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Evolution: A View from the 21st Century
James A. Shapiro's Evolution: A View from the 21st Century proposes an important new paradigm for understanding biological evolution. Shapiro demonstrates why traditional views of evolution are inadequate to explain the latest evidence, and presents a compelling alternative. His information- and systems-based approach integrates advances in symbiogenesis, epigenetics, and mobile genetic elements, and points toward an emerging synthesis of physical, information, and biological sciences.
253 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2011
72 people are currently reading
618 people want to read
About the author
James A. Shapiro
8 books6 followersProfessor of Microbiology, 1985-present
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of Chicago
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of Chicago
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February 18, 2014
Is Genetics in conflict with Darwin's biological evolution?
This book is written with a strong emphasis on genetics and molecular biology of evolution for both professionals and also for general readers. However, I must warn that it gets little technical at places and a reasonable background in molecular biology will be helpful.
The flow of information is a key to the biological evolution. All elementary processes of life are governed by information; it is stored in the genome of the organism and is expressed by a process through which the genetic information is continually re-evaluated by permanent interactions with the physical environment to which it is exposed. In this way, the living organism is built step by step into a hierarchically organized network of unmatched complexity. The fact that all phenomena of life are based upon information and communication, and this is indeed the principal characteristic of living matter. Without the perpetual exchange of information at all levels of organization, the functional order in the living organism could not be sustained.
Molecular evolution may act in different ways, through protein evolution, gene loss, differential gene regulation and RNA evolution. Natural selection and adaptation modulated the first primitive cells on this planet all the way into the human system; mathematical modeling and also the genome comparisons have provided strong leads in this regard. An unprecedented desire for life to sustain, persevere, grow, and evolve in most inhospitable environments of the planet such as soil rich in arsenic, highly alkaline medium, anoxic conditions under salty water, and high temperature deep under the ocean close to the vents of volcanic activity all strongly support the principle of adaptation.
Primarily it is not the genes that make us different, but it is regulatory regions accounts for some of our uniquely human traits. We have lost 510 sizeable chunks' of regulatory DNA despite the fact that it is retained by other animals like chimps, mice and chickens. Before the human genome sequence was published, it was estimated that there were about 100,000 genes, but it turned out to be about 20,000. The human genome is less complex than it was previously thought. It is this missing DNA that provides us the clue of what makes us so different from others.
Evolution of life is an adaptive process and this is clearly illustrated in molecular immunology, where antibodies are synthesized to recognize unknown invaders. The genetic engineering and evolutionary change resulting in genome restructuring in the immune system is a fine example of adaptation. In fact, recently there are numerous reports that early humans, when they left Africa for Europe and Asia were exposed to new infections. Now genetic evidences suggest that there were significant interbreeding of humans with Neanderthals, Denisovans and other hominins that offered genetic resistance of humans to infections in their new world. An international group of scientists completed the sequence of the Neanderthal genome in May 2010. The results indicate breeding between humans and Neanderthals as the genomes of non-African humans have 1-4% more in common with Neanderthals than do the genomes of sub-Saharan Africans.
The author in this book takes a view contrary to generally held opinion of many molecular evolutionists. He states that innovation and not selection is the critical issue in evolution, because innovation creates novelty. Without variation and novelty, selection has nothing to act upon. The living organisms actively change themselves thorough genome modification. The author argues that conventional evolutionary theory assumes inherited novelty, the result of chance or accident, and Darwin's idea of adaptive change from natural selection applied to countless random small changes over long periods of time. The inevitable errors in the replication process, the accidental, stochastic nature of mutations are still the prevailing and widely accepted wisdom on the subject, the author claims. The author suggests that the capacity to change is itself adaptive, and overtime, conditions inevitably change, and organisms that acquire novel inherited functions have the greatest potential to survive. He adds further that the conventional evolutionary theory treats the genome as read only memory (ROM) subject to change by stochastic damage and copying errors. It has now become apparent that the genome is read-write (RW) memory system subject to non-random change by dedicated cell functions. Cell mediated inscriptions occur at all time scales ranging from the single cycle to evolutionary epoch. Therefore, the author claims that we must incorporate the capacity of living organisms to alter their own heredity in the current ideas of molecular evolution.
