Book Description

Although Charles Darwin was a central figure in the nineteenth-century development of evolutionary theory, we often tend to overlook the crucial role played by other leading thinkers of the time. For example, Alfred Russel Wallace independently arrived at nearly identical conclusions as Darwin on the origin and evolution of species. Furthermore, the phrase "survival of the fittest," which most people now associate with Darwin, was actually coined by philosopher Herbert Spencer to describe the key mechanism of natural selection. And in the cultural debate on evolution no one played a more prominent role than Thomas Henry Huxley, known as "Darwin's bulldog."

This absorbing study of the Victorian controversies over the cultural meaning of evolution broadens our perspective by emphasizing the contributions of these and other prominent individuals. Martin Fichman traces the emergence of science as a definitive political and cultural force in this critical period, showing that evolutionary biology was at the epicenter of these profound sociocultural transformations. His astute analysis of the often vehement Victorian debates on the political, religious, racial, and ethical implications of evolutionary thought reveals how science came to be inseparable from the broader culture. He also relates nineteenth-century controversies to cultural debates in the twentieth century, in particular the notorious Scopes trial (1925) and the ongoing debate about "scientific creationism." ... Read more

Book Description

Considered "The Homer of Insects," Fabre's work laid the foundation for virtually all subsequent work in the field of entomology.This authorized biography includes a preface by Fabre, and the biographer had access to family members and Fabre's correspondence.

Jean-Henri Fabre (1823-1915) is well known for his popularization of insect natural history, especially in the ten volumes of Souvenirs Entomoligiques. Although a reclusive amateur, with no scientific training, he was an acute observer of insect behavior. He combined his observations (most made in his own backyard) with a humanistic writing style that made his books popular, at least later in his life; during most of his life, the successive volumes of Souvenirs Entomologiques attracted only mild attention. Fabre was 84 when the last volume appeared, and soon afterward he was "discovered." He was elected to numerous scientific societies, provided a government pension, and even the President of France came to visit him. ... Read more

Book Description

This collection of essays explores different perceptions of space, taking the reader on a journey from the inner space of the mind to the vacuum beyond Earth. Eight leading researchers span a broad range of fields, from the arts and humanities to the natural sciences.They consider topics ranging from human consciousness to virtual reality, architecture and politics. The essays are written in an accessible style for a general audience. ... Read more

Book Description

Scheibe is one of the most important philosophers of science in Germany. Since little of his work has been translated into English, he is not yet well known internationally. This translation of some 40 of his papers is intended to remedy that lack. Scheibe has written extensively on all the problems that confront the philosophy of physics: rationalism vs. empiricism; reductionism; the foundations of quantum mechanics; space-time, and so forth. ... Read more

Book Description

Hardbound. The first edition of the Encyclopedia of Neuroscience has, since its publication nearly ten years ago, become the standard reference work designed to make the neurosciences readily accessible to both the specialist and non-specialist reader.This landmark work, with its broad scope and interdisciplinary coverage, has become an essential reference and learning tool for everyone involved in the study of the brain and how it mediates behavior.Now, the Encyclopedia has been expanded and updated, in most cases by the original authors, and is available both onCD-ROM and in print. The Encyclopedia represents the culmination of a massive international effort to present the neurosciences in one concise source. Edited by George Adelman and Barry Smith, and compiled under the guidance of an outstanding and distinguished Scientific Advisory Board, it includes contributions from renowned experts in their respective fields from around the ... Read more

Book Description

This title provides a concise description of every laboratory test available in medical practice with notes on their application, accuracy, histological background and their effectiveness in diagnosis.

• Well illustrated, with clear headings, tables, flow charts and pathology slides, most in full colour
• Provides an accessible reference book in which relevant information can be found easily
• Page design facilitates rapid assimilation of principles and key facts

Book Description

The author stops at nothing as ludicrous. He would actually attempt to connect why he brushes his teeth in the morning to events that took place in the formation of the solar system billions of years ago. He may not be successful, or he may, it depends on what the reader believes. There is also a unique mathematical reference system that enables the reader to make his or her own calculations with ease. ... Read more

Book Description

This book came about because there are scientific “controversial matters” that gnawed away at my peace of mind. So when I “retired,” I finally had time to write about biomedical topics, about some of the weird phenomena of physics, about the minds of suicide bombers, and about less serious subjects such as the condominium swimming pool. My original intention was to have some of this stuff published in a “recognized journal,” but one can die (and authors frequently do exactly that) while waiting for publication. Then, my daughter Alice suggested a Web site. What a brilliant and politically-correct idea! Eventually, I filled the Web site with 22 short essays. So instead of scientists who are relatively impervious to change, I managed to attract some “intelligent laypersons.” Many of them urged me to assemble a book out of the essays, but this required expansion: figures, tables, equations, references. The equations are (mercifully) hidden as appendixes at the back of the book. I started to extract an Index, but abandoned it as being unnecessary, in the hope that the title of each Chapter hints at its contents. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Whoa, this book has been ignored!
With the release of "Genes, Girls, and Gamow", this earlier book has suddenly been ignored, overlooked, and forgotten. Nobody, of course, forgets "The Double Helix", and now we have this sensation called "Genes Girls and Gamow". With a bad choice of title and an equally bad choice for a cover---a large close-up picture of a geeky young biologist---making such a mockery and preposterous idea of what appeals to girls in general, I can only salute Rosalind Franklin for her exquisite determination not to be lured by this sly personage. If one wants to examine the life and perspective of the codiscoverer of the structure of the double helix from a more venerable perspective, "A Passion for DNA: Genes Genomes and Society" will earn the reader's respect. From the cover alone of this book, it is almost galling that, by comparison, "Genes Girls and Gamow" gets more brouhaha, hoopla, and hoolabaloo.

