained but less clever cousins.)

I highly recommend this study to anyone interested in human history and the dilemma we face in the near term, as our numbers swell far past the carrying capacity of this small planet and our extinction of the rest of our companions ratchets exponentially. We may be doomed, and here are many of the reasons why.

Diamond's third champanzie
Excellent book, arrived on time and in excellent condition.Shipping was reasonable.
A friend said to me many years ago, at least 6 or 7 years, "I've NEVER heard of anyone who has had a problem with Amazon"so I began to check out Amazon for items I might like.I completely agree with my friend, who by the way was head of SeniorNet in Vero Beach.His words carried lots of weight with all of us.

AMAZING BOOK:Well written and the explanations are extraordinary.
If you are in the search to understand the evolution of humanity then look no further than books by this author (Jared Diamond).His writing and explanatory powers are unmatched and his sense of humor is a welcome change.I was unable to put this book down, the reading is light and accompanied by tons of facts.I truly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend this for anyone who is interested in wanting to know more about the history of Humans as an animal.

The 3rd Chimp book review.
The 3rd Chimp book review.

I knew we were big apes, but I didn't really know all the details. Jared Diamond's well developed book puts it into a focused perspective. The problem is... us! Luckily, the solution lies in us as well, and we're definitely full of surprises.

With numerous comparisons to other species and detailed explanations of how one evolutionary trait or behavior can lead to another (and sometimes cancel out others too), the reader arrives at answers to how certain societies vanished, why will kill each other, why we grow old and die, and how at this very moment, we're kind of just a blip on the timeline of human history. Or, maybe this is the Golden Age...

A must read for anyone interested in evolution and a better understanding of why humans think and act the way they do.

Note: I've written this review after reading The 3rd Chimp & Why is sex fun? back to back.


... Read more

Product Description
First published 20 years ago, Lawrence Freedman's Evolution of Nuclear Strategy was immediately acclaimed as the standard work on the history of attempts to cope militarily and politically with the terrible destructive power of nuclear weapons. It has now been rewritten, drawing on a wide range of new research, and updated to take account of the period following the end of the cold war, taking the story to contemporary arguments about missile defense.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great material; terrible binding
I am using this a text for an International Security class. It is a well constructed summary of the history of thought in this area. However, as I am reading, gently opening the book causes pages to just fall out without any sort of tension. They have clearly never been glued in in the first place.

It's just a really disappointing purchase. If I could take time out of reading to return it I would.

Just scratches the surface
I picked this up thinking it would be a detailed, comprehensive treatment that would lay out the reasons behind why nuclear strategy is what it is. Instead, I got a political science text that traces the history of nuclear strategy, but fails to lay it out. There's almost zero focus on the technical side of things and much actual analysis either. In fact, there's no real delving into strategy either - everything is merely presented, and not very well at that. The prose is dry and humorless - it is at best a broad overview of points of view held by various factions. Although I'm sure Freedman tried to present everything in an impartial and unbiased manner, it seems like he is dismissive of some issues, and places too much emphasis on others.

arcane and heavy poli sci approach
This is a book for extreme experts:academics, nuclear strategy buffs, and the occasional pundit in search of its peculiar logic.Forgive my naivete, but it also exemplifies why academia is viewed by so many as a boring world of, well, extreme experts of recondite trivia - even when it deals with the potential destruction of industrial civilization.In my view, this book utterly fails to cross over to the interested non-specialist or those who are not writing a dissertation but just want a good read.I never would have cracked this if it wasn't for work.

That being said, the book summarises an absoulutely enormous amount of scholarship and the thinking of the mysterious "wizards" who argued in little offices in the Pentagon for this type of bomb, that type of missile or artillery shell, and this type of treaty.Fortunately, a lot of this is now more history with the end of the Cold War and the arms race, but it still appears like a bizarre parallel universe of microeconomics applied to massiave destructive capabilites with a cold rationality and words like "deterrence" and "mutual assured destruction."Alas, very little of the political context or the human drama is covered in its quirky detail, so don't seek that here.The prose is clear, if a bit like a massive vanilla milkshake when you read it in one sitting (as I had to).I learned from this, but simply did not enjoy it past the first chapter or even the introduction.The achievement is inarguable, but this book is like a tough home work assignment in undergraduate school.