Evolutionists including molecular biologists invoke the principles of Darwinism in interpreting their results. The fact that traditional evolution did not include genetics means that not much was known about that at that time but the ideas are still the same. Genes help human population to adapt to certain environmental conditions. An example of advantageous mutation in a population was traced in human genome, but it is harder and subtler to trace than originally anticipated. Using the statistical method they have found many less dramatic mutations that, for example, help highland Tibetans survive high altitude, and Yupik Eskimos to stay warm efficiently (1). How does an organism whose internal temperatures vary with ambient temperature. A Poikilotherm is shown to sense temperature of its environment using rhodopsin as a thermo sensor, which is actually a visual sensor (2). The photosynthetic apparatus of cryptophytes algae has pigments farther apart than is expected for efficient functioning. The authors find that its higher efficiency is partly due to quantum physical process (3). Does speciation occur within a population, sympatrically? Mating preferences can halt movement of genes within a population. The work of Van Doorn et al., gives credibility to this concept of sympatric speciation and suggests that both local adaptation and sexual selection may play a far more important role in speciation than previously thought (4). A bacterial strain GFA-1 of the Halomonadaceae is able to substitute arsenic instead for phosphorus to sustain growth. The substitution of this element for phosphorus in DNA and RNA has profound evolutionary significance in Darwinian language (5).
Digital evolution is another great way of understanding biological evolution. Chris Adami of Caltech came up with software for systematic study of evolutionary process that gave rise to the computer world of Avida where the life form can evolve. At Michigan State University at East Lansing, Charles Ofria's computers developed digital microbes called Avidians. They consume computing time as "food", have equations for genetic codes, they self replicate, mutate and evolve into new more intelligent artificial life forms. In other experiments, digital pets have been created with rudimentary memory and symmetrical brains. These experiments offer as fine models to study and understand the strength of natural selection and adaptation (6).
The author's comment that "The perceived need to reject supernatural intervention unfortunately led to the pioneers of evolutionary theory to erect a priori philosophical distinction between the "blind" process of hereditary variation and all other adaptive functions," is highly unfair. Most biologists are realists and believe in theory and experimental evidences in support of the theory. No evolutionists have interpreted his/her data to denounce faith based arguments. Darwin toyed with his idea for 20 years before he published his work. Most scientists and philosophers at his time were ordained ministers and people's belief in the book of Geneisis was unshakable. Darwin himself a conservative Christian took a great deal of courage to publish his work and there were no attempts by Darwin or by anyone to reject people's belief in supernatural intervention.
This book is written with a strong emphasis on genetics and molecular biology of evolution for both professionals and also for general readers. However, I must warn that it gets little technical at places and a reasonable background in molecular biology will be helpful.
The flow of information is a key to the biological evolution. All elementary processes of life are governed by information; it is stored in the genome of the organism and is expressed by a process through which the genetic information is continually re-evaluated by permanent interactions with the physical environment to which it is exposed. In this way, the living organism is built step by step into a hierarchically organized network of unmatched complexity. The fact that all phenomena of life are based upon information and communication, and this is indeed the principal characteristic of living matter. Without the perpetual exchange of information at all levels of organization, the functional order in the living organism could not be sustained.
Molecular evolution may act in different ways, through protein evolution, gene loss, differential gene regulation and RNA evolution. Natural selection and adaptation modulated the first primitive cells on this planet all the way into the human system; mathematical modeling and also the genome comparisons have provided strong leads in this regard. An unprecedented desire for life to sustain, persevere, grow, and evolve in most inhospitable environments of the planet such as soil rich in arsenic, highly alkaline medium, anoxic conditions under salty water, and high temperature deep under the ocean close to the vents of volcanic activity all strongly support the principle of adaptation.