A Passion for Bible Pounding
It is understandable that right to life advocates are desperate to find soap boxes for their religious and political views. However we think it inappropriate to abuse this forum intended for the evaluation of literary works. The expression of political and religious opinions should be reserved for those venues intended for those puposes. Dr. Watson's book is a scientifically insightful and humanistically compassionate work deserving of serious attention.

Ethics and DNA
James D. Watson's "A Passion For DNA, Genes, Genomes, and Society," Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, 2000, is an interesting historical and non-technical read of 25 essays on a variety of topics dear to his interests. His keen assessment of various individuals and groups that impacted the progress of DNA research can be appreciated by all readers both technical and non-technical.

However, with all respect, I must point out that Dr. Watson departs from his scientific principals when he promotes his positions in the "...ethical, legal and social implications (ELSI) of the new resulting genetic knowledge." [Genes and Politics, p.202]. Especially when he concludes "Thus I do not see genetic diseases in any way as an expression of the complex will of any supernatural authority, but rather as random tragedies that we should do everything in our power to prevent. There is, of course nothing pleasant about terminating the existence of a genetically disabled fetus. But doing so is incomparably more compassionate than allowing an infant to come into the world tragically impaired." [Good Gene, Bad Gene, p. 225]. Jim Watson then takes the position that since "terminating the existence of a genetically disabled fetus" is a "good," only "...the potential mother should have this authority.," never the government, ibid. p. 225.

I see no evidence that Dr. Watson has ever studied "ethics" and/or other philosophical positions that utilize principals and methodologies that "scientifically" examine questions concerning the possibility of the existence of "human souls," the possibility of their immortality, and the nature of their origin, i.e., the possibility of their Divine creation. By restricting himself exclusively to the possibility that all there is to human life is "physical" reality studied in his career as "biological reality," it is inevitable that Dr. Watson's ethical positions concerning the "good" for individuals, families and society be measured and evaluated exclusively in terms of the consequences of physical "evils" and other "random tragedies" generated by the "horrors of genetic disease." Ibid. pp. 224-225.

With no demonstrated knowledge of the existence, or proof of the lack of existence, of human souls, their origin and destinies, Dr. Watson is on very shaky ground "scientifically" to be suggesting this type of solution, i.e., termination of the existence of genetically disabled fetuses, for "victims of unlucky throws of the genetic dice." Ibid. p. 224-225.

For those of us who have established "scientifically" and thus have validly established that the human soul is immaterial and what is more, is immortal, and whose existence as an immortal soul is due to the efficient causality of an uncaused cause, i.e., God, our ethical principals support the "compassionate" caring for the genetically deformed by not only the individuals who they are born to but, also as an obligation of society since this care most often exceeds the resources of any one or two individuals. This position can only be understood by those who either have the knowledge of these truths arrived at by the use of reason and logic (philosophy) or by the tenets of a revealed "faith" (scripture and theology). Yes, Dr. Watson, you believe that the "evolutionary process operating under the Darwinian principles of natural selection" is the only explanation for the existence of "human as well as all other forms of life" Ethical Implications, p. 175, precisely because your scientific method is restricted strictly to the material, physical and hence measurable aspects of existence. But have you examined the arguments (including the starting points and methods) of those of us who do see "evidence for the sanctity (holiness) of life."? You certainly don't present and evidence in your essays of this book that you have, you only present a biased assertion.

I agree with Dr. Watson's principal on page 225, Good Gene, Bad Gene, "Working intelligently and wisely to see that good genes - not bad ones - dominate as many lives as possible is the truly moral way for us to proceed." But this principal does not support "terminating the existence of a genetically disabled fetus" but rather more humanly and Divinely supports the hard work of intelligent research and development of technologies that reduces the possibilities of future "unlucky throws of the genetic dice" happening or occurring before conception or that supports life supportive therapies during fetal growth and after birth resulting in the elimination of or the reduction of genetic disease. As Dr. Watson has said in another place, "Good luck with hard work." I second that!

Watson's passion
Chris, I've been reading Watson's new book "a passion forDNA". Autobiographical writings on the thought process and earlyDNA players of the 40s 50s and 60s, as well as some more recent musings on recombinant DNA, cancer and the genome.

Very well done! Gives an appreciation for how the obvious can be overlooked, and how difficult it is to break out of old ways of thinking. And the man writes very well... and he shares my politics... hes obviously a genius.

Many insights about who did what, who succeded, who fell short. Good short pieces on Luria, Pauling and Hershey. Points out Caltech's shabby treatment of Pauling on his retirement... they didnt like HIS politics!

I hadn't realized that Alex Rich played an important role in studying the structure of DNA and RNA right at the beginning (the 50s) looking for DNA like structure in RNA, (with Watson at caltech) - they didnt find much and were stumped - though Alex later showed that copolymers of RNA can have double helical structure. And did you know that Francis Crick, in 1968, argued that RNA must have been the original genetic molecule... and that it might act as an enzyme catalyzing its own replication! How right he was. Shades of Ribozyme!

So am I making myself clear... buy this book...

Michael Jordan of Biology
The man is a genius - Nudge, Nudge say no more. To say the J. Watson has insight is an understatement. Plus he writes in a very understandable way. ... Read more