The Evolution Wars: A Guide to the Debates

by Michael Ruse, Edward O. Wilson

A thought-provoking series that chronicles the discussions, disputes, and debates that have divided scientists and advanced science through the ages.The origins of humanity? The causes of homosexuality? Experimentation on humans and animals? In both theory and practice, science is riven by controversy. Always has been, always will be. Controversies in Science reveals the history of humanity's disputatious pursuit of truth-the passions, the polemics, and the partisanship.

ABC-CLIO's Controversies in Science series examines some of the greatest debates in the history of science's quest for truth. Edited by top scientists, philosophers, and historians, the titles explore fields as diverse as cosmology, genetics, evolution, psychiatry, and the fascinating and speculative study of extraterrestrial biology. Who are we? Where do we come from? And what limits should we place on the pursuit of answers to these questions?

The truth is out there. But what routes have we taken? What routes should we take? Controversies in Science offers a road map.

Genres: Science, Evolution, Nonfiction, Philosophy, History

Unbound

First published January 1, 2000

About the author

Michael Escott Ruse was a British-born Canadian philosopher of science who specialised in the philosophy of biology and worked on the relationship between science and religion, the creation–evolution controversy, and the demarcation problem within science. Ruse began his career teaching at The University of Guelph and spent many years at Florida State University.

Reviews

[U Recife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you want to understand how the Theory of Evolution evolved? This is the book. Michael Ruse is a great story teller, and he guides us throughout the debates, allowing us a glimpse on how these discussions propel the idea forward, becoming what it has become today. As Edward O. Wilson says on the preface to the 1st edition of this book, "Let me put my endorsement another way. Suppose I were told that all my memory of the evolution controversies, from Darwin's time forward, were to be erased an hour hence, and, before this calamity (there have been times I would have thought it a blessing) I were allowed to choose a book to begin my reeducation. I would select, and therefore here recommend, for clarity and good humor as well as substance, The Evolution Wars."

[Rachel C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This ended up being a fairly useful book to me when I was writing up a paper, though I didn't get to read all of it. The part I read was good, but a bit overly detailed... though I guess that was the point XD