Primarily it is not the genes that make us different, but it is regulatory regions accounts for some of our uniquely human traits. We have lost 510 sizeable chunks' of regulatory DNA despite the fact that it is retained by other animals like chimps, mice and chickens. Before the human genome sequence was published, it was estimated that there were about 100,000 genes, but it turned out to be about 20,000. The human genome is less complex than it was previously thought. It is this missing DNA that provides us the clue of what makes us so different from others.
Evolution of life is an adaptive process and this is clearly illustrated in molecular immunology, where antibodies are synthesized to recognize unknown invaders. The genetic engineering and evolutionary change resulting in genome restructuring in the immune system is a fine example of adaptation. In fact, recently there are numerous reports that early humans, when they left Africa for Europe and Asia were exposed to new infections. Now genetic evidences suggest that there were significant interbreeding of humans with Neanderthals, Denisovans and other hominins that offered genetic resistance of humans to infections in their new world. An international group of scientists completed the sequence of the Neanderthal genome in May 2010. The results indicate breeding between humans and Neanderthals as the genomes of non-African humans have 1-4% more in common with Neanderthals than do the genomes of sub-Saharan Africans.
The author in this book takes a view contrary to generally held opinion of many molecular evolutionists. He states that innovation and not selection is the critical issue in evolution, because innovation creates novelty. Without variation and novelty, selection has nothing to act upon. The living organisms actively change themselves thorough genome modification. The author argues that conventional evolutionary theory assumes inherited novelty, the result of chance or accident, and Darwin's idea of adaptive change from natural selection applied to countless random small changes over long periods of time. The inevitable errors in the replication process, the accidental, stochastic nature of mutations are still the prevailing and widely accepted wisdom on the subject, the author claims. The author suggests that the capacity to change is itself adaptive, and overtime, conditions inevitably change, and organisms that acquire novel inherited functions have the greatest potential to survive. He adds further that the conventional evolutionary theory treats the genome as read only memory (ROM) subject to change by stochastic damage and copying errors. It has now become apparent that the genome is read-write (RW) memory system subject to non-random change by dedicated cell functions. Cell mediated inscriptions occur at all time scales ranging from the single cycle to evolutionary epoch. Therefore, the author claims that we must incorporate the capacity of living organisms to alter their own heredity in the current ideas of molecular evolution.
Evolutionists including molecular biologists invoke the principles of Darwinism in interpreting their results. The fact that traditional evolution did not include genetics means that not much was known about that at that time but the ideas are still the same. Genes help human population to adapt to certain environmental conditions. An example of advantageous mutation in a population was traced in human genome, but it is harder and subtler to trace than originally anticipated. Using the statistical method they have found many less dramatic mutations that, for example, help highland Tibetans survive high altitude, and Yupik Eskimos to stay warm efficiently (1). How does an organism whose internal temperatures vary with ambient temperature. A Poikilotherm is shown to sense temperature of its environment using rhodopsin as a thermo sensor, which is actually a visual sensor (2). The photosynthetic apparatus of cryptophytes algae has pigments farther apart than is expected for efficient functioning. The authors find that its higher efficiency is partly due to quantum physical process (3). Does speciation occur within a population, sympatrically? Mating preferences can halt movement of genes within a population. The work of Van Doorn et al., gives credibility to this concept of sympatric speciation and suggests that both local adaptation and sexual selection may play a far more important role in speciation than previously thought (4). A bacterial strain GFA-1 of the Halomonadaceae is able to substitute arsenic instead for phosphorus to sustain growth. The substitution of this element for phosphorus in DNA and RNA has profound evolutionary significance in Darwinian language (5).
Digital evolution is another great way of understanding biological evolution. Chris Adami of Caltech came up with software for systematic study of evolutionary process that gave rise to the computer world of Avida where the life form can evolve. At Michigan State University at East Lansing, Charles Ofria's computers developed digital microbes called Avidians. They consume computing time as "food", have equations for genetic codes, they self replicate, mutate and evolve into new more intelligent artificial life forms. In other experiments, digital pets have been created with rudimentary memory and symmetrical brains. These experiments offer as fine models to study and understand the strength of natural selection and adaptation (6).