Recommended for academic purposes, but not for the interested layman.

A Comprehensive History of Nuclear Strategy
Lawrence Freedman was written many important articles and books but _The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy_ is probably his best.He presents a comprehensive analysis of the development nuclear strategy from 1945 to the end of the Cold War.The book usefully explains a multitude of concepts such as second strike capabilities, massive retaliation, and selective options.Freedman gives added depth by covering nuclear strategy in China, Europe, and the Soviet Union.

One of the great strengths of this book is its objectivity.Most works on nuclear strategy focus on arguing whether nuclear war is still possible, how a nuclear war would be fought, or if mutually assured destruction is a stable and inevitable strategy. Freedman definitely questions the logic of strategies that aim to fight nuclear wars and favors mutually assured destruction.However, the text is devoid of rhetoric or argumentation that would cloud his historical analysis.

Some may criticize the book because it does not concentrate on certain issues relevant today, such as non-proliferation or nuclear terrorism.From the perspective of 2001, though, Freedman's work serves as a history of the major strategic discourse of the Cold War.In a way, his work serves as a the cap on fifty years of writings on nuclear strategy.

For students of strategy, _The Evolution of Nuclear Strategy_ is an essential read.In terms of comprehensiveness, objectivity, and good explanation, this book cannot be matched. ... Read more

Product Description
With the advent of mind-body medicine, it is now possible to combine the healing principles of both the medical and spiritual fields. To this end, Dr. Phil Shapiro has developed a ten-step, self-help model that he uses himself and teaches to his students and patients. After you have received your medication, surgery, or natural remedy and you are still in pain, there are a variety of psychosocial and spiritual methods that can help you manage that pain skillfully. The ten-step model described in this book is a composite of healing principles and methods extracted from the great wisdom traditions and organized into cognitive-behavioral practices. These techniques are designed to help the reader accomplish three goals: 1. Expand healing power: for body, mind, and soul 2. Become more skillful pain managers: for any pain, problem, disease, or disability 3. Evolve spiritually: feel better, become a better person, and experience higher states of consciousness To take advantage of the healing principles embedded in the religions, we need to solve the problem of toxic language and traumatic religious history. There is a way to do this. We can design healing models that serve people of all persuasions: Baptists, Sufis, ethical humanists, scientific atheists, true believers, true non-believers-all of us have the same magnificent healing power in every cell of our bodies, and we know how to make it grow. The ten steps do not declare answers to life's big questions, such as why we are born, why there is so much suffering and evil, whether there is a God, and where we go after death. However, we can apply the wealth of healing wisdom in the great faith traditions to help us manage our pain and heal. This book is written for atheists, agnostics, religious or spiritual persons. Anyone can play in the expanded field of healing power. ... Read more

Product Description
HISTORICAL GEOLOGY: EVOLUTION OF EARTH AND LIFE THROUGH TIME teaches students basic geologic principles as well as how scientists apply these principles to unravel Earth’s history. Wicander and Monroe present a balanced overview of both the geological and biological history of Earth as a continuum of inter-related events. These events reflect the underlying principles and processes that have shaped our planet. The authors also explain the historical development of these basic principles and processes, and their importance in deciphering Earth history. Three major themes—time, evolutionary theory, and plate tectonics—are woven together throughout the book. These themes help students link essential material to enhance their understanding of historical geology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Historical Geology
Historical Geology: Evolution of Earth and Life Through Time (with CD-ROM and InfoTrac) I bought this Historical Geology book..It is good but not perfect...It has lots of good pictures..and diagrams..It is a good introduction to Historical Geology...It is a good introduction ..It has lots of pictures and diagrams....It is not perfect..If you want a very detailed and comprhensive history of the Earth this is not it...A very detailed and complete history of the Earth would be great..This is an introduction....It is not complete or comprehensive..It has lots of pictures and diagrams....It is good...The price is reasonable....I am glad I bought it...It is not comprehensive and complete..But it is good..

