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| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Dawkins Vs. Gould Kim Sterelny, 2007 Already an international bestseller, this completely revised edition updates the story of science's most bitter argument. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: The Selfish Gene Richard Dawkins, 1989 Science need not be dull and bogged down by jargon, as Richard Dawkins proves in this entertaining look at evolution. The themes he takes up are the concepts of altruistic and selfish behaviour; the genetical definition of selfish interest; the evolution of aggressive behaviour; kinshiptheory; sex ratio theory; reciprocal altruism; deceit; and the natural selection of sex differences. 'Should be read, can be read by almost anyone. It describes with great skill a new face of the theory of evolution.' W.D. Hamilton, Science |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: The Structure of Evolutionary Theory Stephen Jay Gould, 2002-03-21 The world's most revered and eloquent interpreter of evolutionary ideas offers here a work of explanatory force unprecedented in our time--a landmark publication, both for its historical sweep and for its scientific vision. With characteristic attention to detail, Stephen Jay Gould first describes the content and discusses the history and origins of the three core commitments of classical Darwinism: that natural selection works on organisms, not genes or species; that it is almost exclusively the mechanism of adaptive evolutionary change; and that these changes are incremental, not drastic. Next, he examines the three critiques that currently challenge this classic Darwinian edifice: that selection operates on multiple levels, from the gene to the group; that evolution proceeds by a variety of mechanisms, not just natural selection; and that causes operating at broader scales, including catastrophes, have figured prominently in the course of evolution. Then, in a stunning tour de force that will likely stimulate discussion and debate for decades, Gould proposes his own system for integrating these classical commitments and contemporary critiques into a new structure of evolutionary thought. In 2001 the Library of Congress named Stephen Jay Gould one of America's eighty-three Living Legends--people who embody the quintessentially American ideal of individual creativity, conviction, dedication, and exuberance. Each of these qualities finds full expression in this peerless work, the likes of which the scientific world has not seen--and may not see again--for well over a century. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: An Analysis of Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene Nicola Davis, 2017-07-06 Richard Dawkins provides excellent examples of his reasoning and interpretation skills in The Selfish Gene. His 1976 book is not a work of original research, but instead a careful explanation of evolution, combined with an argument for a particular interpretation of several aspects of evolution. Since Dawkins is building on other researchers’ work and writing for a general audience, the central elements of good reasoning are vital to his book: producing a clear argument and presenting a persuasive case; organising an argument and supporting its conclusions. In doing this, Dawkins also employs the crucial skill of interpretation: understanding what evidence means; clarifying terms; questioning definitions; giving clear definitions on which to build arguments. The strength of his reasoning and interpretative skills played a key part in the widespread acceptance of his argument for a gene-centred interpretation of natural selection and evolution – and in its history as a bestselling classic of science writing. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Darwin's DNA: A Brief Introduction to Evolutiionary Philossophy , |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History Stephen Jay Gould, 1990-09-17 [An] extraordinary book. . . . Mr. Gould is an exceptional combination of scientist and science writer. . . . He is thus exceptionally well placed to tell these stories, and he tells them with fervor and intelligence.—James Gleick, New York Times Book Review High in the Canadian Rockies is a small limestone quarry formed 530 million years ago called the Burgess Shale. It hold the remains of an ancient sea where dozens of strange creatures lived—a forgotten corner of evolution preserved in awesome detail. In this book Stephen Jay Gould explores what the Burgess Shale tells us about evolution and the nature of history. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Science and Politics Brent S. Steel, 2014-04-21 Recent partisan squabbles over science in the news are indicative of a larger tendency for scientific research and practice to get entangled in major ideological divisions in the public arena. This politicization of science is deepened by the key role government funding plays in scientific research and development, the market leading position of U.S.-based science and technology firms, and controversial U.S. exports (such as genetically modified foods or hormone-injected livestock). This groundbreaking, one-volume, A-to-Z reference features 120-150 entries that explore the nexus of politics and science, both in the United States and in U.S. interactions with other nations. The essays, each by experts in their fields, examine: Health, environmental, and social/cultural issues relating to science and politics Concerns relating to government regulation and its impact on the practice of science Key historical and contemporary events that have shaped our contemporary view of how science and politics intersect Science and Politics: An A to Z Guide to Issues and Controversies is a must-have resource for researchers and students who seek to deepen their understanding of the connection between science and politics. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Charles Darwin Lance Workman, 2017-09-16 This book examines the history of thought surrounding the relationship between Darwinism and the behavioural sciences. Accessible and thought-provoking, it demonstrates how and why Darwinism remains both illuminating and controversial today. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: The Dark Side of Charles Darwin Dr. Jerry Bergman, 2011-03-01 A single man stands behind the greatest deception in history. Charles Darwin's ideas still penetrate every aspect of our culture, including science, religion, and education. And while much has been made of his contribution to the evolutionary hypothesis, little has been publicized about the dark side of the man himself and how this may have impacted the quality and legitimacy of his research. This daring and compelling book takes its readers behind the popular facade of a man revered worldwide as a scientific pioneer, and unveils what kind of person Darwin really was. The book reveals disturbing facts that will help you: Perceive Darwin firsthand through the eyes of family and friends, and his own correspondence Discern this darkly troubled man, struggling with physical and mental health issues Uncover his views on eugenics and racism, and his belief that women were less evolved than men Thoroughly documented, this book reveals Darwin's less-than-above board methods of attempting to prove his so-called scientific beliefs, and his plot to murder God by challenging the then-dominant biblical worldview. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Thinking of Questions Peter Limm, 2015-09-23 This is not a conventional book. It is designed to stimulate and challenge all people who are curious to find out about the world they inhabit and their place within it. It does this by suggesting questions and lines of questioning on a wide range of topics. The book does not provide answers or model arguments but prompts people to create their own questions and a reading log or journal. To this end, almost all questions have a list of books or articles to provide a starter for stimulating further reading. Once you start, you will be hooked! Never stop questioning. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: The Human Place in Nature John Schooneveldt, 2025-04-02 This book explores a new approach to understanding the evolution of mind and consciousness by examining the perceptual abilities of animals and the way they experience their world. It offers a science-based bottom-up approach to our own conscious worldview by seeing it through the eyes of others. Emphasis is on the role of context in evolution and the way animals internalize and engage with the contextual properties of their world that are meaningful for them. The core argument is that a context, which is subjective and comprised of the perceptual capacities, offers new insights into the evolution of mind. Rather than seeing biological evolution in terms of the emergence of mindless forms and cultural evolution as the emergence of disembodied minds, the book seeks to integrate these two perspectives through the rigorous mapping of contexts. Key Features Reveals an understanding of animal minds Formulates a hypothesis for the evolution of consciousness Includes a discussion of the origin of technological innovation Provides a rationale for the ecology of mind Proposes a theory of the evolution of language Outlines the science of experience and how it influences choice Explains the role of context and choice with respect especially to human ecology |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Rereading Darwin’s Origin of Species Richard G. Delisle, James Tierney, 2022-02-10 Widely seen as evolution's founding figure, Charles Darwin is taken by many evolutionists to be the first to propose a truly modern theory of evolution. Darwin's greatness, however, has obscured the man and his work, at times even to the point of distortion. Accessibly written, this book presents a more nuanced picture and invites us to discover some neglected ambiguities and contradictions in Darwin's masterwork. Delisle and Tierney show Darwin to be a man who struggled to reconcile the received wisdom of an unchanging natural world with his new ideas about evolution. Arguing that Darwin was unable to break free entirely from his contemporaries' more traditional outlook, they show his theory to be a fascinating compromise between old and new. Rediscovering this other Darwin – and this other side of On the Origin of Species – helps shed new light on the immensity of the task that lay before 19th century scholars, as well as their ultimate achievements. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Poetics of the Earth Augustin Berque, 2019-04-25 Poetics of the Earth is a work of environmental philosophy, based on a synthesis of eastern and western thought on natural and human history. It draws on recent biological research to show how the processes of evolution and history both function according to the same principles. Augustin Berque rejects the separation of nature and culture which he believes lies at the root of the environmental crisis. This book proposes a three stage process of re-worlding (moving away from the individualized self to become a part of the common world), re-concretizing (understanding the meaning and historical development of words and things) and re-engaging (reconsidering the relationship between history and subjectivity at every level of being) in order to bring western thought on nature and culture into sustainable harmony and alignment. This book will be of great interest to students and scholars of environmental studies, environmental philosophy, Asian studies and the natural sciences. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Oracles of Science Karl Giberson, Mariano Artigas, 2009-02-27 Oracles of Science examines the popular writings of the six scientists who have been the most influential in shaping our perception of science, how it works, and how it relates to other fields of human endeavor, especially religion. Biologists Stephen Jay Gould, Richard Dawkins, and Edward O. Wilson, and physicists Carl Sagan, Stephen Hawking, and Steven Weinberg, have become public intellectuals, articulating a much larger vision for science and what role it should play in the modern worldview. The scientific prestige and literary eloquence of each of these great thinkers combine to transform them into what can only be called oracles of science. Their controversial, often personal, sometimes idiosyncratic opinions become widely known and perceived by many to be authoritative. Curiously, the leading 'oracles of science' are predominantly secular in ways that don't reflect the distribution of religious beliefs within the scientific community. Many of them are even hostile to religion, creating a false impression that science as a whole is incompatible with religion. Karl Giberson and Mariano Artigas offer an informed analysis of the views of these six scientists, carefully distinguishing science from philosophy and religion in the writings of the oracles. This book will be welcomed by many who are disturbed by the tone of the public discourse on the relationship between science and religion and will challenge others to reexamine their own preconceptions about this crucial topic. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Tales of the Ex-Apes Jonathan Marks, 2015-09-08 This book is about the irreducibility of human evolution to purely biological properties and processes, for human evolution has incorporated the emergence of social relations and cultural histories that are unprecedented in the apes. Human evolution over the last few million years has involved the transformation from biological evolution into biocultural evolution. For several million years, human intelligence, dexterity, and technology all co-evolved with one another, although the first two are organic properties and the last is inorganic. Over the last few tens of thousands of years, the development of new social roles - notably, spouse, father, in-laws, and grandparents - have been combined with new technologies and symbolic meanings to produce the familiar human species. This leads to a fundamental evolutionary understanding of humans as biocultural ex-apes; reducible neither to an imaginary cultureless biological core, nor to our ancestry as apes. Consequently, there can be no 'natural history' of the human condition, or the human organism, which is not a 'natural/cultural history'.--Provided by publisher. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: The Evolution of Darwinism Timothy Shanahan, 2004-03-15 No other scientific theory has had as tremendous an impact on our understanding of the world as Darwin's theory as outlined in his Origin of Species, yet from the very beginning the theory has been subject to controversy. The Evolution of Darwinism, first published in 2004, focuses on three issues of debate - the nature of selection, the nature and scope of adaptation, and the question of evolutionary progress. It traces the varying interpretations to which these issues were subjected from the beginning and the fierce contemporary debates that still rage on and explores their implications for the greatest questions of all: Where we come from, who we are and where we might be heading. Written in a clear and non-technical style, this book will be of use as a textbook for students in the philosophy of science who need to become familiar with the background to the debates about evolution. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Anthropology and the Human Subject Brian Morris, 2014 The German philosopher Immanuel Kant famously defined anthropology as the study of what it means to be a human being. Following in his footsteps Anthropology and the Human Subject provides a critical, comprehensive and wide-ranging investigation of conceptions of the human subject within the Western intellectual tradition, focusing specifically on the secular trends of the twentieth century. Encyclopaedic in scope, lucidly and engagingly written, the book covers the man and varied currents of thought within this tradition. Each chapter deals with a specific intellectual paradigm, ranging from Marx's historical materialism and Darwin's evolutionary naturalism, and their various off shoots, through to those currents of though that were prominent in the late twentieth century, such as, for example, existentialism, hermeneutics, phenomenology and poststructuralism. With respect to each current of thought a focus is placed on their main exemplars, outlining their biographical context, their mode of social analysis, and the ontology of the subject that emerges from their key texts. The book will appeal not only to anthropologists but to students and scholars within the human sciences and philosophy, as well as to any person interested in the question: What does it mean to be human? Ambitions in scope and encyclopaedic in execution...his style is always lucid. He makes difficult work accessible. His prose conveys the unmistakable impression of a superb and meticulous lecturer at work. Anthony P Cohen Journal Royal Anthropological Institute There is a very little I can add to the outstanding criticism Brian Morris levels at deep ecology...Insightful as well as incisive...I have found his writings an educational experience. Murray Bookchin Institute of Social Ecology |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: The Foundations of Philosophy Michael Pòl Macneil, 2025-06-03 This work is about philosophy and what makes a philosophy distinctively Christian in character, arguing that it is indeed possible for philosophy to be conceived of as first Christian and not just philosophy done by people that happen to be Christians. Christian philosophy is epistemologically self-conscious philosophy conducted in a manner honoring to the revelation of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. It is argued that philosophy should be transformative rather than just therapeutic or elucidatory. The author examines competing philosophical and scientific accounts from both the empiricist and rationalist schools, arguing they are coherent and successful only to the degree that they have imported, consciously or unconsciously, Christian transcendentals. He then applies this insight to explore the character and practice of a Christian political philosophy. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Astrobiology of Earth Joseph Gale, 2009-04-16 The study of life in our universe has been given the name 'astrobiology'. It is a relatively new subject, but not a new discipline since it brings together several mature fields of science including astronomy, geology, biology, and climatology. An understanding of the singular conditions that allowed the only example of life that we know exists to emerge and survive on our turbulent planet is essential if we are to seek answers to two fundamental questions facing humanity: will life (and especially human life) continue on Earth, and does life exist elsewhere in the universe? Astrobiology of Earth adopts a unique approach that differs from most texts in the field which focus on the possibility of extraterrestrial life. In contrast, the central theme of this book is the fortuitous combination of numerous cosmic factors that together produced the special environment which enabled the emergence, persistence and evolution of life on our own planet, culminating in humanity. This environment has been subject to constant and chaotic change during life's 3.6 billion year history. The geologically very recent appearance of humans and their effect on the biosphere is discussed in relation to its deterioration as well as climate change. The search for extraterrestrial life is considered with a view to the suggestion that humans may escape a depleted Earth by colonizing the universe. This book contributes to our understanding of astrobiology from the perspective of life on Earth and especially human welfare and survival. Astronomical and geological phenomena are related in turn to their biological relevance and impact. This introductory text assumes little or no prior knowledge of more specialized scientific fields and is designed for undergraduate and graduate level students taking related courses in departments of biology, earth science/geology, and environmental science. It will also serve as a useful biology primer for astronomy majors. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Biophysics Mark C. Leake, 2016-09-15 An Up-to-Date Toolbox for Probing Biology Biophysics: Tools and Techniques covers the experimental and theoretical tools and techniques of biophysics. It addresses the purpose, science, and application of all physical science instrumentation and analysis methods used in current research labs. The book first presents the historical background, concepts, and motivation for using a physical science toolbox to understand biology. It then familiarizes undergraduate students from the physical sciences with essential biological knowledge. The text subsequently focuses on experimental biophysical techniques that primarily detect biological components or measure/control biological forces. The author describes the science and application of key tools used in imaging, detection, general quantitation, and biomolecular interaction studies, which span multiple length and time scales of biological processes both in the test tube and in the living organism. Moving on to theoretical biophysics tools, the book presents computational and analytical mathematical methods for tackling challenging biological questions including exam-style questions at the end of each chapter as well as step-by-step solved exercises. It concludes with a discussion of the future of this exciting field. Future innovators will need to be trained in multidisciplinary science to be successful in industry, academia, and government support agencies. Addressing this challenge, this textbook educates future leaders on the development and application of novel physical science approaches to solve complex problems linked to biological questions. Features: Provides the full, modern physical science toolbox of experimental and analytical techniques, such as bulk ensemble methods, single-molecule tools, and live-cell and test tube methods Incorporates worked examples for the most popular physical science tools, including full diagrams and a summary of the science involved in the application of the tool Reinforces the understanding of key concepts and biological questions A solutions manual is available upon qualifying course adoption. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Good Reasons for Bad Feelings Randolph M. Nesse, MD, 2019-02-12 A founder of the field of evolutionary medicine uses his decades of experience as a psychiatrist to provide a much-needed new framework for making sense of mental illness. Why do I feel bad? There is real power in understanding our bad feelings. With his classic Why We Get Sick, Dr. Randolph Nesse helped to establish the field of evolutionary medicine. Now he returns with a book that transforms our understanding of mental disorders by exploring a fundamentally new question. Instead of asking why certain people suffer from mental illness, Nesse asks why natural selection has left us all with fragile minds. Drawing on revealing stories from his own clinical practice and insights from evolutionary biology, Nesse shows how negative emotions are useful in certain situations, yet can become overwhelming. Anxiety protects us from harm in the face of danger, but false alarms are inevitable. Low moods prevent us from wasting effort in pursuit of unreachable goals, but they often escalate into pathological depression. Other mental disorders, such as addiction and anorexia, result from the mismatch between modern environment and our ancient human past. And there are good evolutionary reasons for sexual disorders and for why genes for schizophrenia persist. Taken together, these and many more insights help to explain the pervasiveness of human suffering, and show us new paths for relieving it by understanding individuals as individuals. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: How to Prove God Does Not Exist Trevor Treharne, 2012 How to Prove god Does Not Exist is the complete guide to the nonbeliever stance. The most diverse validation of atheism ever written, it deconstructs every major criticism of atheism and defense of religion through logical, philosophical, historical, cultural, moral and scientific means. This builds towards a more strident approach towards asserting atheism, with five key justifications outlined for why god does not exist. This expansive work employs the philosophy of Epicurus, David Hume and Friedrich Nietzsche, the science of Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking, plus the logic of Bertrand Russell, the psychoanalysis of Sigmund Freud, and the contemporized insights of New Atheism advocates such as Christopher Hitchens and Richard Dawkins. It features original concluding insights with prominent atheists such as scientists Vic Stenger and Michael Shermer, plus philosophers Peter Singer and Michel Onfray. There are also unprecedented views of atheism by notable believers, including the 21st century's leading Christian philosopher, Professor Richard Swinburne, while journalist Peter Hitchens unveils why his late brother Christopher's arguments for atheism were unoriginal, trivial and often ill-informed. The all-encompassing How to Prove god Does Not Exist is the complete armory of arguments that every atheist should know. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Conceptual and Historical Issues in Psychology Brad Piekkola, 2016-12-07 This book covers key movements that helped to shape psychology – from the early philosophical debate between rationalism and empiricism or realists and antirealists through to the emergence of psychology as a science and the ongoing debates about ‘objectivity’ and ‘truth’ and what a science of psychology should be. Often nuanced and complex, the author examines major conceptual issues in the history of psychology that continue to be debated and influence public policy and lay understanding. The latter stages of the book explore notions of individuality, hereditarianism, critical psychology, and feminist perspectives. While deeply rooted in human history, it is made clear that psychology, how it is conceived and practiced, has a bearing on our understanding of what it is to be human. Accessible, objective and above all comprehensive, this book will help students locate psychology in the wider field of science and understand the forces that continue to shape and define it. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Lean Logic David Fleming, 2016 Lean Logic is David Fleming's masterpiece, the product of more than thirty years' work and a testament to the creative brilliance of one of Britain's most important intellectuals. A dictionary unlike any other, it leads readers through Fleming's stimulating exploration of fields as diverse as culture, history, science, art, logic, ethics, myth, economics, and anthropology, being made up of four hundred and four engaging essay-entries covering topics such as Boredom, Community, Debt, Growth, Harmless Lunatics, Land, Lean Thinking, Nanotechnology, Play, Religion, Spirit, Trust, and Utopia. The threads running through every entry are Fleming's deft and original analysis of how our present market-based economy is destroying the very foundations--ecological, economic, and cultural-- on which it depends, and his core focus: a compelling, grounded vision for a cohesive society that might weather the consequences. A society that provides a satisfying, culturally-rich context for lives well lived, in an economy not reliant on the impossible promise of eternal economic growth. A society worth living in. Worth fighting for. Worth contributing to. The beauty of the dictionary format is that it allows Fleming to draw connections without detracting from his in-depth exploration of each topic. Each entry carries intriguing links to other entries, inviting the enchanted reader to break free of the imposed order of a conventional book, starting where she will and following the links in the order of her choosing. In combination with Fleming's refreshing writing style and good-natured humor, it also creates a book perfectly suited to dipping in and out. The decades Fleming spent honing his life's work are evident in the lightness and mastery with which Lean Logic draws on an incredible wealth of cultural and historical learning--from Whitman to Whitefield, Dickens to Daly, Kropotkin to Kafka, Keats to Kuhn, Oakeshott to Ostrom, Jung to Jensen, Machiavelli to Mumford, Mauss to Mandelbrot, Leopold to Lakatos, Polanyi to Putnam, Nietzsche to Næss, Keynes to Kumar, Scruton to Shiva, Thoreau to Toynbee, Rabelais to Rogers, Shakespeare to Schumacher, Locke to Lovelock, Homer to Homer-Dixon--in demonstrating that many of the principles it commends have a track-record of success long pre-dating our current society. Fleming acknowledges, with honesty, the challenges ahead, but rather than inducing despair, Lean Logic is rare in its ability to inspire optimism in the creativity and intelligence of humans to nurse our ecology back to health; to rediscover the importance of place and play, of reciprocity and resilience, and of community and culture. ------ Recognizing that Lean Logic's sheer size and unusual structure could be daunting, Fleming's long-time collaborator Shaun Chamberlin has also selected and edited one of the potential pathways through the dictionary to create a second, stand-alone volume, Surviving the Future: Culture, Carnival and Capital in the Aftermath of the Market Economy. The content, rare insights, and uniquely enjoyable writing style remain Fleming's, but presented at a more accessible paperback-length and in conventional read-it-front-to-back format. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Incerto 4-Book Bundle Nassim Nicholas Taleb, 2016-01-26 Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s landmark Incerto series is an investigation of luck, uncertainty, probability, opacity, human error, risk, disorder, and decision-making in a world we don’t understand, in nonoverlapping and standalone books. All four volumes—Antifragile, The Black Swan, Fooled by Randomness, and the expanded edition of The Bed of Procrustes, updated with more than 50 percent new material—are now together in one ebook bundle. ANTIFRAGILE “Startling . . . richly crammed with insights, stories, fine phrases and intriguing asides.”—The Wall Street Journal Just as human bones get stronger when subjected to stress and tension, many things in life benefit from disorder, volatility, and turmoil. What Taleb has identified and calls “antifragile” is that category of things that not only gain from chaos but need it in order to survive and flourish. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better and better. What is crucial is that the antifragile loves errors, as it incurs small harm and large benefits from them. Spanning politics, urban planning, war, personal finance, economic systems, and medicine in an interdisciplinary and erudite style, Antifragile is a blueprint for living in a Black Swan world. THE BLACK SWAN “[A book] that altered modern thinking.”—The Times (London) A black swan is a highly improbable event with three principal characteristics: It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact; and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appear less random and more predictable. The astonishing success of Google was a black swan; so was 9/11. In this groundbreaking and prophetic book, Taleb shows that black swan events underlie almost everything about our world, from the rise of religions to events in our own personal lives, and yet we—especially the experts—are blind to them. FOOLED BY RANDOMNESS “[Fooled by Randomness] is to conventional Wall Street wisdom approximately what Martin Luther’s ninety-five theses were to the Catholic Church.”—Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker Are we capable of distinguishing the fortunate charlatan from the genuine visionary? Must we always try to uncover nonexistent messages in random events? Fooled by Randomness is about luck: more precisely, about how we perceive luck in our personal and professional experiences. Set against the backdrop of the most conspicuous forum in which luck is mistaken for skill—the markets—Fooled by Randomness is an irreverent, eye-opening, and endlessly entertaining exploration of one of the least understood forces in our lives. THE BED OF PROCRUSTES “Taleb’s crystalline nuggets of thought stand alone like esoteric poems.”—Financial Times This collection of aphorisms and meditations expresses Taleb’s major ideas in ways you least expect. The Bed of Procrustes takes its title from Greek mythology: the story of a man who made his visitors fit his bed to perfection by either stretching them or cutting their limbs. With a rare combination of pointed wit and potent wisdom, Taleb plows through human illusions, contrasting the classical views of courage, elegance, and erudition against the modern diseases of nerdiness, philistinism, and phoniness. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Social Learning and Innovation in Contemporary Hunter-Gatherers Hideaki Terashima, Barry S. Hewlett, 2016-10-22 This is the first book to examine social learning and innovation in hunter–gatherers from around the world. More is known about social learning in chimpanzees and nonhuman primates than is known about social learning in hunter–gatherers, a way of life that characterized most of human history. The book describes diverse patterns of learning and teaching behaviors in contemporary hunter–gatherers from the perspectives of cultural anthropology, ecological anthropology, biological anthropology, and developmental psychology. The book addresses several theoretical issues including the learning hypothesis which suggests that the fate of Homo sapiens and Neanderthals in the last glacial period might have been due to the differences in learning ability. It has been unequivocally claimed that social learning is intrinsically important for human beings; however, the characteristics of human learning remain under a dense fog despite innumerable studies with children from urban–industrial cultures. Controversy continues on problems such as: do hunter–gatherers teach? If so, what types of teaching occur, who does it, how often, under what contexts, and so on. The book explores the most basic and intrinsic aspects of social learning as well as the foundation of innovative activities in everyday activities of contemporary hunter–gatherer people across the earth. The book examines how hunter-gatherer core values, such as gender and age egalitarianism and extensive sharing of food and childcare are transmitted and acquired by children. Chapters are grouped into five sections: 1) theoretical perspectives of learning in hunter–gatherers, 2) modes and processes of social learning in hunter–gatherers, 3) innovation and cumulative culture, 4) play and other cultural contexts of social learning and innovation, 5) biological contexts of learning and innovation. Ideas and concepts based on the data gathered through an intensive fieldwork by the authors will give much insight into the mechanisms and meanings of learning and education in modern humans. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Humanity 2.0 S. Fuller, 2011-10-06 Social thinkers in all fields are faced with one unavoidable question: What does it mean to be human in the 21st century? This ambitious and groundbreaking book provides the first synthesis of historical, philosophical and sociological insights needed to address this question in a thoughtful and creative manner. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: The Robot's Rebellion Keith E. Stanovich, 2010-10-15 The idea that we might be robots is no longer the stuff of science fiction; decades of research in evolutionary biology and cognitive science have led many esteemed scientists to the conclusion that, according to the precepts of universal Darwinism, humans are merely the hosts for two replicators (genes and memes) that have no interest in us except as conduits for replication. Richard Dawkins, for example, jolted us into realizing that we are just survival mechanisms for our own genes, sophisticated robots in service of huge colonies of replicators to whom concepts of rationality, intelligence, agency, and even the human soul are irrelevant. Accepting and now forcefully responding to this decentering and disturbing idea, Keith Stanovich here provides the tools for the robot's rebellion, a program of cognitive reform necessary to advance human interests over the limited interest of the replicators and define our own autonomous goals as individual human beings. He shows how concepts of rational thinking from cognitive science interact with the logic of evolution to create opportunities for humans to structure their behavior to serve their own ends. These evaluative activities of the brain, he argues, fulfill the need that we have to ascribe significance to human life. We may well be robots, but we are the only robots who have discovered that fact. Only by recognizing ourselves as such, argues Stanovich, can we begin to construct a concept of self based on what is truly singular about humans: that they gain control of their lives in a way unique among life forms on Earth—through rational self-determination. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Incerto NASSIM NICHOLAS. TALEB, 2021-05-04 The landmark five-book series--all together in one boxed set The Incerto is an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision making when we don't understand the world, expressed in the form of a personal essay with autobiographical sections, stories, parables, and philosophical, historical, and scientific discussions, in non-overlapping volumes that can be accessed in any order. The main thread is that while there is inordinate uncertainty about what is going on, there is great certainty as to what one should do about it. This boxed set includes: FOOLED BY RANDOMNESS THE BLACK SWAN THE BED OF PROCRUSTES ANTIFRAGILE SKIN IN THE GAME |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Fooled by Randomness Nassim Nicholas Taleb, 2008-10-14 Fooled by Randomness is a standalone book in Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s landmark Incerto series, an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision-making in a world we don’t understand. The other books in the series are The Black Swan, Antifragile, Skin in the Game, and The Bed of Procrustes. Fooled by Randomness is the word-of-mouth sensation that will change the way you think about business and the world. Nassim Nicholas Taleb–veteran trader, renowned risk expert, polymathic scholar, erudite raconteur, and New York Times bestselling author of The Black Swan–has written a modern classic that turns on its head what we believe about luck and skill. This book is about luck–or more precisely, about how we perceive and deal with luck in life and business. Set against the backdrop of the most conspicuous forum in which luck is mistaken for skill–the world of trading–Fooled by Randomness provides captivating insight into one of the least understood factors in all our lives. Writing in an entertaining narrative style, the author tackles major intellectual issues related to the underestimation of the influence of happenstance on our lives. The book is populated with an array of characters, some of whom have grasped, in their own way, the significance of chance: the baseball legend Yogi Berra; the philosopher of knowledge Karl Popper; the ancient world’s wisest man, Solon; the modern financier George Soros; and the Greek voyager Odysseus. We also meet the fictional Nero, who seems to understand the role of randomness in his professional life but falls victim to his own superstitious foolishness. However, the most recognizable character of all remains unnamed–the lucky fool who happens to be in the right place at the right time–he embodies the “survival of the least fit.” Such individuals attract devoted followers who believe in their guru’s insights and methods. But no one can replicate what is obtained by chance. Are we capable of distinguishing the fortunate charlatan from the genuine visionary? Must we always try to uncover nonexistent messages in random events? It may be impossible to guard ourselves against the vagaries of the