The author's comment that "The perceived need to reject supernatural intervention unfortunately led to the pioneers of evolutionary theory to erect a priori philosophical distinction between the "blind" process of hereditary variation and all other adaptive functions," is highly unfair. Most biologists are realists and believe in theory and experimental evidences in support of the theory. No evolutionists have interpreted his/her data to denounce faith based arguments. Darwin toyed with his idea for 20 years before he published his work. Most scientists and philosophers at his time were ordained ministers and people's belief in the book of Geneisis was unshakable. Darwin himself a conservative Christian took a great deal of courage to publish his work and there were no attempts by Darwin or by anyone to reject people's belief in supernatural intervention.
January 12, 2022
First and foremost: I think there is some great information in this book that is perhaps not so broadly known. I did have to remind myself at some point that this book is now ten years old, so some concepts that were presented as novel are now pretty standard in genetics research.
However, there were a few things that irritated me from the start and thus I settled into this book on the wrong foot:
1. The repeated message in the introduction that the reader is probably just not smart enough/educated enough for this book. Okay, mate, but—hear me out here—if you are publishing a book for public consumption, it should be written for a public audience, and not specialists. (#HotTake, I know.) If you want to write a book just for academics and specialists, perhaps an academic press would have been a better choice. If that wasn't an option, then just market this specifically as a book for specialists and don't even bother withpretending trying to accommodate non-specialist readers.
2. The author's implication that everything ever learned in evolutionary biology is wrong, except the ideas his line espouses, and the mentality that goes with feeling like your genius has been passed over for mediocrity. I want to repeat that many of the ideas here are really interesting, but I also think it's important to know that these ideas weren't being broadly rejected, even at the time. (Remember that epigenetics was fairly new in the early 2010s, and science can be kinda slow to pick up on new ideas.) I was in grad school at the time this book was published, and I remember bringing in one of the horizontal gene transfer papers cited here into an evolutionary theory class for discussion; the general consensus was not "that's b.s.", it was "huh, cool. wait, how does the horizontal gene transfer things work again?"
3. One of the links with appendix information was no longer active. Okay, now I get that things change—for example, publishers get sold or go out of business—but if you are relying heavily on a website to carry information pertinent to the book, you really need to make sure your link is stable. (The other link was active, but didn't route you directly to the book's page. Also, this page looks like html and is real ugly, but that's another issue. At least the information is mostly there.)
So anyway…worth reading if you have some interest in genetics, and are curious what's changed in the last decade. Hopefully the author's patronizing tone doesn't bother you like it did me.
However, there were a few things that irritated me from the start and thus I settled into this book on the wrong foot:
1. The repeated message in the introduction that the reader is probably just not smart enough/educated enough for this book. Okay, mate, but—hear me out here—if you are publishing a book for public consumption, it should be written for a public audience, and not specialists. (#HotTake, I know.) If you want to write a book just for academics and specialists, perhaps an academic press would have been a better choice. If that wasn't an option, then just market this specifically as a book for specialists and don't even bother with
2. The author's implication that everything ever learned in evolutionary biology is wrong, except the ideas his line espouses, and the mentality that goes with feeling like your genius has been passed over for mediocrity. I want to repeat that many of the ideas here are really interesting, but I also think it's important to know that these ideas weren't being broadly rejected, even at the time. (Remember that epigenetics was fairly new in the early 2010s, and science can be kinda slow to pick up on new ideas.) I was in grad school at the time this book was published, and I remember bringing in one of the horizontal gene transfer papers cited here into an evolutionary theory class for discussion; the general consensus was not "that's b.s.", it was "huh, cool. wait, how does the horizontal gene transfer things work again?"
3. One of the links with appendix information was no longer active. Okay, now I get that things change—for example, publishers get sold or go out of business—but if you are relying heavily on a website to carry information pertinent to the book, you really need to make sure your link is stable. (The other link was active, but didn't route you directly to the book's page. Also, this page looks like html and is real ugly, but that's another issue. At least the information is mostly there.)
So anyway…worth reading if you have some interest in genetics, and are curious what's changed in the last decade. Hopefully the author's patronizing tone doesn't bother you like it did me.