A textbook.
If you need this for a class, then it is your best friend. I personally think that the book is interesting to read by itself, but I'm a nerd.

strong explanation of evolution
The authors give a strong explanation of biological evolution, from its earliest unicellular origins to the present. Much fossil and DNA evidence is summarised. Including recent findings in fossil digs from the 90s.

They point out that many so-called missing links are not. For relations between genera, families, orders and classes, the intermediate forms ("links")are often present in the fossil record. Amongst the cases cited are the origins of whales and sea cows.

More generally, the book has numerous instances where transitions found in fossils are explained in terms of limbs or bones developing, or suchlike, so that you can clearly see how one fossil is the evolutionary ancestor of another later fossil. As in the early fishes. Where those who developed jaws with bones were then more able to hunt other fishes; a strong evolutionary advantage. While the move onto land is shown in fossils that had fins with muscles. This allowed for propulsion above water, where the original advantage was to let the fish move around under water, in mud or vegetation.

Geology is also emphasised. Often giving rise to various ore and petroleum bodies found today. Plus plate tectonics is shown to account for the continental drifts and the breakup of Gondwanaland. ... Read more

Product Description
In 2005 the Archbishop of Vienna, Christoph Cardinal Schönborn wrote a guest editorial in The New York Times that sparked a worldwide debate about "Creation and Evolution". Pope Benedict XVI instructed the Cardinal to study more closely this problem and the current debate between "evolutionism" and "creationism," and asked the yearly gathering of his former students to address these questions.

Even after Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI, he has continued to maintain close contact with the circle of his former students. The "study circle" (Schulerkrers) meets once a year with Pope Benedict XVI for a conference. Many of these former Ratzinger students have gone on to become acclaimed scholars, professors and writers, as well as high ranking Church prelates.

This book documents the proceedings of the remarkable conference on the topic of "Creation and Evolution" hosted by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006 at the papal summer residence, Castel Gandolfo. It includes papers that were presented from the fields of natural science, philosophy and theology, and records the subsequent discussion, in which Pope Benedict XVI himself participated.

"Ultimately it comes down to the alternative: What came first?Creative Reason, the Creator Spirit who makes all things and gives them growth, or Unreason, which, lacking any meaning, strangely enough brings forth a mathematically ordered cosmos, as well as man and his reason. The latter, however, would then be nothing more than a chance result of evolution and thus, in the end, equally meaningless. As Christians, we say: I believe in God the Father, the Creator of heaven and earth.I believe in the Creator Spirit.We believe that at the beginning of everything is the eternal Word, with Reason and not Unreason."
-- Pope Benedict XVI

"Creation and Evolution is an extraordinary opportunity for the public to listen in on the conversation as some of the greatest minds in the Catholic Church -- theologians, philosophers, scientists, and Pope Benedict himself -- wrestle with one of the most thorny and far-reaching of topics. Participants clash repeatedly over what we really know about the forces that shaped life on earth, over what is data and what is hype, over what certain scenarios might mean even if they were true. I recommend it to anyone who wants to know where we might have come from and where we might be headed.
-- Michael J. Behe, Lehigh University, Author of The Edge of Evolution

"At a time when evolution is the subject of so many bitter polemics, it is refreshing to see theologians and scientists together to engage in respectful, informed, and thoughtful discussion of it."
-- Stephen M. Barr, professor of Theoretical Physics, University of Delaware, and author of Modern Physics and Ancient Faith. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Creative and Intelligent Discussion
For one who teaches science and lives by faith reading this book was a reinforcement of my belief that I am doing the right thing and living the right way.
Life is more than just physical matter. In our daily lives we need to make decisions that could impact and change our lives forever, for this reason, our brain isn't always at it's best therefore at this point we need some greater than ourselves guidance.
The opinion expressed in the book by some of the greatest scientific and theological minds will be a source of wisdom and intellectual wealth to any reader despite the scientific or theological point of view.
I am going to read the book again, because this is one of these books that you want to learn, remember and get the most out of it.