goddess Fortuna, but after reading Fooled by Randomness we can be a little better prepared. Named by Fortune One of the Smartest Books of All Time A Financial Times Best Business Book of the Year |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: The Darwinian Delusion Michael Ebifegha, 2011-10-14 The postulate of molecules-to-human evolution by natural selection (evolutionism), like creationism, cannot be demonstrated empirically. Therefore, the creationism-evolutionism controversy offers a choice between intelligent design by God and unintelligent design by evolutionary selection. Scientists are split on philosophical grounds since events in the immaterial realm are outside the purview of science. In reality, designers claim products; no product of a process, can account for how it was designed or for its ontology. Accordingly, Scientific American Editor John Rennie suggested that one way to override a purely evolutionary worldview is, if the creator/s appeared and claimed credit. Author Michael Ebifegha's previous book The Death of Evolution provides the historical details of Gods ancient claim for creating the universe before an audience. Dawkins, in his The God Delusion, failed to address this historical event; hence, his statement that There almost certainly is no God is flawed. The Darwinian Delusion discusses the fossil record, the role of natural selection; the mystery of the origin of life and Gods affirmation of agency in world history. Ebifegha argues that both the scientific and philosophical analysis point to God as the Creator and hence the delusion as such is not about God, but about the Darwinian paradigm of materialism. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Incerto 5-Book Bundle Nassim Nicholas Taleb, 2021-05-04 The landmark five-book series—all together in one ebook bundle The Incerto is an investigation of opacity, luck, uncertainty, probability, human error, risk, and decision making when we don’t understand the world, expressed in the form of a personal essay with autobiographical sections, stories, parables, and philosophical, historical, and scientific discussions, in non-overlapping volumes that can be accessed in any order. The main thread is that while there is inordinate uncertainty about what is going on, there is great certainty as to what one should do about it. This ebook bundle includes: FOOLED BY RANDOMNESS THE BLACK SWAN THE BED OF PROCRUSTES ANTIFRAGILE SKIN IN THE GAME |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: The Major Transitions in Evolution Revisited Brett Calcott, Kim Sterelny, 2011-04-22 Drawing on recent advances in evolutionary biology, prominent scholars return to the question posed in a pathbreaking book: how evolution itself evolved. In 1995, John Maynard Smith and Eörs Szathmáry published their influential book The Major Transitions in Evolution. The transitions that Maynard Smith and Szathmáry chose to describe all constituted major changes in the kinds of organisms that existed but, most important, these events also transformed the evolutionary process itself. The evolution of new levels of biological organization, such as chromosomes, cells, multicelled organisms, and complex social groups radically changed the kinds of individuals natural selection could act upon. Many of these events also produced revolutionary changes in the process of inheritance, by expanding the range and fidelity of transmission, establishing new inheritance channels, and developing more open-ended sources of variation. Maynard Smith and Szathmáry had planned a major revision of their work, but the death of Maynard Smith in 2004 prevented this. In this volume, prominent scholars (including Szathmáry himself) reconsider and extend the earlier book's themes in light of recent developments in evolutionary biology. The contributors discuss different frameworks for understanding macroevolution, prokaryote evolution (the study of which has been aided by developments in molecular biology), and the complex evolution of multicellularity. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: The Black Swan Nassim Nicholas Taleb, 2009-10-13 In the author's point of view, a black swan is an improbable event with three principal characteristics - It is unpredictable; it carries a massive impact; and, after the fact, we concoct an explanation that makes it appear less random, and more predictable, than it was. Why do we not acknowledge the phenomenon of black swans until after they occur? Part of the answer, according to Taleb, is that humans are hardwired to learn specifics when they should be focused on generalities. We concentrate on things we already know and time and time again fail to take into consideration what we don't know. We are, therefore, unable to truly estimate opportunities, too vulnerable to the impulse to simplify, narrate, and categorize, and not open enough to rewarding those who can imagine the 'impossible'. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Born to Choose John H Falk, 2017-09-05 Born to Choose is John H. Falk’s compelling account of why and how we make the endless set of choices we do, every second of every day of our lives. Synthesizing research from across the biological and social sciences, Falk argues that human choice-making is an evolutionarily ancient and complex process. He suggests that all our choices are influenced by very basic and early evolving needs, and that ultimately each choice is designed to support survival in the guise of perceived well-being. This engaging book breaks new intellectual ground and enhances our understanding not just of human choice-making but human behavior overall. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Jakob von Uexküll and Philosophy Francesca Michelini, Kristian Köchy, 2019-12-09 Dismissed by some as the last of the anti-Darwinians, his fame as a rigorous biologist even tainted by an alleged link to National Socialist ideology, it is undeniable that Jakob von Uexküll (1864-1944) was eagerly read by many philosophers across the spectrum of philosophical schools, from Scheler to Merleau-Ponty and Deleuze and from Heidegger to Blumenberg and Agamben. What has then allowed his name to survive the misery of history as well as the usually fatal gap between science and humanities? This collection of essays attempts for the first time to do justice to Uexküll’s theoretical impact on Western culture. By highlighting his importance for philosophy, the book aims to contribute to the general interpretation of the relationship between biology and philosophy in the last century and explore the often neglected connection between continental philosophy and the sciences of life. Thanks to the exploration of Uexküll’s conceptual legacy, the origins of cybernetics, the overcoming of metaphysical dualisms, and a refined understanding of organisms appear variedly interconnected. Uexküll’s background and his relevance in current debates are thoroughly examined as to appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as postdoctoral researchers in fields such as history of the life sciences, philosophy of biology, critical animal studies, philosophical anthropology, biosemiotics and biopolitics. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: The Cambridge Handbook of Evolutionary Ethics Michael Ruse, Robert J. Richards, 2017-08-24 This book introduces readers to the application of evolutionary ideas to moral thinking and justification, presenting contrasting perspectives on controversial issues. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Cognitive Biology Gennaro Auletta, 2011-07-14 Providing a new conceptual scaffold for further research in biology and cognition, this book introduces the new field of Cognitive Biology: a systems biology approach showing that further progress in this field will depend on a deep recognition of developmental processes, as well as on the consideration of the developed organism as an agent able to modify and control its surrounding environment. The role of cognition, the means through which the organism is able to cope with its environment, cannot be underestimated. In particular, it is shown that this activity is grounded on a theory of information based on Bayesian probabilities. The organism is considered as a cybernetic system able to integrate a processor as a source of variety (the genetic system), a regulator of its own homeostasis (the metabolic system), and a selecting system separating the self from the non-self (the membrane in unicellular organisms). Any organism is a complex system that can survive only if it is able to maintain its internal order against the spontaneous tendency towards disruption. Therefore, it is forced to monitor and control its environment and so to establish feedback circuits resulting in co-adaptation. Cognitive and biological processes are shown to be inseparable. |
| dawkins vs gould survival of the fittest: Alfred Marshall and Modern Economics N. Hart, 2013-03-25 Alfred Marshall and Modern Economics re-examines Marshall's legacy and relevance to modern economic analysis with the more settled conventional wisdom concerning evolutionary processes allowing advances in economic theorising which were not possible in Marshall's life time. |
Richard Dawkins - Wikipedia
Richard Dawkins (born 26 March 1941) [3] is a British evolutionary biologist, zoologist, science communicator and author. [4] He is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and was …
Richard Dawkins | Biography, Books, The God Delusion, The ...
Richard Dawkins (born March 26, 1941, Nairobi, Kenya) is a British evolutionary biologist, ethologist, and popular-science writer who emphasized the gene as the driving force of …
Richard Dawkins
New Scientist are excited to launch a brand-new expedition experience with evolutionary biologist and highly regarded author Richard Dawkins! Explore the northernmost region of Earth, the …
Richard Dawkins Says Goodbye - The Atlantic
Sep 26, 2024 · For nearly five decades, Richard Dawkins has enjoyed a global fame rarely achieved by scientists. He has adapted his swaggering Oxbridge eloquence to a variety of …
Richard Dawkins | Speaker - TED
Legendary evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins has revolutionized our understanding of genetics and the role of science and religion in society. He is the author of 18 books (including …
Richard Dawkins: Why atheism is winning - Reason.com
May 14, 2025 · Gillespie and Dawkins talked about why he believes science can't thrive without freedom, why gender ideology is starting to look a lot like Soviet Lysenkoism, and why some...
Richard Dawkins
Visit events featuring Professor Richard Dawkins.
Richard Dawkins bibliography - Wikipedia
The following list of publications by Richard Dawkins is a chronological list of papers, articles, essays and books published by British ethologist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. …
Richard Dawkins - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dawkins is an atheist, a vice president of the British Humanist Association, and a supporter of the Brights movement. [28] He is well known for his criticism of creationism and intelligent design . …
Richard Dawkins Biography | Actforlibraries.org
In the most recent years, especially after his publication of The God Delusion, Dawkins has been heralded as a leader in the antitheist movement that is gaining momentum.
Richard Dawkins - Wikipedia
Richard Dawkins (born 26 March 1941) [3] is a British evolutionary biologist, zoologist, science communicator and author. [4] He is an emeritus fellow of New College, Oxford, and was …
Richard Dawkins | Biography, Books, The God Delusion, The ...
Richard Dawkins (born March 26, 1941, Nairobi, Kenya) is a British evolutionary biologist, ethologist, and popular-science writer who emphasized the gene as the driving force of …
Richard Dawkins
New Scientist are excited to launch a brand-new expedition experience with evolutionary biologist and highly regarded author Richard Dawkins! Explore the northernmost region of Earth, the …
Richard Dawkins Says Goodbye - The Atlantic
Sep 26, 2024 · For nearly five decades, Richard Dawkins has enjoyed a global fame rarely achieved by scientists. He has adapted his swaggering Oxbridge eloquence to a variety of …
Richard Dawkins | Speaker - TED
Legendary evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins has revolutionized our understanding of genetics and the role of science and religion in society. He is the author of 18 books (including …
Richard Dawkins: Why atheism is winning - Reason.com
May 14, 2025 · Gillespie and Dawkins talked about why he believes science can't thrive without freedom, why gender ideology is starting to look a lot like Soviet Lysenkoism, and why some...
Richard Dawkins
Visit events featuring Professor Richard Dawkins.
Richard Dawkins bibliography - Wikipedia
The following list of publications by Richard Dawkins is a chronological list of papers, articles, essays and books published by British ethologist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins. …
Richard Dawkins - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dawkins is an atheist, a vice president of the British Humanist Association, and a supporter of the Brights movement. [28] He is well known for his criticism of creationism and intelligent design . …
Richard Dawkins Biography | Actforlibraries.org
In the most recent years, especially after his publication of The God Delusion, Dawkins has been heralded as a leader in the antitheist movement that is gaining momentum.