Read
January 9, 2015The conclusions from this book were fascinating and likely very important. The author is an expert in his field, who writes this book as a summary of a lifetime of research in micro biology. After getting into the book it became apparent that I did not fit into the target readership! The book is really only designed for graduates of microbiology; an advanced degree in Physics was insufficient. An example sentence in the book (which made little sense to this Physicist) was: “Other insulators work by directing RNA PollIII transcriptions of SINE and tRNA molecules and thus moving their chromosome site into one of the many specialized transcription factories within the functionally compartmentalized nucleus”. The majority of the book is filled with this type of sentence. Only the beginning and end of the first three chapters was written without technical language and acronyms. In addition, the book used no figures, diagrams or descriptions, which could have been used to explain the concepts. Rather the book had more than 1000 references to technical papers. This was additional evidence that I was never intended to read the book. Thus, if the sentence quoted was perfectly understandable to a reader, they should probably read the book, otherwise try to find a good review article instead. With my background, reading the book was difficult, dreary and painful until the final chapter. As a result, I will not give a one star rating (based on my enjoyment of the book), but will choose to skip rating the book and just provide this short review.
January 15, 2020
With over 1000 bibliographic references in under 200 pages of text, this book is not an easy or casual read. But it does manage to be very concise about its thesis, which the author convincingly defends:
"Examining genomes and deducing what kinds of hereditary changes occurred coincidentally with major transition points in evolution (when new kinds of organisms appeared having novel capabilities) lead to a clear conclusion: Rapid events involving non-canonical modes of inheritance have introduced major changes to genome structure and function throughout evolutionary history. The DNA record definitely does not support the slow accumulation of random gradual changes transmitted by restricted patterns of vertical descent."
"Examining genomes and deducing what kinds of hereditary changes occurred coincidentally with major transition points in evolution (when new kinds of organisms appeared having novel capabilities) lead to a clear conclusion: Rapid events involving non-canonical modes of inheritance have introduced major changes to genome structure and function throughout evolutionary history. The DNA record definitely does not support the slow accumulation of random gradual changes transmitted by restricted patterns of vertical descent."
January 28, 2019
Blew my mind. 147 pages of paradigm shift in how to think about evolution. Cells constantly engineering *themselves*, often in response to stress, with jumping genes, horizontal gene transfer, endosymbiogenesis, interspecies hybridizations, and genome duplications. So many insights and inspirations relevant to designing biology. Recommend for all biologists and bioengineers.
February 20, 2014
I thought it was basically a textbook on cell and molecular biology along with biochemistry. I did not really see the link to evolution and was rather bored with this book.
December 31, 2024
I enjoyed this book a lot and highly recommend it. It is a very rich masterpiece for those looking to be updated on where we stand in evolutionary science today. Shapiro provides a detailed and accessible review of discoveries in the post-Darwinian era, highlighting many paradigm shifts and advancements. Our rapidly growing knowledge of molecular and cellular biology has allowed us to revise and expand our understanding of how life evolves. The book effectively demonstrates how our views of evolution have changed with each major discovery. Shapiro supports his ideas with scientific research papers throughout the book, which is crucial for any scientific work.
On the Science:
I agree that random single amino acid changes in a gradual pattern are fundamental to how evolution operates. However, one cannot discount this mechanism or argue that it is not a major factor. Shapiro did not deny this but opposed neo-Darwinism strongly to support his ideas about natural genetic engineering (NGE). The main point where I diverge from the book is that I believe NGE changes themselves are random and rely on the presence of specific tools that evolved neutrally. For example, conserved sequences like homologous recombination hotspots and transposons must exist to enable genome restructuring. These tools could only have arisen earlier in evolution through neutral processes, which later facilitated genome restructuring.
Even Shapiro's example of somatic hypermutation involves a random process of combining pre-existing sequences to eventually produce the best antibody. Thus, the process remains both gradual and adaptive, with one mechanism complementing the other to yield life as we know it today.