An Intelligently Designed Conference Based on Reasoned Debate and Discussion
CREATION AND EVOLUTION is a book based on papers and discussion presented by well known scholars at a Conference at Castel Gandolfo hosted by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. The men who wrote papers and engaged in intelligent debate offered "food for thought" to those interested in the supposed debate re Creation vs. Evolution. Regardless of what one believes re this debate topic, the book offers an intelligent alternative to the ad hominem views presented in the popular press and media.

The participants during this conference were Pope Benedict XVI, Prof. Peter Schuster who is professor of chemisty at the University of Vienna, Prof. Robert Spacemann who is professor emeritus of philosophy at the Ludwig Maximilian-University in Munich, Germany, Prof Paul Erbrichch who is professor emeritus in Muhich Germany,and Cardinal Schonborn who is the Archbishop of Vienna and author of the book titled CHANCE OR PURPOSE. These men wrote papers and debated differences with intelligence and clarity.

Prof. Schuster wrote a facinating paper re molecular biology, genetics, and develop of organisms from simple cell structure. This essay had some interesting points that cellular development appears to have purpose and some sort of design. Prof. Schuster used effective metaphors to explain mutations of cells which occur much faster than previously thought. One interesting metaphor was the competition between cells and viruses. Prof. Schuster explained that when viruses attack cells, cells mutate a genetic defense. Then the viruses mutate to overcome cellular defense while in turn cells develop (mutate) to face new challenges. Prof. Schuster called this continual "combat" and arms race between cells and viruses. Prof. Schuster did not offere a simple "creation" explanation, but he did explain that there was some underlying purpose which could imply Intelligent Design. Prof. Schuster wrote a clear explanation of how cells cooperate to form more complex organisms. Those cells,called renegrade cells, are rejected or combatted otherwise the organism is harmed. A good example of renegade cells is the formation of cancer cells. Prof. Schuster provided good color plates at the end of his paper to explain RNA, DNA, genetic history, etc.

Prof. Spaemann wrote the next essay in this book. His approach was both scientific and philosphical. He dealt with First Cause(what some may call God)as an explanation of design and development of life. His basic thesis was that must be a First Cause or what may be called a priori reasoning to explain the development and continuation of life. He did not dismiss evolutionary biology or modern scientific discoveries which was important to this essay and following discussions.

The following essay by Father Erbrich, S.J., was an interesing defense of Intelligent Design. Father Erbrich answered critics who argued that life forms are self organized. His question was self organized by what or Whom. He basically argued that there is a causality of life forms given their development and changes which could lead to the conclusion of what St. Thomas Aquinas called the First Cause or what Aristotle called The Unmoved Mover.

Cardinal Schonborn wrote the next essay in this book. He dealt with the "tough" questions such as cruelty in nature, apparent goals of life forms, etc. He is obviosuly a partisan of the Catholic Church and Catholic philosophy and theology. Yet, he is clear that such thought does not and should not discard scientific discoveries.

The discussions followed the essays, and the participants raised objections and answered these objections in a calm, intelligent manner. The participants all agreed that no one had the "final answer" and that continued developments in science and philosophy would offer "new frontiers" for further books and intelligent debate.

An earlier lecture by Prof. Spaemann concluded the book. Spaemann' view was that life forms have an apparent purpose to not onlysurvive but to thrive and reproduce. He maintained that such obversations pointed to some ultimate cause or Aquinas' First Cause. This essay was a good conclusion to the book.

This reviewer's only criticism of the book is that there should have been papers on astronomy and geology which would obviously have enhanced the book and discussions. Readers should be aware that astronomical and geological events have shaped life forms on this planet. Yet, the essays that were presented were well written and interesing.

This book showed what intelligent men can achieve when they are not exposed to hysteria, religious literalism, and scientism as opposed to intelligent science. The essays were so well written that even those with limited knowledge of science or theology can benefit from the book. The book is also a welcomed relief from media hysteria and shallow popularity. The book is highly recommended. ... Read more