Here is the doyen of systematics/taxonomy - a biologist who has
witnessed the major revolutions in the field in the 20th century.
So a volume of memoirs would be most welcome. Alas, no, what we
have are didactic lectures on biology and the need to settle a few
intellectual scores. To begin with, Mayr takes up arms against
philosophy - narrowly construed as philosophy of science. The
reason? Ever since Newton, the philosophes have taken physics as
the model science, regarding biology as a second-rate pursuit based
merely on observations. Thomas Kuhn gets his comeuppance when Mayr
denies that biology follows the model of long periods of "normal"
science punctuated by findings that radically change the paradigm.
Given the enormous success of molecular biology and the absence of
philosophical debate in the prestigious science journals (except in
areas of ethics), these chapters seem largely gratuitous. For the
rest, Mayr says he has written the book to provide a perspective on
the whole field of biology for fellow biologists suffering the
myopia that is endemic as the science splits into finer and finer
specialties. He does this by addressing the how, what, and why
questions biologists ask, answering them in terms of chronologies
of four areas of biology he knows well: biodiversity, developmental
biology, evolution, and ecology. There is some excellent material
here, although at times larded with jargon (the conscientious will
find the glossary helpful). But again, Mayr draws back from just
those areas - molecular and cell biology - that have so transformed
the field. To his credit, he maintains an open mind on today's
celebrated controversies, wisely noting that dichotomous views
(e.g., nature vs. nurture) are often resolved by finding not in
favor of one or the other alone, but rather that both together are
important. Faced with this didactic piece, let us hope that there
is still more to come from Mayr - an autobiography or at least a
glimpse of the life and times of one of biology's greats. (Kirkus
Reviews)
Biology until recently has been the neglected stepchild of science,
and many educated people have little grasp of how biology explains
the natural world. Yet to address the major political and moral
questions that face us today, we must acquire an understanding of
their biological roots. This magisterial new book by Ernst Mayr
will go far to remedy this situation. An eyewitness to this
century's relentless biological advance and the creator of some of
its most important concepts, Mayr is uniquely qualified to offer a
vision of science that places biology firmly at the center, and a
vision of biology that restores the primacy of holistic,
evolutionary thinking. As he argues persuasively, the physical
sciences cannot address many aspects of nature that are unique to
life. Living organisms must be understood at every level of
organization; they cannot be reduced to the laws of physics and
chemistry. Mayr's approach is refreshingly at odds with the
reductionist thinking that dominated scientific research earlier in
this century, and will help to redirect how people think about the
natural world. This Is Biology can also be read as a "life history"
of the discipline--from its roots in the work of Aristotle, through
its dormancy during the Scientific Revolution and its flowering in
the hands of Darwin, to its spectacular growth with the advent of
molecular techniques. Mayr maps out the territorial overlap between
biology and the humanities, especially history and ethics, and
carefully describes important distinctions between science and
other systems of thought, including theology. Both as an overview
of the sciences of life and as the culmination of a remarkable life
in science, This Is Biology will richly reward professionals and
general readers alike.
General
Imprint: |
The Belknap Press
|
Country of origin: |
United States |
Release date: |
September 1998 |
First published: |
September 1998 |
Authors: |
Ernst Mayr
|
Dimensions: |
234 x 154 x 23mm (L x W x T) |
Format: |
Paperback
|
Pages: |
323 |
Edition: |
New Ed |
ISBN-13: |
978-0-674-88469-4 |
Categories: |
Books >
Science & Mathematics >
Biology, life sciences >
General
|
LSN: |
0-674-88469-8 |
Barcode: |
9780674884694 |
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