Shapiro also argues that NGE changes occur in response to environmental pressures and are subject to selection pressure once they occur. Therefore, natural selection remains the main driving force of evolution. Whether changes occur gradually or in large-scale events (such as horizontal gene transfer or symbiogenesis), they ultimately undergo the same final test under natural selection
On the Science:
I agree that random single amino acid changes in a gradual pattern are fundamental to how evolution operates. However, one cannot discount this mechanism or argue that it is not a major factor. Shapiro did not deny this but opposed neo-Darwinism strongly to support his ideas about natural genetic engineering (NGE). The main point where I diverge from the book is that I believe NGE changes themselves are random and rely on the presence of specific tools that evolved neutrally. For example, conserved sequences like homologous recombination hotspots and transposons must exist to enable genome restructuring. These tools could only have arisen earlier in evolution through neutral processes, which later facilitated genome restructuring.
Even Shapiro's example of somatic hypermutation involves a random process of combining pre-existing sequences to eventually produce the best antibody. Thus, the process remains both gradual and adaptive, with one mechanism complementing the other to yield life as we know it today.
Shapiro also argues that NGE changes occur in response to environmental pressures and are subject to selection pressure once they occur. Therefore, natural selection remains the main driving force of evolution. Whether changes occur gradually or in large-scale events (such as horizontal gene transfer or symbiogenesis), they ultimately undergo the same final test under natural selection
September 15, 2023
Evolution: A View from the 21st Century
This book was intriguing, and it challenged my intellectual capacity. Shapiro clearly documented how we evolved and how cells are able to change themselves and adapt to environmental conditions. This explains how different outcomes happen because of gene expression and that the expression of genes depends on internal and external factors. As he documented, Natural Genetic Engineering feats performed by cells allowed new functions to emerge. The idea of emerging properties fits with the fascinating theory described in On the Origin of Time: Stephen Hawking's Final Theory by Thomas Hertog.
It was fascinating to learn how cells have what he called cognition. He demonstrated their cognition from the cell's purposeful interactions to ensure survival, growth, and proliferation. He showed how cells evolve by alternating their hereditary character with natural genetic engineering and cell fusions. It is also these functions that enable evolutionary novelty to arise due to these modifications and cell fusions made to existing components.
A major contention he made and supported with evidence was that evolution was more likely to have occurred in jumps and not from the slow accumulation of random, gradual changes. He explains that there is little evidence to show the gradual accumulation through vertical descent of numerous successive, slight modifications in the theory of evolution. However, there is clear evidence that suggests and exists for abrupt events for specific kinds of evolution at all levels of genome organization.
I recommend this book, but it is a difficult read. The evidence presented supported the ability of nature to allow the emergence of new properties and how this happened in our evolutionary history. My biggest concern was the accessibility of the information to people like myself who are not scientifically grounded in biology.
This book was intriguing, and it challenged my intellectual capacity. Shapiro clearly documented how we evolved and how cells are able to change themselves and adapt to environmental conditions. This explains how different outcomes happen because of gene expression and that the expression of genes depends on internal and external factors. As he documented, Natural Genetic Engineering feats performed by cells allowed new functions to emerge. The idea of emerging properties fits with the fascinating theory described in On the Origin of Time: Stephen Hawking's Final Theory by Thomas Hertog.
It was fascinating to learn how cells have what he called cognition. He demonstrated their cognition from the cell's purposeful interactions to ensure survival, growth, and proliferation. He showed how cells evolve by alternating their hereditary character with natural genetic engineering and cell fusions. It is also these functions that enable evolutionary novelty to arise due to these modifications and cell fusions made to existing components.
A major contention he made and supported with evidence was that evolution was more likely to have occurred in jumps and not from the slow accumulation of random, gradual changes. He explains that there is little evidence to show the gradual accumulation through vertical descent of numerous successive, slight modifications in the theory of evolution. However, there is clear evidence that suggests and exists for abrupt events for specific kinds of evolution at all levels of genome organization.
I recommend this book, but it is a difficult read. The evidence presented supported the ability of nature to allow the emergence of new properties and how this happened in our evolutionary history. My biggest concern was the accessibility of the information to people like myself who are not scientifically grounded in biology.
