Customer Reviews

The Discovery of Evolution

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David Young's book is the best general history of evolutionary thought that I've read. The book can be used as an introduction, but it is informed by immense scholarship and a deep understanding of its subject. After reading other histories, I keep coming back to Young for clarification. His central merit is that he demonstrates the inner logic in the theories of previous ages. He makes it clear why such theories seemed plausible at the time, in the light of available evidence, and further, he reveals what is in fact generally valid in ideas that we now often regard as merely quaint and obsolete. If one reads Lyell and Darwin on their predecessors, one has the impression that these predecessors were often ridiculously mistaken. Lyell and Darwin are naturally intent on the promulgation of their own particular theories, theories defined by contrast with those of the predecessors. Young demonstrates the ways in which the predecessors built up, bit by bit, the whole set of ideas and observations that made Lyell and Darwin possible. The exposition of post-Darwinian evolutionary thought is similarly lucid and sympathetic. One secret of Young's insight is suggested in his title, "the discovery of evolution." He regards evolution as a reality, not merely as a "paradigm," much less as a set of ideological constructs. The protagonists of his narrative are animated by the spirit of discovery. They are on a collective quest, and the stages of their quest are the observations they make and the explanations that make sense of their observations. Young has the great historian's gift for presenting the motives and actions of individuals separated by time and space as parts of an integrated sequence-a single narrative action. The copious and often beautiful illustrations, taken from historical sources, are a treasury in themselves. The biographical register and bibliographic essay are very helpful reference sources. This is an exceptionally fine book, immensely readable and unusually illuminating.

I agree completely with the first reviewer. A particularly strong part of Young's analysis is his clear understanding of the nature of science and how theories function in making the world comprehensible. This would be a wonderful book for anyone who, although tempted by the claims of so-called "scientific creationism," is nevertheless willing to objectively examine the reasons evolution is the overwhelming choice of scientists who are trying to understanding the development of life on earth.

I have read dozens of histories of the rise and coalescence of evolutionary thought, but this is by far the best. Young deals with each major figure in his history with sympathy and insight, showing how each made a significant advance over some aspect of previous thinking and contributed to the growth of our knowledge and understanding. I had never understood the context and importance of some of these scientists before. Before I read this book, I didn't really grasp what was meant by the Whig theory of history, or why it was a bad thing. Now I do. There are no villains or numbskulls in this history -- only thoughtful people trying their best to deal honestly with difficult issues, and always succeeding to some degree. The well-reproduced and thoughtfully chosen illustrations, all from important original sources, add powerfully to the visual appeal and historical fidelity of the presentation. Anybody interested in the historical trajectory of the idea and theory of evolution should start with this excellent and eminently readable book.