July 22, 2022
My review of James A. Shapiro’s Evolution: A View from the 21st Century is tomorrow, July 23rd!
It is a brilliant book
The good news, is that the book is also shares a wealth of insights, resources, and suggestions for further study for those better equipped than I. Get to it.
Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo
https://linomatteo.wordpress.com/2022...
It is a brilliant book
The good news, is that the book is also shares a wealth of insights, resources, and suggestions for further study for those better equipped than I. Get to it.
Lino Matteo ©™
Twitter @Lino_Matteo
https://linomatteo.wordpress.com/2022...
June 25, 2025
The argument for natural genetic engineering is convincing. However, the book is not written well and often presents complicated molecular pathways with no background.
October 8, 2013
This was like going to a scientific seminar with a high-profile speaker that you knew was going to be good, and when it was over you realize it was REALLY good. (If you've never experienced that, it's one of the consolations for years of Ph.D. study, and it's a nice feeling.) James A. Shapiro wrote this book to argue that evolutionary change is not only much less gradual than many biology textbooks insist, but it's also directed by the cell and therefore has the hallmarks of intentional engineering. I am most excited about Shapiro's willingness to re-introduce teleology into evolution, and there are many threads and references he drops off that I will follow up for my own chemistry-based angle. I have a few comments, not even really criticisms: basically he ends up downplaying the single-mutation mechanisms to the point that the general reader may not even know that those exist, and he spends so much time away from the protein level that he neglects a few examples that sort of coincide with his thesis but involve the dreaded single-mutation type change (in particular, I'm thinking of Susan Lindquist's work on the way heat-shock proteins can "buffer" destabilizing mutations during normal times, allowing for more rapid change in times of stress -- if this was among the 1000+ references, I didn't see it). But honestly, this book is not for the general reader, even though Shapiro makes some faint stabs in that direction. You really need a master's degree in a related field to read this book. But I've seen biology slowly moving in Shapiro's direction, especially with the observed large changes of DNA that are not small or incremental. Another minor quibble is that he insists on going after Darwin as being wrong, when Darwin's mistakes were perfectly understandable, and, like a blurb on the back says, Darwin would have been excited by this book. It's not about Darwin, it's about role of randomness and a possible role for intentionality (and therefore order). It's about whether biology is just a branch of thermodynamics or if there might be something more to it. And it's exciting to have all of this evidence in one place, especially for a chemist like me who didn't know, for example, how plant biologists make new species (by hybridization, not small incremental change). Shapiro is definitely onto something here, and I look forward to seeing this story continue to unfold. By the way, this book is all the things The Signature of the Cell wanted to be but wasn't -- including right.
May 18, 2014
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...#
Excellent in that it is the only book that really begins to explain the newest evidence (mainly molecular) regarding evolution and discusses openly, an alternative way of understanding evolution abd it may not be strictly via common descent. At best, this is an antiquated view of evolution and Shapiro presents instead alternatives such as:natural genetic engineering, in combination with many other interlinked mechanisms and processes that how it might have unfolded.
Shapiro explains why evolution is not slow, random, directionless, or driven by genes or via natural selection. In other words, not by Darwinian means. What Shapiro does best is to place these seemingly heretical claims into a scientific framework based entirely on the most up-to-date and sound, peer-reviewed research. Here in lies the problem with the book and why it did not get five stars. It is extremely technical and aimed at a very interested, but scientifically minded readership, as well as scientists in the field of biology and other practitioners in related research. I am very familiar with many of the principals in the book and I found it hard-going in places. But, it is worth persevering with. Furthermore, Shapiro does regular blogs on Huffington Post and these are aimed at a ore general readership (no previous knowledge required) and many of the concepts are much clearer here.
http://diggingupthefuture.com
Excellent in that it is the only book that really begins to explain the newest evidence (mainly molecular) regarding evolution and discusses openly, an alternative way of understanding evolution abd it may not be strictly via common descent. At best, this is an antiquated view of evolution and Shapiro presents instead alternatives such as:natural genetic engineering, in combination with many other interlinked mechanisms and processes that how it might have unfolded.
Shapiro explains why evolution is not slow, random, directionless, or driven by genes or via natural selection. In other words, not by Darwinian means. What Shapiro does best is to place these seemingly heretical claims into a scientific framework based entirely on the most up-to-date and sound, peer-reviewed research. Here in lies the problem with the book and why it did not get five stars. It is extremely technical and aimed at a very interested, but scientifically minded readership, as well as scientists in the field of biology and other practitioners in related research. I am very familiar with many of the principals in the book and I found it hard-going in places. But, it is worth persevering with. Furthermore, Shapiro does regular blogs on Huffington Post and these are aimed at a ore general readership (no previous knowledge required) and many of the concepts are much clearer here.
http://diggingupthefuture.com
April 23, 2014
James Shapiro argues that evolution's mechanism isn't truly random variation. The genome, he argues, is a sophisticated data storage and manipulation system. This is a book about the nitty gritty molecular details of how cells exchange genetic information, respond to changing situations, and how cells, individually and together, create useful responses out of shared and rearranged genetic sequences.
It's not light reading. Every section has an introduction that lays out the basic argument of that section, but then he dives back into the biochemistry and genetics. It's all copiously referenced, with links to additional information on the web.
I can only say that the argument is interesting and seems to make sense. It would take a far stronger biology background than mine to meaningfully assess its validity.
Another caution: This really is about the underlying biochemistry of evolution, not about what we've learned about the history of life on Earth and the development of new life forms over time. For many people, it won't be the book they're looking for when they see the title.
Includes a glossary, extensive references, an associated website with additional material, and an index.
I bought this book.
It's not light reading. Every section has an introduction that lays out the basic argument of that section, but then he dives back into the biochemistry and genetics. It's all copiously referenced, with links to additional information on the web.
I can only say that the argument is interesting and seems to make sense. It would take a far stronger biology background than mine to meaningfully assess its validity.
Another caution: This really is about the underlying biochemistry of evolution, not about what we've learned about the history of life on Earth and the development of new life forms over time. For many people, it won't be the book they're looking for when they see the title.
Includes a glossary, extensive references, an associated website with additional material, and an index.
I bought this book.
December 29, 2011
amazon review:
James A. Shapiro's Evolution: A View from the 21st Century proposes an important new paradigm for understanding biological evolution. Shapiro demonstrates why traditional views of evolution are inadequate to explain the latest evidence, and presents a compelling alternative. His information- and systems-based approach integrates advances in symbiogenesis, epigenetics, and mobile genetic elements, and points toward an emerging synthesis of physical, information, and biological sciences.
James A. Shapiro's Evolution: A View from the 21st Century proposes an important new paradigm for understanding biological evolution. Shapiro demonstrates why traditional views of evolution are inadequate to explain the latest evidence, and presents a compelling alternative. His information- and systems-based approach integrates advances in symbiogenesis, epigenetics, and mobile genetic elements, and points toward an emerging synthesis of physical, information, and biological sciences.
October 24, 2011
Good book, very detailed (imho). This book is not a good candidate for reading on the Kindle, at least without a wifi connection. Many figures and illustrations available online that would probably enrich the reading experience. Explains the how and why of the reasons that evolution does not proceed by random mutation.
May 1, 2016
Much needed foray into molecular biology that I do not think I am quite ready to deal with. Nonetheless this book will give me a lot to think about the unsuspected, major (for me) role of molecular biology in evolution.
Want to read
November 9, 2011Kindle Edition.
Want to read
September 27, 2012The $3 price was just too tempting compared to $35. And I'm always interested in everything.
Read
October 5, 2012An excellent little volume. While I do not YET subscribe to Shapiro's conclusions, his presentation of the molecular evidence suggesting we need to revise neo-Darwinism is exceptional.
Read
June 17, 2016A este libro le falta un buen editor. Es más árido que masticar arena. Una pena porque la hipótesis planteada (que no interviene sólo el azar en la evolución) es interesantísima.
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